Garlic benefits, benefits and harms of calories

“Let food be your medicine and medicine your food” – these words belong to Hippocrates, who is often called the father of medicine ^.… And it was this ancient Greek physician who attributed garlic as a cure for many diseases, including respiratory diseases, parasites, digestive disorders and chronic fatigue. And modern science, after studying the beneficial properties of this vegetable, has confirmed its healing abilities.

General characteristics

Garlic is a vegetable from the genus Onion, which is actively used as a spice in cooking. The birthplace of this perennial plant is considered to be Central Asia, and now it is distributed throughout the world. It can be up to 1 meter in height. Depending on the variety, there can be from 4 to 20 cloves in a garlic head ^{farmer-online.com}.

A bit of history

This fruit as a food and medicine has been known to mankind for thousands of years. It is believed that the builders of the Egyptian pyramids loved him, and that was almost 5 thousand years ago. As historians suggest, from Ancient Egypt, garlic came to the ancient civilizations that inhabited the Indus valleys (modern Pakistan and western India), and from there to China. It is believed that the inhabitants of ancient India took garlic as an aphrodisiac, although representatives of the upper layers of society refused it because of the pungent odor.

For many centuries in the Middle East, East Asia and Nepal, garlic has been used to treat bronchitis, hypertension, tuberculosis, liver diseases, dysentery, colic, flatulence, intestinal parasites, rheumatism, diabetes mellitus and to eliminate fever. In ancient Greece, Olympic participants used garlic as a “dope” that gave strength.

At the beginning of the XNUMXth century in France, gravediggers took crushed garlic, believing that it would protect them from the plague. In the XNUMXth century, during both World Wars, soldiers were given cloves of this vegetable to prevent gangrene. They also used it as an antiseptic: applied to wounds to prevent the spread of infection. ^{farmer-online.com}.

Useful Properties

Whole books have been written about the benefits of this root vegetable. This representative of the Onions is rich in a variety of useful sulfur-containing compounds. Some of them are just responsible for the acrid smell of the vegetable. But when it comes to the sulfur compounds in garlic, it’s important to remember that sulfur itself is a key element in maintaining our health. In addition to this, it is important to say that garlic is also an excellent source of manganese and selenium, vitamins B6 and C.

Today, these fruits help prevent heart disease, including atherosclerosis and clogged arteries. They are taken as a natural remedy to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and also as an immunostimulating drug. It is also believed that regular consumption of garlic reduces the risk of developing cancer. It is rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body. However, the researchers warn that even mild heat treatment reduces its anti-inflammatory effect.

It is believed that garlic is effective in preventing or improving health when:

• different types of cancer;
• atherosclerosis;
• ischemic heart disease;
• hypertension ^.....

The nutritional value

Garlic is a rich source of sulfur compounds, ascorbic acid, vitamin B6, selenium, manganese and other elements important for health. ^..

Table of contents of useful components in 100 g of product

Caloric value 203 kcal Proteins 8,6 g Carbohydrates 45 g Fats 0,7 g Ash 2 g Fiber 2,9 g Vitamin A 12 IU Vitamin C 42, 4 mg Vitamin E 0,1 mg Vitamin K 2,3 μg Thiamin 0,3 mg Riboflavin 0,1 mg Niacin 1 mg Vitamin B6 1,7 mg Folic acid 4,1 μg Pantothenic acid 0,8 mg Choline 31,6 mg Calcium 246 mg Iron 2,3 mg Magnesium 34 mg Phosphorus 208 mg Potassium 545 mg Sodium 23,1 mg Zinc 1,6 mg Copper 0,4 mg Manganese 2,3 mg Selenium 19,3 μg

Garlic: benefits and harm to the body

The rich chemical composition provides the vegetable with a wide range of effects on the human body. This piquant spice can protect against many ailments.

Cancer Prevention

People who use raw garlic at least twice a week are 44% less likely to develop lung cancer. This assumption was made by Chinese researchers after a series of experiments. Their colleagues from the University of South Carolina (USA) discovered that sulfur compounds contained in vegetables effectively destroy glioblastoma cells (a type of brain tumor). At the same time, Japanese urologists have established a relationship between the consumption of Onions and the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Garlic can be considered a universal remedy for cancer. And all thanks to the fact that the plant contains germanium – a powerful anticancer agent. At the same time, no other plant has such rich reserves of this element. ^....

