Garlic Benefits, Uses and Harmful Side Effects
Overview:
Garlic is a health-beneficial spice that is included in everyday food items. Apart from vegetables, spices also have a lot of evidence of beneficial qualities for the body. Garlic-loaded with various vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, these vegetables, spices, etc., help in keeping various physical problems or diseases away.
The following article will discuss the health benefits, uses and possible side effects of garlic.
Benefits of Garlic
Garlic is a stool plant with long, flat grass-like leaves whose fruit is underground. The fruit is flower shaped with several simultaneously lying cloves. Each clove is covered with a paper-like thin skin and its green white or pink flowers can be seen clustered together at the end of the long branches. The branch comes directly from the flower bulb, which is used as food and medicine. The bulb is made up of many small bulbs that are covered with paper skin.
The most active ingredients of fresh garlic are ‘Alene’ (amino acid) and alinase (enzyme). When a clove of garlic is crushed, the Alene and allinase compounds are mixed to form a lysin, which is responsible for the strong smell of the garlic. Instead, the elysian splits into other sulfur compounds within a few hours. These elements have some overlapping healing properties.
Cultivation:
Garlic can be grown at an altitude of 1200-2000 meters above the average sea level. Garlic needs less days, cooler (12-18 °C) humid times during growth. 6-7 PH. A well-drained dry soil rich in organic matter is good for garlic. Too much acidity/acidic heavy soil is not suitable for this crop. The soil is finely planted by making a 30cm gap or convenient size bed. The cloves are planted at an interval of 15-10 cm.
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It is cultivated in two seasons in hilly areas –
- June – July and
- October – November.
Per hectare of ground can produce about 500 to 600 kg of garlic.
Different Regional Names of Garlic
- Assamese: Naharu
- Tamil: Poondu/ Vellaipoondu
- Malayalam: Veluthulli, Vellulli
- Telugu: Vellulli, Velluri, Ullipavilu, Vellipaaya, Tellapaayalu, Vellulli payalu
- Kannada: Bellulli
- Hindi: Lehsun, Lasun
- Bengali: Rasoon, Rashun
- Gujarati: Lasan
- Konkani: Lahsun, Losan
- Marathi: Lasun, Lusson
- Odia: Rasuna
- Punjabi: Lassan, Lahsun
- Tulu: Bollulli
- Kashmiri: Ruhan
- Urdu: Lassun, Leshun
Scientific Classification of Garlic
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Clade : Tracheophytes
- Clade : Angiosperms
- Clade : Monocots
- Order : Asparagales
- Family : Amaryllidaceae
- Sub-family : Allioideae
- Genus : Allium
- Species : A. sativum
- Scientific name: Allium sativum
Nutritious Elements presents in Garlic
- Energy : 149 Kilo Calorie
- Carbohydrate : 33.06 gm
- Fiber : 2.1 gm
- Sugar : 1 gm
- Fat : 0.5 gm
- Protein : 6.03 gm
- Minerals –
- Calcium : 181 mg
- Phosphorus : 153 mg
- Potassium : 401 mg
- Iron : 1.7 mg
- Magnesium : 25 mg
- Manganese : 1.672 mg
- Sodium : 17 mg
- Zinc : 1.16 mg
- Vitamins –
- Vitamin C : 31.2 mg
- Thiamin : 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin : 0.11 mg
- Niacin : 0.7 mg
- Pantothenic Acid : 0.596 mg
- Vitamin B6 : 1.2350 mg
- Folate : 3 microgram
- Choline : 23.2 mg
- Other –
- Water : 59 gm
- Selenium : 14.2 microgram
Health Benefits of Garlic
1) Regulates cholesterol:
Garlic can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing cholesterol. Like many natural remedies, garlic benefits take a while to start, as you need to allow vitamins and minerals to accumulate in your body. But you can add garlic to your daily diet and gradually see the result of your health.
2) Regulates high blood pressure:
The anti-inflammatory property present in garlic eases blood flow through the body.
Several studies recommend that patients suffering from hypertension take garlic supplements. But it is also necessary to discuss with experts before taking such supplements.
3) Keeps the heart healthy:
Garlic is a natural factor in reducing the risk of heart disease. It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Garlic reduces your risk of heart disease by relaxing the hard blood vessels and preventing platelet integration. Garlic increases the production of nitric oxide which keeps blood vessels loose. This prevents the platelets from being tied to proteins, which reduces blood clotting.
4) Good in Cold-coughs:
Garlic helps in boosting the immune system and reduces the severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms. The average length of cold symptoms was reduced from five days to one and a half days, the studies said.
5) Improves Athletic performance:
Garlic can be used to reduce exercise-infected fatigue. Some studies prove that using garlic oil for about six weeks can improve the highest heart rate by 12% in heart patients and they can work out for longer times without feeling exhausted.
6) Improves Skin Quality:
Garlic has many beneficial properties, such as- antioxidants, antibacterial and antifungal. These benefit your skin health. The antioxidant properties of garlic are used to protect the skin and prevent damage from free radicals. Using garlic extraction over time can show a positive effect in reducing ageing signs and increasing the longevity of the skin cells.
