The benefits and harms of garlic for human health, contraindications to use

Several thousand years of culinary and medicinal uses have made garlic an indispensable food. Numerous recipes in cookbooks with the garlic ingredient came to us from ancestors, as well as recipes for medicinal value. But until now, many people find it difficult to answer the question of whether it is necessary to eat garlic. The editors of Agronom.guru have carefully studied the benefits and harms to human health when using this plant and invites you to clarify all questions.

Fresh garlic

Vitamin-mineral complex and calorie content of garlic

The herbaceous relative of onions is distinguished by the richest composition. It contains many useful minerals (for example, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, iodine, iron, zinc and others) and vitamins (group B, C, K, PP and others). To a large number of micro and macro elements, you can add rare components that are antiseptics and antioxidants (for example, allicin, phytosterols), as well as phytoncides, essential oils. The chemical composition contains saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, organic acids, fiber, starch, ash, monosaccharides.

One hundred grams of the product contains from 90 to 130 calories (about 6 grams - proteins, 0.1 grams - fats, 20 - 30 grams - carbohydrates, 60 - 70 grams - water). That's about 4 to 6 calories in one clove and 15 to 20 calories in one medium head.

NUTRIENTS AND BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION

The usefulness of garlic for the human body comes from the diversity of its biochemical composition. The calorie content of 100 g of a vegetable is 149 kcal 623 kJ. It contains macro- and microelements, vitamins, as well as the following nutrients:

• proteins - 6.3 ± 0.2 g;
• acids - 0.2;
• carbohydrates - 29.9;
• ash - 1.5;
• dietary fiber - 1.5;
• fats - 0.5 g;
• water - 57-60 g.

In addition, garlic contains mineral components such as manganese (1.6 mg), calcium (180 ± 24 mg), sodium (17 mg), potassium (400 ± 24 mg), phosphorus (152 ± 9 mg), iron (1.7 mg), magnesium (23-27 mg), selenium (13 ± 2 μg) and zinc (1.2 mg). It also contains β-carotene (5 mcg), vitamins B1 (0.2 mg), B2 (0.1 mg), B3 (0.7 mg), B5 (0.5 mg), B6 (1.3 mg), B9 (3 mcg), C (30 ± 3 mg), phytoncides and essential oils.

The rate of consumption per day, how much you need to eat

In order for garlic to bring only benefits to the body, you should not consume more than two to four cloves a day. This rate is recommended for adults. Fresh garlic is generally not recommended for children under three. From the age of three, fresh garlic can be added to vegetable and meat dishes, but no more than half a clove at a time. For children, one or two cloves a week are enough, but only on condition that the child reacts positively to such a product.

Why garlic is useful for a woman's body

The specific aroma of garlic makes many of the fair sex refuse to use it, especially fresh. Nevertheless, the healing vegetable culture is an excellent preventive and therapeutic agent, it allows you to preserve beauty and youth. The benefits of garlic:

• increases the level of estrogen, which has a positive effect on bone tissue and the skeleton in general, especially during menopause;
• is a means of preventing oncological diseases of the genitourinary system, mammary glands;
• normalizes the nervous system, it is recommended for stress;
• when rubbed into the scalp prevents hair loss and strengthens their roots, makes hair shiny, lush and silky;
• garlic-based masks improve the condition and color of the skin, reduce the number of rashes and various undesirable manifestations on the skin (for example, acne).

Benefits during pregnancy

• During the period of carrying a child, the expectant mother needs natural vitamins and various useful substances that are contained in garlic. They are much better and more effective than artificial vitamin complexes for pregnant women.
• When treating colds and viral infections, women during this period are undesirable to use many drugs that can negatively affect the development of the fetus and its future health. Garlic is able to cope with many microbes, viruses and infections without harm to the expectant mother and child.

  

• Garlic promotes proper blood circulation, which helps to provide the fetus with the necessary amount of oxygen, and is also a preventive measure against blood clots.
• The folic acids contained in garlic are vital for pregnant women, as they have a significant impact on the normal development of the fetus.

Whoever shouldn't eat garlic. Garlic as a natural anticoagulant

Garlic is the main anticoagulant. Garlic can thin the blood, which is extremely important in the treatment of diseases of the circulatory system caused by too thick blood.
Given this aspect, it is normal that garlic is presented as a good remedy for preventing clots in blood vessels, which are largely responsible for atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, causing heart attacks, strokes, thrombosis, etc.