Getting rid of osteoarthritis

A team of British scientists, after the research, said: women whose diet contains vegetables from onions are less at risk of developing osteoarthritis. The participants in the experiment consumed garlic, leeks, shallots, and onions. After a month of observation, it turned out that their bone tissue was significantly denser. ^....

Heart protection

Garlic is most commonly cited as a herb that is beneficial for cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Some studies show that it can prevent some types of heart disease, in particular atherosclerosis.

Diallyl trisulfide, found in garlic oil, protects the heart during and after a heart attack. Also, this substance is found to be effective in the treatment of heart failure. Hydrogen sulfide, scientists say, can protect the heart from damage. Meanwhile, it is a volatile compound that is difficult to use in therapy. Therefore, chemists focused on diallyl trisulfide, a component made from garlic oil. As a result of experiments on laboratory mice, it was found that diallyl trisulfide reduces the risk of heart disease in animals by 61%.

After some time, scientists made another important discovery: garlic oil prevents the development of cardiomyopathy in patients with diabetes. By the way, this complication is one of the leading causes of death among patients with diabetes.

But scientists are divided about the ability of garlic to lower cholesterol. There is no definite answer to the relationship between this plant and cholesterol levels. ^....

Preterm birth protection

Infectious diseases during pregnancy increase the risk of preterm birth. Norwegian epidemiologists have studied for a long time which foods have antimicrobial properties. At the end of the study, which was attended by nearly 19 thousand women, scientists announced: they have found 2 products that can protect the mother and unborn child. They turned out to be garlic and dried fruits. In addition, in the course of the experiment, it was found that garlic also reduces the risk of miscarriages. ^....

Benefits for Iron Metabolism

Garlic improves iron metabolism. When iron accumulates in the cells of the body, the transmembrane transporter ferroportin helps move the mineral from cell to cell. That is, ferroportin is a protein, without which the movement of iron would be impossible. And the role of garlic in this process is to stimulate the production of sufficient amounts of ferroportin. Thus, this plant affects the enrichment of the body with iron. ^....

Cold remedy

In one study, taking garlic supplements or eating fresh vegetables for 12 weeks during the cold season (November to February) can help prevent colds or relieve symptoms. On the other hand, the vegetable is able to strengthen the immune system, which is also extremely important for effectively resisting viruses. ^..

Poison for parasites

Garlic is capable of killing parasitic worms, in particular roundworms. Scientists came to this conclusion after another laboratory experiment. But since scientists have achieved such results in a test tube, it is difficult to say whether garlic is so effective within the human body. Meanwhile, while scientists continue to study the properties of garlic, it is known that this vegetable saved mankind from parasites many centuries ago. ^....

Antibiotic and antioxidant

Modern science has proven that garlic is a powerful natural broad-spectrum antibiotic. And what’s most interesting: the bacteria contained in the human body can evolve and withstand pharmaceutical antibiotics over time, but this “trick” does not work with garlic. This means that the vegetable remains an effective remedy against bacteria constantly.

One of the most active ingredients in garlic is allicin. This substance is produced during the grinding of this vegetable. And it is it that serves as the most powerful natural antibiotic that can inhibit the reproduction of microbes. It has been calculated that 1 mg of allicin has the same potency as 15 conventional units of penicillin.

As for the antioxidant properties, they are more pronounced in a mature plant. At the same time, black garlic contains much more antioxidants than usual.

Other benefits of garlic:

• slurry applied to the skin eliminates ringworm and psoriasis;
• reduces the size of the prostate gland;
• lowers blood pressure;
• regulates blood sugar;
• accelerates weight loss;
• helps to remove splinters (stick a piece of tooth to a place with a splinter);
• treats fungus (garlic baths with warm water) ^....

Application in folk medicine

In folk medicine, garlic is known as an effective expectorant. It is used to treat asthma, chronic bronchitis, hoarseness, cough, and most lung diseases.