7) Boosts memory:
Damage from free radicals contributes to aging, but garlic contains a powerful antioxidant (S-allyl cysteine) that helps fight it. This antioxidant protects against brain damage and ensures healthy brain activity as you get older. Garlic has the ability to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure which increases the blood flow of the brain and reduces the risk of brain disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
8) Strengthens bones:
According to some evidence, garlic can help reduce bone damage by increasing estrogen in women, which can be a major win for your bone health after menopause. You need to include other healthy foods to have a real impact on bone density – dairy products, green vegetables, fish and nuts are all good
9) Increases digestive energy:
Digestion problems disappear as soon as raw garlic is included in the diet. It benefits the intestine and reduces inflammation. Eating raw garlic helps in cleaning the intestinal worms.
10) Good for Diabetics:
Diabetics can control their blood sugar levels by consuming raw garlic.
11) Good in Cancer and Peptic Ulcer:
Being a holder of a high amount of antioxidants, garlic has the ability to protect the body from various cancers, such as- Prostate, Lung, Bladder, liver, Stomach and colon. Garlic shows antibacterial actions in the body which prevents peptic ulcer by eliminating infection from the intestines.
12) Aids weight loss:
Garlic reduces the expression of genes responsible for the formation of fat-deposited adipose cells. It increases thermogenesis in the body and burns more fat and reduces LDL (bad cholesterol).
13) Keeps Urinary tract and kidneys healthy:
Fresh garlic juice E. cola is likely to reduce the growth of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections (UTI). It helps in preventing kidney infection. Garlic reduces injury infections, increases hair growth, bone health and liver health. Most of these remedies work properly if the product (garlic) is eaten in raw form.
14) Detoxifies blood:
Garlic is the best biological solution for people who are prone to lead poisoning due to occupational hazards. Garlic is actually safer and better at reducing blood lead poisoning than de-penicillamine, which is the common drug used to treat it.
15) Prevents Osteoporosis:
Adding garlic to a regular diet can help prevent or reduce the onset of osteoarthritis. Research has shown that garlic contains a compound called diallyl disulfide that helps maintain bone density and therefore may delay the onset of bone related diseases such as osteoarthritis.
16) Helps overcome Oestrogen Deficiency:
For older women the lack of female hormones known as estrogen is associated with irregular production of proteins often known as cytokines during menopause. Garlic consumption can control some of the deficiency of estrogen after menopause.
Uses of Garlic
- Taking garlic powder orally alone or with other ingredients helps the arteries to become stronger gradually.
- Taking garlic powder orally can reduce blood sugar levels before having meal in diabetics
- High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood can reduce the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, “bad” cholesterol) in people with high cholesterol levels if they take garlic daily for at least 8 weeks.
- High blood pressure patients taking garlic by mouth can reduce Systolic blood pressure to about 7-9 mm/hg. and diastolic blood pressure to about 4-6 mm/hg. Decrease is seen.
- Who drink little or no alcohol (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD) and fat accumulate in the liver. When garlic powder is taken by mouth it helps improve liver health of people with NAFLD.
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Harmful Side Effects of Garlic
Although garlic has high health benefits, its harmful aspects do not go unnoticed –
- Long-term use of garlic can lead to side effects such as bad breath, heartburn, gas and diarrhea. These side effects are often associated with raw garlic. Garlic can increase the risk of bleeding and cause an allergic reaction in some people.
- Raw garlic is probably not safe if applied on skin. It can cause severe skin irritation.
- Garlic is probably unsafe when used in medicinal quantities during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are not enough sources that guarantee the safety of using garlic on skin.
- There is not enough reliable information to know if garlic is safe when used in large doses or for more than 8 weeks.
- Garlic can prolong bleeding and prevent blood pressure. Garlic can lower blood sugar levels. It is recommended to stop taking garlic at least two weeks before the scheduled surgery.
Conclusion
The above article lets you know about the health benefits of garlic along with other related details. Hope the information mentioned in this article benefits you in various ways. Thank you!
FAQ:
1) What are the health beneficial ingredients of garlic?
A- Garlic is a natural source of many nutrients, including the fiber components like selenium and germanium: essential antioxidant minerals for a healthy immune system. Garlic contains high levels of natural sulphur compounds. These compounds help in body cleansing, and fight bacterial infections.
2) What skin problems does garlic help to overcome?
A. Garlic helps fight skin fungal conditions such as ‘athlete’s foot’ (tinea), and ‘thrush’ (vaginal candida). It is also especially useful to help clean blisters and skin ulcers.
3) When and for how long should the garlic supplement be taken?
A. If you are using garlic in a preventive manner, start at the beginning of autumn and take it all winter. Since garlic is a warm herbal spice, it can help to eliminate cold, damp conditions that can weaken your immune system. You may also take garlic if you have cold or cold, especially if you are producing a lot of clear mucus.
4) Who should not eat garlic?
A. Garlic is a very hot spice. Therefore, a person suffering from acid reflux, ulcers, colitis, heartburn, intestinal inflammation, skin blemishes or redness should avoid or eat less garlic.
5) Is garlic good for the immune system?
A- Garlic has antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It protects the body from viruses and other microorganisms by strengthening the immune system. It also fights infections.