Intensely tasty and aromatic, garlic is one of the common ingredients used in cooking in nearly all cultures. Besides its pungent smell and distinctive flavor, is there more to it? Why is garlic considered a superfood?

The phytonutrients and sulfur compounds present in garlic have made this herb popular since the ancient times. It has been used as medicine by the Babylonians, Chinese, Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks for its ability to boost overall health. Recent studies evaluated its ability to improve and prevent a wide spectrum of diseases.

Research showed that eating garlic on a regular basis helps prevent infections, stroke, heart disease, and cancer.[1] According to The National Cancer Institute, although they don’t recommend dietary supplements for preventing cancer, they recognize garlic as one of the vegetables with anticancer properties.