Eating garlic benefits a lot. Because garlic is used widely as a flavoring in cooking, it has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history; it has been taken to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases. Here we are going to discuss the benefits of eating garlic.
Eating Garlic Benefits
Better blood pressure
Garlic has anti-inflammatory benefits and helps blood flow more easily through the body. Several studies found that blood pressure was lowered by 10% when the participant took garlic supplements. Keep in mind that the supplement doses are fairly high—600 to 1,500 mg of aged garlic extract. That’s the equivalent of roughly four cloves of garlic a day, so start chopping.
Lower cholesterol
Garlic can also reduce cardiovascular disease risk by lowering your cholesterol. A group of study participants that took a garlic supplement saw their cholesterol levels go down over a period of five months. The key here is commitment. Like many natural remedies, it takes a while for the benefits of garlic to kick in, because you have to let the vitamins and minerals build up in your body. But adding garlic to your daily routine is a healthy way to develop a lifelong habit that can benefit your health year after year.
Reduced risk of heart disease
Garlic is a natural at reducing heart disease risk because it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s also great at reducing your risk of heart disease by relaxing hardened blood vessels and preventing platelet aggregation. How does it work? Garlic increases the production of nitric oxide which keeps blood vessels relaxed. It also prevents platelets from binding to proteins, which reduces blood clots. When it comes to heart disease help, garlic’s got you covered.
Garlic for colds and flu
Digested garlic helps boost the immune system and reduces the severity and length of cold and flu symptoms. One study showed that taking a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds participants experienced by 63%. Studies have also reported that the average length of cold symptoms was reduced from five days to a day and a half. If you like garlic, try adding more to your meals when you feel a cold coming on.
Better athletic performance
Ancient cultures used garlic to enhance performance and reduce the fatigue of people doing physical labor. Eventually, the Olympic athletes in Greece started using garlic to enhance their athletic ability. Now modern athletes (and regular folks too) are using it to reduce exercise-induced fatigue. Some studies have shown people with heart disease who took garlic oil for six weeks improved their peak heart rate by 12% and could exercise longer without feeling as tired. If you like to stay fit and love garlic, add a little more to your daily diet and see if you get an endurance boost.
Suggested: Garlic Clove Benefits
Stronger bones
There is some evidence that garlic can help reduce bone loss by increasing estrogen in females, which can be a big win for your bone health after menopause. Adding a daily dose of garlic could help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. You still need to include other healthy foods to make a real impact on bone density—dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fish, and nuts are all good choices. But it’s easy to season your salmon and spinach dinner with garlic for some extra oomph.
Improved memory
Damage from free radicals contributes to aging, but garlic contains a powerful antioxidant to help battle that—S-allyl cysteine. This antioxidant shows promise in protecting against brain damage and keeping your brain functioning better as you age. It works by increasing your brain’s blood flow thanks to garlic’s ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. This means a reduced risk of brain disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Suggested: Garlic Milk Benefits
Super skin
Garlic is a superfood because it has so many beneficial properties: antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal. Which adds up to big benefits for your skin. Got acne? Rub raw garlic over your bumps to kill bacteria. Just be careful and don’t overdo it if you have sensitive skin. Garlic’s antioxidant qualities come to the rescue to protect your skin and prevent damage from free radicals. Using a topical garlic extract over time may have anti-aging effects because garlic helps increase the growth and longevity of skin cells.
Garlic Nutrition Values
The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for one medium clove (3g) of raw garlic.
- Calories: 4.5
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: .5mg
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: .1g
- Sugars: 0g
- Protein: .2g
Calories in Garlic
A 3-gram clove of garlic provides almost no calories. You’ll only add four calories to your total intake if you consume the whole clove. Because you are likely to eat so little of the food, garlic calories are not likely to make a noticeable difference in your daily food intake.
Carbs in Garlic
The calories in garlic come from carbohydrates, but again because the calories are so low, the carbs in garlic are also very low.
Fats in Garlic
There is no fat in garlic.
Protein in Garlic
Garlic provides no protein.
Micronutrients in Garlic
There are few vitamins and minerals in garlic, although a single clove does provide a small amount of vitamin C and manganese.
Garlic Side Effects
Bad for liver
The liver is a vital organ of our body as it performs various functions like blood purification, fat metabolism, protein metabolism, and removing ammonia from our body. According to several studies, it is found that garlic is loaded with a compound called allicin, which can cause liver toxicity if taken in large quantities.
Diarrhea
Consuming garlic on an empty stomach can cause diarrhea. Garlic has gas-forming compounds like sulfur that play an important role in triggering diarrhea.
Nausea, vomiting, and heartburn
According to a report published by the National Cancer Institute of the U.S, consuming fresh garlic on an empty stomach could lead to heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. As per a report published by the Harvard Medical School, garlic contains certain compounds that can cause GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
Bad odor
Garlic can lead to bad breath if consumed in excess. The main reason for cause of bad breath is the sulfur compound present in it.
Aggravates bleeding
Garlic is a natural blood thinner, so we shouldn’t consume large quantities of garlic along with blood-thinning medicines like warfarin, aspirin, etc. This is because the combined effect of blood thinning medication and garlic is dangerous, and it may increase the risk of internal bleeding.
Not good for pregnant and nursing women
Pregnant women or lactating mothers should avoid eating garlic during this period as it may induce labor in pregnant women. Nursing mothers should avoid it as it alters the taste of milk.
Cause dizziness
According to experts, eating garlic in excess may lower blood pressure and lead to several related symptoms.
Induce sweating
In various clinical studies, consuming garlic for a prolonged time may lead to excessive sweating.
Aggravates vaginal infection
Avoid eating garlic for treating vaginal yeast infection as it can aggravate the yeast infection by irritating the tender tissues of the vagina.
Might cause vision changes
Overdose of garlic can cause hyphema, a condition that causes bleeding inside the anterior chamber of the eye (space between the iris and the cornea). This condition can cause loss of vision.