Who is undesirable to consume garlic:

• People who have gastrointestinal diseases;
• Allergy sufferers;
• With pathologies of the intestinal tract.

But given garlic's ability to thin the blood, care should be taken with garlic seasoning under the following conditions:

• Bleeding or blood clotting problems: In this case, you should not eat garlic or take garlic preparations.
• Before or after surgery: Taking garlic can be dangerous as it can contribute to bleeding. It is best to stop taking garlic about 15 days before any surgical procedure and do not take it thereafter until you have received permission from your doctor.
• Diabetes
• Garlic during pregnancy and lactation: Pregnant women can consume garlic, but do not forget that during pregnancy a woman is responsible not only for her body, but also for the baby's body.
• Some medications can interact with garlic, some heart medications, some pregnancy complexes, and more. If you are taking any medication, it is best to consult your doctor to avoid possible interactions.
• Anticoagulant herbal medications: Avoid eating garlic, using other herbal medications with anticoagulant properties.
• Hyperthyroidism: Due to its high iodine content, garlic should not be consumed in cases of hyperthyroidism.

The benefits of garlic for men

Garlic-based preparations are a reliable prophylactic agent against many diseases of the genitourinary system, as well as against the development of prostate cancer.

Garlic increases testosterone levels. The strength and health of the skeleton and bones, the endurance of muscle mass and the health of the whole organism as a whole depend on this main male hormone.

With regular use, the vegetable cleans blood vessels of harmful cholesterol, normalizes blood circulation, improves reproductive function, increases sperm activity and enhances potency.

The use of garlic in folk recipes

Very often, many people resort to traditional medicine, as they consider its recipes not harmful, without chemistry and more effective.Such natural components of folk recipes as garlic really have many healing properties and can get rid of various diseases. This versatile plant destroys fungus and infection, relieves inflammation and fever, gets rid of parasites, removes harmful substances, helps the intestines and the digestive system as a whole, increases immunity and strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

Garlic medicines disinfect and heal wounds, lower cholesterol levels, remove warts and normalize blood pressure. Here are just a few proven recipes from traditional healers.

Garlic with milk

• From cough

A dry and chronic cough will soften, and sore throat will go away if you drink half a glass of the mixture (three times a day) made from one liter of milk, three medium cloves of garlic and one onion (crushed into gruel), two tablespoons of liquid honey. For easy sputum discharge, add a small amount of butter (about a tablespoon).

• For insomnia

Thirty to forty minutes before bedtime, it is recommended to drink a glass of milk with a chopped clove of garlic, preheated to a boil and cooled to room temperature. If desired, add a teaspoon of honey to this mixture.

• For asthma attacks

A gruel of ten to fifteen cloves of garlic is added to five hundred milliliters of milk, boiled for several minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature. The drink is recommended for shortness of breath and shortness of breath once a day.

• From helminths

Chopped cloves from one small head of garlic are boiled in a liter of milk, infused for an hour and taken for several days in a teaspoon 20 minutes before meals (three times a day) or used as an enema solution.

Lemon with garlic

• Preventing the flu and treating the common cold

Wash ten medium-sized lemons in hot water, cut into four parts, remove all seeds if possible, scroll through a meat grinder along with the peel, add garlic chopped in a meat grinder or blender (ten heads) and one liter of honey. After thorough mixing, the mixture should be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Take one teaspoon three times a day for treatment and one tablespoon a day for prevention.

• Vascular cleaning and blood thinning

One part of the grated garlic is mixed with three parts of water and infused for two weeks in a dark place, shaking occasionally. After that, the solution is filtered, equal parts of honey and chopped lemon are added. It is recommended to take the ready-made mixture before going to bed, one tablespoon.

• Improving immunity and strengthening the heart muscle

Chop garlic (three heads) and lemons (five pieces) with a meat grinder, add one glass of honey, stir until smooth, leave for ten days in the dark, and then store in the refrigerator. In the morning and in the evening, a tablespoon of the mixture is dissolved in a small amount of water (about 100 - 150 grams) and taken half an hour before meals.

Garlic with honey for immunity

• Chopped two medium cloves of garlic are mixed with two tablespoons of liquid honey. For two days in a row, the mixture is taken one large spoonful in the morning and in the evening, then two days - rest.
• A gruel of two cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of honey and half a teaspoon of butter are added to a glass of hot boiled milk. A serving is taken twice (per day) until recovery.

Kefir with garlic

Three slices of medium-sized garlic and one liter of low-fat kefir are whipped in a blender until smooth - the drink is ready.

