Health benefits of eating raw garlic

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Phan Dinh Thuy Tien - General Internal Medicine - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.
Garlic is not only an essential spice in the kitchen, helping to increase the flavor of dishes, but also has many effects in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, cancer, infections, bones and joints.

1. Effective ingredients of garlic

Garlic is rich in nutrients. According to research, in 100g of garlic contains 6.36g of protein, 33g of carbohydrates, 150g of calories and nutrients such as vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B3, B6), iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus,. ..
The main active ingredient in garlic is sulfur organic compounds and glycosides. In addition, garlic is also high in germanium and selenium. In particular, the germanium content in garlic is higher than that of medicinal herbs such as ginseng, green tea, red tea,...
The basic effect of garlic mainly comes from allicin. In fresh garlic there is no free allicin, only its precursor is alliin. When garlic is minced, the enzyme in garlic is activated which stimulates alliin to form allicin.

2. What are the benefits of eating raw garlic every day?

Garlic has many health benefits, especially when eaten raw.
2.1. Prevention and treatment of colds and flu Sulfur compounds in garlic have strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Daily use of garlic helps prevent colds and diseases caused by bacteria and viruses. Eating raw garlic every day reduces the risk of catching the flu by 63%. In addition, eating garlic also shortens the duration of a cold by 70%, allowing patients to recover faster.
2.2. Prevention and support of cancer treatment According to many studies, garlic has a significant effect in reducing the risk of cancer, especially intestinal cancer. Specifically, garlic inhibits the process of nitrate turning into nitrite in the gastric juice, preventing the formation of nitrosamines, helping to prevent stomach cancer. Besides, garlic can also prevent the invasion of toxins, heavy metals, carcinogens to the body. At the same time, the germanium and selenium components in garlic help the body fight cell mutations, prevent the formation of free radicals, and support effective cancer prevention.

Regarding the ability to support cancer treatment, the active ingredients in garlic such as diallyl disulphide, s-allystein and ajoene can slow down the growth rate of tumors, reducing the size of tumors by up to 50%. Garlic has the effect of preventing and supporting the control of the development of cancers such as breast cancer, stomach cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer, and prostate cancer. , liver cancer, bladder cancer,...
2.3. Improve joint function The substances in garlic such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, zinc and antioxidants and enzymes,... have a good effect in preventing the formation of connective tissues and metabolism. the bone. At the same time, they improve the body's ability to absorb calcium, making bones stronger.
For women, eating raw garlic helps slow down the process of osteoporosis by increasing the hormone estrogen. For patients with bone and joint diseases, garlic has the effect of reducing pain symptoms significantly.
2.4. Prevention of cardiovascular diseases Garlic has the effect of lowering bad cholesterol levels and increasing the amount of good cholesterol in the body, helping to remove ather plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Eating garlic regularly also helps slow down the aging process of the aorta. In addition to reducing blood fat, garlic also inhibits the accumulation of platelets, preventing the formation of blood clots. Therefore, garlic has the effect of preventing cardiovascular disease.
Garlic also works to control blood pressure by reducing blood viscosity thanks to the active ingredient ajoene. According to scientists, about 600-1500mg of garlic extract will effectively reduce blood pressure in 24 weeks. Besides, the polysulfides and sulfur molecules in garlic have the effect of relaxing smooth muscle, stimulating the production of endothelial cells and dilating blood vessels, thereby effectively controlling blood pressure. High blood pressure patients are advised to eat a few cloves of garlic every morning to lower blood pressure.
2.5. Erectile Dysfunction Scientists have discovered that eating raw garlic brings many benefits to men. Specifically:
Increase sex drive in men, especially men with erectile dysfunction or impotence. According to scientists, an erection requires an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase. Compounds in garlic help produce this yeast. Eating 1-2 cloves of garlic / day continuously for about 2 months will help increase the number of sperm in semen. Creatinine and Allithiamine are made up of vitamins B1 and Allicin which are the main components involved in muscle activity, helping to eliminate fatigue and improve physical strength for men. 2.6. Some other effects of eating raw garlic Safe pregnancy: garlic has the effect of increasing weight on babies at risk of low birth weight. Besides, garlic also helps to reduce other risks during pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia (which is linked with high blood pressure). Filtering toxins in the blood: Allicin in garlic helps to remove harmful substances from the body, while promoting healthy white blood cells. In addition, allicin also helps remove nicotine, purify the blood and clean the respiratory system effectively. Prevent Alzheimer's disease: nutrients in garlic help protect brain cells against the aging process, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure. Therefore, eating raw garlic every day helps to effectively prevent age-related neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Beauty skin: the organic compound allicin in garlic has the effect of killing bacteria and hindering the activity of free radicals, helping to prevent acne and other skin diseases.

3. Instructions to eat raw garlic properly

Should mince the garlic, leave it in the air for about 10-15 minutes to eat. The reason is because there is no free allicin in garlic. Only after mincing, under the action of enzymes, will garlic release allicin. If garlic has not been minced and cooked, the enzyme will not work, not releasing allicin. If cooking with minced garlic, the allicin content is retained as 60%. Therefore, if you want to get the best protective effect, you should eat minced garlic. You can eat garlic pickled in vinegar because this preliminary method still retains the good active ingredients in garlic. After eating garlic, you can gargle with unsweetened coffee, drink cow's milk, green tea or chew gum to remove odors. Garlic should not be eaten on an empty stomach because garlic is degradable and strongly irritating to the lining of the stomach - intestines. If you eat too much garlic at one time or eat garlic on an empty stomach, it will not be good for the digestive system, especially for people with stomach and duodenal ulcers. People with eye-related diseases, weak eyesight should not eat a lot of garlic because garlic can irritate the eyes, easily cause eye inflammation, eye conjunctivitis. Do not eat raw garlic when you have diarrhea because allicin in garlic will stimulate the intestinal wall, leading to edema, blood vessel blockage, causing many dangerous complications. Do not eat garlic with foods such as dog meat, chicken, eggs, carp. People with a history of liver diseases should not eat garlic because garlic is hot, spicy, heating the liver, and in the long run, it will cause damage to the liver. People who are using some drugs to treat HIV/AIDS, anticoagulants,... should not eat garlic because it will cause unhealthy side effects. People who are physically weak should not eat a lot of garlic because eating too much garlic will dissipate qi and blood, dilute qi, lose blood, produce phlegm, and generate heat.

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