In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHealth BenefitsNutrition FactsWays to Enjoy ItFAQs
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Health Benefits
Nutrition Facts
Ways to Enjoy It
FAQs
If there’s one clove of garlic in a recipe, you add three. If there’s a garlicky pasta on the menu, you order it. If you have to choose a side, it’s garlic bread.
Many of us love garlic. And if you count yourself in that group, you’re in luck—because the allium provides some pretty impressive health benefits when eaten regularly. We dove into the research to find out exactly what you can expect for your heart, digestion and immune system function. Learn the nutrition facts and health benefits of garlic, plus some ideas for how to add more garlic to your diet.
The Best Way to Peel Garlic (with Photos!)
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Health Benefits of Eating Garlic Regularly
Helps Support Your Immune System
Furthermore, a 2020 review inTrends in Food Science & Technologyfound that, thanks to its organosulfur compounds, garlic may have antiviral activity. The researchers believe garlic helps prevent viruses from entering and replicating in our cells.
You May Lower Your Cholesterol
Managing your cholesterol levels is important because high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, per theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. Garlic may alsoimprove cholesterol levels, particularly in those with high cholesterol or diabetes, finds a 2020 review inAntioxidants. However, these findings are limited, since most studies in this review found the benefits came from aged garlic extract or supplemental forms of garlic rather than the kinds of garlic used in cooking.
You Might Have Lower Blood Pressure
Garlic’s impact on immune health, along with its potential to reduce cholesterol levels, may alsoreduce blood pressure, per the aforementioned review inAntioxidants. A study in the review found that garlic may reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with metabolic syndrome—a group of health conditions that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, per theNational Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. These benefits were found when participants consumed 100 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) of raw crushed garlic twice a day for four weeks. For a 150-pound person, that’s equivalent to a little over two cloves.
You May Have Better Blood Sugar Levels
You May Have Better Gut Health
You may have heard ofprobiotics—live bacteria that support your gut health—but don’t underestimatethe power of prebiotics. Prebiotics feed the healthy bacteria in your gut, and garlic is a good source of them. In fact, after three months of Kyolic aged garlic extract supplementation, participants in a 2020 review and meta-analysis inExperimental and Therapeutic Medicinehad more diverse and healthy gut microbiomes. (Keep in mind that the people in these studies were taking garlic supplements, so results may differ if you’re consuming garlic in your meals.)
However, garlic isn’t friendly to everyone’s gastrointestinal system. Garlic is high in fructans, so it may trigger digestive symptoms like gas and bloating for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Other Potential Benefits
Garlic is also asource of antioxidants. In fact, the antioxidants in aged garlic extract may lessen neuroinflammation to support healthy brain function with age, per a 2020 study inExperimental and Therapeutic Medicine. In addition, a 2019 study inNutrientsfound that among elderly Chinese people, those who consumed more garlic lived longer than those who rarely consumed garlic. This study was observational, so we can’t say for sure that garlic causes you to live longer, but there may be a connection.
Garlic Nutrition
Garlic not only adds flavor to dishes, it also adds nutrition. Here are the nutrition facts for three cloves of raw garlic, per theUSDA:
Since the volume of garlic we typically eat is rather small, the amount of nutrients we ingest is also low. That said, garlic contains health-promoting nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium and vitamin K. If you eat garlic regularly, you’ll get a greater amount of these important vitamins and minerals.
How to Incorporate Garlic into Your Diet
Garlic is a must-have in your kitchen. You can keep garlic powder in your pantry, purchase minced garlic in a jar, freeze garlic puree in an ice cube tray or buy fresh heads of garlic you can prep in agarlic press. Here are some ways to incorporate more garlic in your diet:
The Bottom Line
Garlic is a common vegetable in many cultural cuisines. Not only does it add a whole lot of flavor, but it also adds nutrition. Most studies have found health benefits from concentrated forms of garlic like aged garlic extract or garlic supplements. That being said, adding more garlic to your diet doesn’t typically hurt and may even provide health benefits, like lower blood pressure and cholesterol and better blood sugar control.
The exception is for those with digestive illnesses like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), since garlic may increase gas, bloating and acid reflux. You’ll also want to be careful about taking high doses of garlic if you’re taking medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol or blood clots. since garlic has antihypertensive, antidiabetic and cholesterol-lowering effects. Talk to your doctor first.
Frequently Asked QuestionsMany cultures around the globe enjoy garlic daily, and the chances of unpleasant effects are low. You may be more likely to reap the health benefits of garlic if you eat it more often, since we tend to eat it in small quantities. However, if you have gut issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), garlic may cause gas and bloating.For the average person, garlic does not detox your body. Your liver and kidneys do so regardless of whether or not you eat garlic.Some people claim that garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties “burn belly fat,” but this isn’t true. Eating garlic hasn’t been shown to result in long-term sustained weight loss.Eating garlic as close to raw as possible is the healthiest way to eat garlic, since the allicin content will be at its peak. The more garlic is processed and cooked, the lower the allicin content gets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many cultures around the globe enjoy garlic daily, and the chances of unpleasant effects are low. You may be more likely to reap the health benefits of garlic if you eat it more often, since we tend to eat it in small quantities. However, if you have gut issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), garlic may cause gas and bloating.
For the average person, garlic does not detox your body. Your liver and kidneys do so regardless of whether or not you eat garlic.
Some people claim that garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties “burn belly fat,” but this isn’t true. Eating garlic hasn’t been shown to result in long-term sustained weight loss.
Eating garlic as close to raw as possible is the healthiest way to eat garlic, since the allicin content will be at its peak. The more garlic is processed and cooked, the lower the allicin content gets.
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