• From parasites and to cleanse the body, a glass of the prepared drink is taken before bedtime. To increase the effectiveness, the number of cloves of garlic can be doubled.
• For weight loss, the drink is taken thirty minutes before meals three times a day.

Garlic ointment for calluses

Before applying the ointment, it is recommended to steam the corn in a soap or soda bath. The ointment is prepared from fresh or baked garlic with the addition of butter (in equal proportions). Garlic gruel is combined with oil, applied to a gauze bandage and applied to the corn. It is best to leave the bandage on overnight.

Garlic arrows: benefits and harms

Garlic arrows, like garlic itself, have many of the same health benefits. They are:

• increase appetite, normalize the work of the entire digestive system;
• destroy germs, infections and harmful bacteria;
• strengthen bone tissue;
• are a means of prevention against many diseases associated with the work of the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, respiratory organs and others;
• relieve parasites and harmful substances, remove toxins and toxins;
• reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks, oncology;
• strengthens the immune system, accelerates recovery from flu and colds, slows down the aging process and helps to overcome depression.

With excessive use, arrows can cause gas formation, diarrhea, exacerbation of chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines, insomnia (when taken before bedtime).

Which garlic is healthier than winter or spring

Winter and spring garlic are equally beneficial for the human body. These two types differ in appearance, growing method and storage duration. If you need to purchase a large amount of vegetables for the winter for long-term use, then it is better to opt for spring garlic. It will retain all its qualities until almost the next harvest.

How else can you use garlic with benefits for the body?

There is an opinion that raw garlic has the maximum amount of useful substances, and with different processing, some useful properties are lost or significantly reduced. Is it really?

Boiled

When cooked, under the influence of high temperature, garlic becomes even healthier for the heart and blood vessels. The use of cooked garlic is recommended to prevent blockages of blood vessels and prevent thrombosis, to lower blood pressure and improve blood composition. You need to cook it for about ten minutes in water or milk with a little salt, use it whole or in the form of a puree.

Soaked

Soaked garlic does not lose its beneficial properties, it loses its bright aroma, because essential oils evaporate. All vitamins and minerals are preserved.

The advantage of pickled garlic is that it can be consumed by children, because the bitter taste is completely absent. True, moderation must be observed in everything. The finished product can be stored in the refrigerator for about three months.

Marinated

With rational use, pickled garlic remains a useful and medicinal product that helps in the fight against heart ailments. It contains biologically active substances that cleanse the body and strengthen the immune system. It is recommended as a fight against viruses and bacteria, for gum disease, atherosclerosis and many other problems.

Dried

Chopped and dried garlic is much more convenient to store, and the shelf life is significantly extended. At the same time, all the beneficial properties of the vegetable are fully preserved. It can be dried in several ways: outdoors for five to seven days, on a baking sheet in the oven, and on a wire rack in an electric dryer.

Baked

In this form, garlic also remains useful and retains all its positive properties, but at the same time it does not cause excessive intestinal activity and heartburn. It is recommended to be consumed in a dietary diet, in baby food - in combination with vegetable, fish and meat dishes. The product is baked in foil at 180 degrees for half an hour.Baked garlic and herbs can be used to make a garlic paste for spreading on bread or adding to other dishes.

Useful composition

Contains a complex of vitamins and organic acids, as well as nutritious carbohydrates. Bacteria and fungi die in a garlic environment, but a vegetable cannot fight viruses. In the Middle Ages, he was in vain endowed with superpowers, he could not save from cholera or plague.

Garlic is useful in the treatment of diseases of the bronchi and lungs, it perfectly liquefies phlegm and stimulates its secretion.

There is an opinion that garlic can prevent some forms of cancer, work in this area is still underway, and scientists argue that the properties of the plant have not yet been fully studied. Due to its ability to destroy free radicals, stagnant processes, decay, it is equated with a number of powerful anticancer drugs.

Garlic husk - beneficial properties

• The biologically active substance quercitin, found in the husk, promotes cell renewal and protects the human body from the negative effects of toxins. Decoctions, tinctures and other preparations based on garlic peels have a strong anti-aging effect.
• Garlic husk decoction contains a large amount of pectin. This useful substance helps to reduce blood cholesterol, normalizes metabolic processes, has a positive effect on the digestive system, and is also an effective means of preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus.
• Decoctions and tinctures of husk are used to treat colds, increase immunity, as a prophylaxis against influenza, and also as a strong pain reliever.
• Preparations based on garlic peels are used to treat female infectious and fungal diseases, dandruff and hair loss, skin rashes, parasites, as a general strengthening and prophylactic agent for many diseases.

