A rule for the proper consumption of garlic: the body – almost miraculous effect

Useful for a long time

In cooking, garlic is used as a spice to flavor dishes and give them a distinctive flavor. However, as bbcgoodfood.com writes, garlic is beneficial not only for taste but also for health. It is stated here that garlic also has a long history of consumption.

“Writings written in Sanskrit 5,000 years ago also bear witness to the use of garlic. According to legend, garlic was highly prized by the Egyptian pharaohs, and slaves who built pyramids received a daily ration to keep them strong,” writes nutritionist Jo Lewin.

According to her, garlic has long been considered a reliable product in the fight against epidemics such as cholera and tuberculosis, and during World War I it was used as an antiseptic to clean wounds and treat dysentery.

Results of the investigation

According to healthline.com, in one study, 146 volunteers took garlic supplements or placebo. Of those who consumed garlic, 63 percent. less likely to develop colds and 70 percent. shorter period of illness.

In another study, it was observed that people who took 2.56 grams of ripe garlic extract had a mean duration of cold of 61 percent. shorter and these subjects developed a milder form compared to those who received placebo.

Another study conducted at the Jagiellonian University in Poland shows that garlic has antimicrobial properties and strengthens immunity.

A University of Florida clinical study has also shown that ripe garlic can boost immune cell function and reduce cold and flu symptoms.

Why is garlic useful?

The main active ingredient in garlic is allicin. This substance determines the active properties of garlic and its unpleasant smell. However, fresh garlic does not contain allicin and is formed from the allin in this product only when the garlic is cut or chewed.

“Allicin is like a natural antibiotic that helps fight bacteria. That is why, when only garlic is crushed, the release of allicin has a positive effect on, let’s say, our throat when we eat it, for example with curd, spread on bread, thus disinfecting the throat “, said Delfi in the program Health Recipe on a healthy lifestyle. and the nutritionist Artūras Sujeta.

So the basic rule, if we want to absorb all that garlic has best, is to use crushed garlic. Also, it is important not to bake it.

A. Sujeta also stressed that after frying the garlic, this active substance, which is useful for our body, will be eliminated from the garlic and thus the benefits of this product will be lost.

“I remind you again, if we cut or crush it, allicin is released. But if we fry the garlic, the allicin disappears ”, said the nutritionist and healthy lifestyle in the program.

Nutritionist Jo Lewin also writes that garlic has antibacterial properties, which is why it is called “Russian penicillin.”

According to timesofindia.indiatimes.com, garlic is also rich in vitamins and minerals that we desperately need. Such as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, iron, manganese, calcium.

Sandrija Čapkauskienė, associate professor and nutritionist at LSU, who previously described the benefits of this product on the Delfi portal, emphasizes the benefits of garlic. According to her, garlic is rich in volatile compounds that determine the unique smell and taste of garlic and bioactive components.

“Garlic is rich in amides, nitrogen oxides, phenolic compounds (flavonoids), proteins (the protein content in green garlic varies from 1.5 to 2.1% depending on the variety), saponins and sapogenins, as well as minerals (especially manganese, copper, selenium, phosphorus) and vitamins (rich in vitamin C and B groups).

More than 70 fatty acids containing linoleic acid (46-53%), palmitic acid (20-23%), oleic acid (4-13%) and alpha-linolenic acid (3-7%), which constitute around the 80 percent. of all lipids. Water: 62–68%, carbohydrates: 26–30%. 100 g of garlic is about 140 kcal, “he wrote.

How to use garlic correctly?

We have already discovered that garlic is best consumed fresh. Meghna Krishna, a clinical nutritionist, agrees and explains that when we use processed garlic, its effectiveness decreases because the garlic product enters the stomach directly and the active compound allicin is inactivated by acidic stomach enzymes. And chewing garlic already secretes this useful substance in the mouth, which is not destroyed by stomach enzymes.

He also cautions that 2-3 slices of fresh garlic should be consumed daily, cut into slices and used, for example, to flavor soups or salads.

S. Čapkauskienė, Doctor of Biomedical Sciences, Associate Professor at LSU and Nutritionist, also wrote that garlic should be consumed fresh and the amount consumed should be 2 cloves per day.

“There is no exact daily rate for garlic. It is believed that 2 cloves or 4 g of garlic can have a positive effect on health. Although, according to scientific studies showing the strengthening effect of garlic on the immune system, the amount varied from 1.8 to 10 g per day, “wrote S. Čapkauskienė.

He also noted that the value of garlic also depends on its color. According to S. Čapkauskienė, those of purple color have more vitamin C and total fractionated oil, and the total amount of phenolic and coronoid compounds is higher in white garlic.

“I will remind you that phenols play an important role in human health: they protect against inflammation, allergies, microbes, they have anticancer and antiviral effects,” he said.

Nutritionist Jo Lewin also wrote that you shouldn’t buy garlic that has started to sprout or garlic that is softened, which indicates the onset of rot. The nutritionist said that it is best to store this product at room temperature, uncovered, in a cool, dark place, protected from direct sunlight. This will help prevent garlic sprouts and premature rot. In this way, depending on the type of garlic, it will last from 2 weeks to 2 months.