We all know and love garlic as the flavorful add-in to some of our favorite savory dishes, but have you ever thought of it as a health supplement? As it turns out, garlic is one of the most beneficial natural supplements out there! Its lingering smell on your breath might be worth it after you read today’s LIVE WELL installment.

For one, the benefits are beyond. To name a few, it’s loaded with various vitamins and minerals and antioxidants that can protect against cell damage in the brain, reduces blood pressure, and helps to detoxify heavy metals in the body like lead and aluminum

So how do you get these benefits? There are a few ways to take garlic as a supplement other than crushing a clove (the recommended amount) every morning and swallowing it. (That said, fresh garlic is definitely the best way to reap any benefits.)

The most common way you’ll see people taking garlic is in powder form inside a capsule. It’s important to know though, that not all capsules are created equal. When shopping for your garlic supplement, it’s suggested you look for a brand that is “standardized”. You should be able to spot a standardization statement on the bottle that reads “standardized to contain at least 1.3% alliin” (alliin is an enzyme that turns into allicin when ingested, one of the most medicinally effective compounds in garlic). I also recommend looking for a USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) seal because supplements with this seal are generally held to a higher standard.

A third way to make garlic part of your regular wellness routine is as an oil. You can even make your garlic infused oil at home. As always though, do your research and maybe even talk to your doctor about adding garlic as a supplement because I read that it can affect other medications or produce side effects.

Anyone ever used garlic as a health supplement before? Would love to hear any stories you might have on how it worked (or didn’t) for you.