Garlic—health effects of garlic! For example, studies show that regular consumption of (primarily raw) garlic:
May be effective against drug-resistant bacteria
Reduces risk for heart disease,2 including heart attack3 and stroke
Helps normalize your cholesterol4 and blood pressure
Protects against cancer,5, 6 including brain,7 lung,8 and prostate9 cancer
Reduces risk of osteoarthritis10
It’s thought that much of garlic’s therapeutic effect comes from its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin, which are also what give it its characteristic smell. Other health-promoting compounds include oligosaccharides, arginine-rich proteins, selenium and flavonoids.11