It's been used as currency, vampire repellant, worshipped by ancient Egyptians, and as a flavor kicker in Mom's recipes. But garlic has also been used for centuries for health and medicinal purposes.

While some of the claims have yet to be proven by scientific studies, many people swear by garlic's healing powers. To get an idea of what this powerful little bulb can do for you, I spoke with Donna-Lee Smith, a registered dietician at Consuming Wellness outside of Toronto, Canada. And while I'd heard some of these benefits before, others were new. Donna-Lee also cautioned that while eating garlic is definitely healthy for you, many "benefits" could be caused by the placebo effect, and further study was needed.

But whether you believe the benefits are actual, or the result of the placebo effect, adding a little more garlic in your diet won't hurt you. Your breath maybe. But not you.

As an Antioxidant -
Allicin, one of the sulphur-containing compounds that give garlic its pungent odor, may be responsible for preventing cell damage by fighting free radicals. And garlic is also a good source of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant.

As a Blood Cleanser -
Some studies have shown that garlic helps keep blood platelets from sticking together (reducing the risk of blood clots), and that it may also help stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the lining of blood vessel walls. Which keeps them relaxed and prevents hardening. And a diet rich in garlic may also help deter plaque buildup in your arteries.

As a Blood Thinner -
Garlic is also a natural anticoagulant and prevents clotting.

To Lower Cholesterol -
Those pharmaceuticals that just got pulled from the shelves may not lower your cholesterol like they claimed, but eating garlic might. There are conflicting studies, but some have shown that eating garlic regularly can help lower your LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, while raising your HDL, or "good" cholesterol.
...There's more