Recipes:

• For hair strengthening and growth a nourishing mask is applied to the roots (once or twice a week), kept for half an hour and washed off with plenty of water. The mixture is prepared in a blender from three cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of husks, a tablespoon of liquid honey and three drops of vegetable oil (preferably olive oil).
• Infusion for rejuvenation men and women take three to four glasses daily. To prepare it, you will need four handfuls of husks and one liter of water with a temperature of about 80 - 90 degrees. Insist ten to twelve hours.
• For the prevention of influenzafor cough and nasal congestion at the first sign of a cold it is recommended to inhale the smoke that forms when the husk is heated in a dry frying pan. The procedure is repeated once a day for a week.
• For the treatment of dandruff, foot and nail fungus, skin rashes it is necessary to wipe the affected areas or scalp with a solution prepared from two tablespoons of husk and 500 milliliters of boiling water. After simmering on fire for ten minutes, the solution should be infused for 7 to 8 hours.
• For relieving rheumatic pains and lowering cholesterol levels an alcoholic tincture made from 500 milliliters of vodka and 100 grams of husk is recommended. After infusion for ten days, the mixture is taken by mixing thirty drops of the tincture with two tablespoons of water.

Why you can't eat garlic every day. What happens if you eat garlic every day?

Hello dear subscribers. I noticed that you like reading more about more mundane foods, that is, that are in every kitchen. Based on my observations about your preferences, I decided to write about garlic. Let's analyze the beneficial properties of garlic and find out what will happen to us with systematic devouring. First, I want to say that garlic fights 160 diseases, including cancer (it is toxic to many types of cancer cells and reduces the risk of disease, but it is not a panacea).I will tell you only about the most, in my opinion, important, esessna is not without a drop of humor. They drove.

Put your thumbs up if in childhood, instead of a toy, you put garlic in your kinder.

As we know, garlic is good for dealing with colds and flu. Numerous studies have shown that people who consumed garlic not only get much less sick, but with garlic they recover much faster (by about 60%). I advise you to carry a couple of heads of garlic with you, if you find a coughing / sneezing person, put a couple of cloves in his throat and you will immediately see tears of happiness on his face.

Tears of happiness look something like this.

Garlic contains Allicin. It is an antibacterial substance with strong antiseptic properties that prevents the growth of bacteria. In fact, it is a natural, effective antibiotic. During the Second World War, garlic was used to replace medicines, which were absolutely in short supply. Eating one clove of garlic regularly will strengthen your immune system. Allicin lowers bad cholesterol levels. Even with the intake of one gram of garlic per day, positive dynamics are noted in people with cardiovascular diseases.

Interesting fact: allicin is formed by mechanical destruction of garlic cells.

Garlic improves the microflora of the oral cavity. Since garlic is an antimicrobial agent, it can be used to fight infections that have lodged in the mouth, such as Candida (thrush). I'm not sure if it is possible to treat thrush in the perineum, but I think garlic will work as it should. We're distracted, let's go back to the mouth. Garlic can also help reduce plaque. For the prevention of all kinds of oral infections, it is recommended to chew a clove of garlic and then not appear in public.

No bacteria, just a pleasant smell of garlic from the mouth.

Garlic is good for the liver. It helps cleanse the body of toxins, parasites and removes all sorts of excess substances from the body: mercury, traces of drugs and evil spirits. Garlic is rich in vitamins A, B and C, which stimulate the liver to work overtime without consequences.

I want to believe

Garlic will help your digestive system. Garlic stimulates the production of stomach acids, and the food that goes straight to your gut is digested and absorbed properly. The pancreas will perk up and start working as it should.

And finally, the most interesting thing. Garlic contains antioxidants that fight free radicals. Over time, this fight can reduce or prevent damage from them. You will stay young forever, your hair will be clean and silky, and your face will feel like it was just ironed (without wrinkles).

I rubbed the left side of my body with garlic, and shaved the other leg with a regular razor.

Of course, garlic also has negative properties. Garlic should not be consumed by people suffering from stomach and duodenal ulcers or gastritis, so as not to provoke an exacerbation of the disease. There are several more categories of people for whom garlic is contraindicated, but I will not list them.

