Fresh garlic is packed with antioxidants offering benefits like boosting immunity, improving heart health (lowering blood pressure/cholesterol), fighting infections (bacteria/viruses/fungi), reducing inflammation, and potentially enhancing athletic performance, with studies showing it helps fight colds and may protect against chronic diseases like certain cancers, though it's best used as part of a healthy diet. 

Culinary suggestions...

Use fresh garlic by mincing/slicing and sauteing as a flavour base, roasting whole bulbs for a sweet spread, adding it raw to dressings/salsas, or infusing it into oils; it adds punch to soups, stews, meats, and veggies, with preparation ranging from finely chopping (for intensity) to whole cloves (for mellow infusion).