Botanically, garlic is considered a vegetable and not a spice or herb as it has the characteristics of a vegetable with a bulb, tall stem, and long leaves. Garlic is a very popular ingredient used in the preparation of dishes in almost all the cuisines of the world to spice up the flavour of the dish.
Since thousands of years ago, garlic was believed to have medicinal properties and science is now beginning to validate it.
Aside from its sharp and pungent taste, garlic contains an active compound called allicin which has medicinal properties. Compounds created by allicin are very volatile and give off hydrogen sulfide, the pungent taste of garlic. Allicin is an unstable compound as it’s only present in fresh and unheated garlic that has been chopped or crushed, but not cooked. The application of heat may inhibit some of the perceived medicinal properties, thus it’s best to eat garlic raw or add them into the dish towards the end of the cooking process.
Raw garlic can be enjoyed in many creative and delicious ways. Raw garlic is commonly served as a condiment in Chinese restaurants. It is often added to the rice and dishes to impart more flavours to the food. Raw garlic can also be added to dips, dressings, sauces, salad, guacamole, sprinkled on buttered toast and pizzas or added to mash potatoes.
Which Is Better – Raw Garlic or Garlic Supplements?
Most research has shown that consuming raw garlic is a better way of reaping the health benefits of garlic, but garlic capsules are an alternative option. Garlic supplements can come in the form of garlic powder, garlic essential oil, or powdered extract. Aged garlic extract supplements in doses of up to 3,600 mg have also been shown to be effective.
Image credit – The Guardian
Health Benefits of Eating Garlic
These are the possible health benefits of consuming garlic, which is backed by science.
- Protects against illnesses, including the common cold.
- Can help to reduce blood pressure.
- May improve cholesterol levels, which may lower the risk of heart disease.
- The antioxidants from garlic may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
- May help improve athletic performance.
- May detoxify heavy metals from the body.
- May improve bone health.
- The chemical properties in garlic have been shown in studies to stop the growth of the Candida fungus responsible for causing yeast infections.
- May help prevent cancer.
A daily garlic supplement can reduce the number of colds by 63% compared with a placebo and this was discovered in a large, 12-week study. In the study, it was discovered that the average length of cold symptoms was reduced by 70%, from 5 days in the placebo group to just 1.5 days in the garlic supplement group.
How Much Garlic Should You Eat?
There has been no official recommendation on how much garlic to consume to reap the health benefits but studies show that eating 1-2 cloves (around 3-6 grams) per day may have health benefits.
However, if you notice side effects after consuming more than this amount, reduce your intake.
Side Effects of Garlic
1. Increased risk of bleeding.
If you’re on blood-thinning medication or set to have surgery, make sure to consult your doctor before drastically increasing your garlic intake as garlic can interact with some medications like blood-thinning medications and antiplatelet medications.
2. Foul breath and body odour
As garlic contains a variety of sulfur compounds with medicinal properties, these compounds may cause bad breath and body odour, especially when eaten raw in large amounts. Cooked garlic decreased the content of these beneficial sulfur compounds.
3. Digestive issues
Garlic is high in fructans, a type of carb that may cause bloating, gas, and stomach pain in people with an intolerance to fructans.
4. Heartburn
If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you may want to consider lowering your garlic intake as garlic may decrease the ability of the muscles at the bottom of your oesophagus to close and prevent acid from entering. This may trigger acid reflux.
The Bottom Line
Garlic offers multiple health benefits because of allicin, an organosulfur compound. These compounds contain unique medicinal properties, such as antioxidants to scavenge free radicals, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, amongst others which are beneficial for health.
As allicin is only present in raw garlic and exposing garlic to high temperatures can destroy it, it’s best to eat raw garlic, aged garlic extract, or slightly cooked garlic to maximize the health benefits of allicin.
It is advisable to consult your doctor before starting any dietary supplements.
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