With the systematic use of garlic, be prepared for some circumstances: the other half will throw; friends turn away; homeless people will take for their own; it will become very spacious in public transport; imminent death if you are a vampire. Garlic also has the ability to smell through sweat and other liquids that our body spews out. Therefore, you don't even need to open your mouth to tell people that you are eating garlic. Of course, the list of pros and cons is not complete, but in any case, it will be more useful to eat garlic than not to eat =).

If you were interested, I advise you to read other articles from the series "what will happen": what will happen if there is moldy bread.What happens if you drink rainwater. What happens if you eat only infant formula.

Harm of garlic and contraindications

Garlic can only cause serious harm to health if consumed excessively and in the presence of chronic diseases. All lovers of this useful product should familiarize themselves with the contraindications. You should not use garlic and preparations based on it (as well as on the basis of the husk):

• with problems with the stomach and intestines, in the presence of an ulcer or gastritis;
• with diseases of the liver, kidneys and urinary tract;
• during breastfeeding and in the last months of pregnancy;
• in the presence of stones in the gallbladder;
• with anemia;
• if you are overweight (since garlic causes a strong appetite);
• with hemorrhoids (in the acute phase);
• with individual intolerance.

Safety, possible harm

Despite all the benefits, in some cases, the use of garlic can be harmful to health. You should not use the plant if you have the following contraindications:

1. Obesity. Garlic is a powerful stimulant of the hunger center. Within 6-8 hours from the moment of consuming garlic, the appetite increases significantly, which is fraught with excessive calorie intake and an increase in body weight due to body fat.
2. Exacerbations of chronic or acute inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In the presence of active inflammation of the intestinal wall (gastritis, duodenitis, enteritis, colitis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer), garlic causes additional irritation and can aggravate the course of pathologies or cause complications (bleeding, penetration or perforation of the walls of the digestive apparatus).
3. Hypermotor-type biliary dyskinesia. The plant increases muscle tone and increases the severity of symptoms.
4. Any kidney pathology with signs of CKD. Garlic can provoke functional disorders of the renal filter and cause a critical increase in urea and creatinine in the blood.
5. Allergic reactions. Garlic allergy is extremely rare and usually manifests itself in a mild form (urticaria, allergic dermatitis).

The obvious downside to eating garlic is bad breath, which can be eliminated by eating garlic at the same time as:

• taking a cup of strong coffee without milk;
• chewing a lemon wedge or a sprig of parsley;
• drinking milk with cinnamon or cardamom;
• taking green tea with anise, myrrh or rosemary.

Use during pregnancy

On the one hand, garlic increases immunity (protection of the fetus and organs of the woman's reproductive system from infectious and inflammatory diseases), improves uteroplacental blood flow, provides the body of the unborn child with a number of important vitamins and trace elements, on the other, it can provoke premature onset of labor or miscarriage.

Therefore, garlic can be taken by pregnant women only in the first trimester. The recommended maximum daily dose is 1-2 cloves per day.

Garlic has contraindications and side effects that should be considered in order to avoid the development of complications.

Interesting facts - how and where did the garlic come from?

Around the ninth century, garlic was brought to Russia from Byzantium. At first, the people perceived it as a bow with a ribbed surface. Garlic greens are also very similar to onion feathers. True, they immediately drew attention to the strangeness of the onion, which seems to disintegrate into separate slices. An unusual taste and aroma was used to scare away evil spirits and evil people.

Garlic amulets were everywhere - in the braids of young girls (against the evil eye), like a necklace around the neck, hung and spread throughout the house. Over time, they began to actively eat it along with fish and meat, with vegetables and as a separate product.

Interesting!

• The cultivation of garlic began in Central Asia almost five thousand years ago.
• Nowadays, there is a variety of garlic in the form of a whole onion - without cloves.
• There are about three dozen varieties of garlic in Russia alone.
• Although garlic is not a medicinal plant, it is very popular in traditional medicine recipes.
• Korea, China and Italy are in first place in the consumption of garlic. On average, each resident eats 7-10 slices every day.

Description of culture

Garlic is a root vegetable of a herb that has a soft stem and narrow, elongated foliage.

The bulb consists of 6-10 cloves, which have a distinctive pungent odor and vigorous taste. From the point of view of botany, the product belongs to vegetables. Garlic varieties are divided into spring (they are planted in spring) and winter (the owners of gardens and vegetable gardens plant them in the fall). There are about 300 plant species in the world, including such exotic ones as Japanese garlic, or rocumball. This vegetable is distinguished by its very large size and a leek-like appearance of the aerial part.