Garlic juice with honey is used to treat asthma. With otitis media – by wrapping a tooth with a cloth, insert it into the ear at night. In addition, a sore throat was once treated with a vegetable, and gruel from it and salt was applied to bruised sites to relieve pain. You can stop toothache by placing a chopped garlic clove on your gum. And the fresh sap of the plant was used to get rid of warts. Other ailments that traditional healers have treated with garlic include herpes, insect bites, constipation, bloating and abdominal cramps. ^...

Daily dosage

But how much garlic should you eat in order to feel the positive effects on your health? Nutritionists do not undertake to unequivocally answer this question, since for the maximum benefit an individual approach is needed. But the average daily allowance for healthy adults is something like this:

• fresh garlic – 2-5 g;
• garlic powder – 0,4-1,2 g;
• garlic oil – 2-5 g;
• extract – 300-1000 mg ^...

Side effects

Treatment with plants is considered one of the safest. However, in some cases, herbs can also cause side effects. In general, garlic belongs to safe plants. But sometimes it can cause an upset stomach, bloating, an unpleasant body odor, a burning sensation on the skin (after applying compresses). In addition, there are cases when the plant caused headaches and muscle pains, fatigue, loss of appetite, dizziness, as well as allergic and asthmatic reactions.

Among other things, garlic can thin the blood. For this reason, in order to avoid bleeding, it is forbidden to people after operations, as well as taking blood-thinning drugs.

People with gastritis, ulcers in the digestive organs or with thyroid dysfunction should also consult a doctor before using this spice. ^...

Combination with some medications

When studying the properties of garlic, it is important to know that regular consumption of this plant can affect the effectiveness of certain medications. Here are some examples of combinations:

Garlic and …

… isoniazid (a drug for the treatment of tuberculosis) – a vegetable interferes with the absorption of the drug, making it ineffective;

… birth control pills – reduces effectiveness;

… cyclosporine (prescribed after organ transplantation) – becomes less effective;

… blood-thinning medications (including aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin) – the risk of bleeding increases;

… drugs used for HIV / AIDS – the level of protease inhibitors in the blood decreases;

… non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including ibuprofen, naproxen) – the risk of bleeding increases ^...

How to choose and store

Fresh garlic has the best flavor and nutritional value. When choosing a vegetable, it is important to pay attention to the integrity of the husk. If the tooth is slightly squeezed with your fingers, it should be firm and firm. It is better to avoid soft, wrinkled, moldy heads, as well as those that have begun to sprout. The taste and benefits of such a vegetable are minimal. But the size is not an indicator of the quality of garlic.

It is better to store the vegetable in a cool place, protected from light and heat from sunlight. This will help maintain freshness and prevent the garlic from sprouting.

You should not store the product in tightly closed containers, for example, in the refrigerator or freezer (this will impair its taste and structure).

The most healthy way to cook garlic

The most beneficial nutrients are found in raw garlic. But if the recipe of the dish involves the heat treatment of the vegetable, it is better to add it in crushed form at the end of cooking. This will preserve its smell and nutritional properties. Excessive heat treatment will reduce the activity of sulfur compounds, which is important for heart health, and garlic itself will get a bitter taste. It is believed that 5-10 minutes is the best time for cooking garlic. You can also save more nutrients if you do not heat the vegetable to more than 120 degrees.

Used in cosmetics

Being a rich source of sulfur, garlic can solve almost all hair problems, make them beautiful and strong. To do this, you need to rub juice into the hair or apply garlic oil to them. The procedure, frankly, is not the most pleasant, if you recall the smell of the plant, but the result from it, no doubt, will please.

This plant is also useful for skin care. In particular, garlic juice evens out the tone of the face, eliminates age spots, and treats acne.

Other uses

Many people know how fingers stick after chopping garlic. And all because this vegetable has the properties of a natural glue.

Another interesting feature is that it will help get rid of garden pests. A mixture of garlic, water, liquid soap and oil is used as a natural pesticide.

Inveterate fishermen will be interested in the fact that the garlic smell attracts fish better than any other bait. To increase catches, you can use the bait, soaked in the smell of this plant, or an incised small tooth.

In many cases, garlic can improve your health. Meanwhile, this plant cannot be perceived as a “panacea for all diseases” and moreover, it is not an alternative to proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Garlic is only part of a large complex designed to improve well-being.

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