Garlic is a common cooking ingredient used in every Indian household to enhance the flavor of food. It is used as a medicine for treating various health problems. Having raw garlic or consuming too much garlic can have life-threatening side effects on the body.
Garlic Side Effects on Brain
Garlic can affect the mind and concentration. Do not eat it if performing activities requiring concentration and mental acuity. In recent years there have been several studies that establish that onions may cause allergies, intestinal gas, diarrhea, and heartburn.
Garlic Other 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 the 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.
FAQ
How much garlic per day is safe?
How Much Garlic Should You Eat Per Day? The minimum effective dose for raw garlic is one segment (clove) eaten two to three times per day. You can also take an aged garlic supplement. In that case, a normal dose is 600 to 1,200 mg per day.
What will happen if you eat too much garlic?
Overdoing it can cause discomfort, including upset stomach, bloating, diarrhea, body odor and bad breath. (Pass the gum, please!) “You may also get a stinging feeling on the skin if you handle significant amounts of fresh and dried garlic,”
