Garlic the bubbly goodness

 

Garlic

The bubbly goodness

Introduction

Garlic is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the onion genus Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh onion and Chinese onion.

Fresh garlic is a common seasoning across the world, It is used as a condiment and traditional medicine.

Typically the bulbs contain between 10 to 20 cloves, but this can change depending on the variety. The cloves have a strong aroma and are covered in thin sheathing leaves. It is grown for its distinctive taste and health benefits.

This tasty, fragrant veggie does more than make your meal delicious, Garlic contains sulfur compounds, and is loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals like manganese, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and other antioxidants, including allicin. 

The enzyme alliinase, which converts alliin into the beneficial allicin, only works under certain conditions. It can also be deactivated by heat. The way garlic is processed or prepared can really change its health benefits. Most of its health benefits are caused by sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed or chewed.

The most famous of those is allicin. However, allicin is an unstable compound that is only briefly present in fresh garlic after it’s been cut or crushed.

Other compounds that may play a role in garlic’s health benefits include diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine. The sulfur compounds from garlic enter the body from the digestive tract and travel all over the body, where it exerts its potent biological effects.

Crushing garlic and allowing it to stand for 10 minutes before cooking can help prevent the loss of its medicinal properties. However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health and medicinal properties.

NOTE: Short-term heating reduces the anti-inflammatory effects of fresh raw garlic extracts. This may be a problem for some people who do not like or cannot tolerate the taste and/or aroma of fresh garlic.

HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF GARLIC

Here are a few ways to maximize the health benefits of Garlic:

* Crush or slice all your garlic before you eat it. This increases the allicin content.

* Before you cook with your crushed garlic, let it stand for 10 minutes.

* Use a lot of garlic — more than one clove per meal, if you can.

* Another easy way to increase your garlic intake is by taking a supplement.

However, be cautious, as there are no regulated standards for garlic supplements. That means the allicin content and quality can vary, and so can the health benefits.

To maximize these benefits, it is best to consume raw garlic or aged garlic extract.

Garlic is a commonly used food and flavoring agent. When used as a food product, garlic is not likely to produce health benefits or side effects. When used as a medicinal product, garlic may produce both desired and unwanted effects on the body.

Garlic is divided into two main subspecies:

• Softneck Garlic(Allium sativum sativum)

• Hardneck Garlic(Allium sativum ophioscorodon).

There are eleven (11) general groupings, or "types", among the hardneck and softneck, which in turn have their own specific selections or "cultivars" (cultivated varieties).

For the hardneck types you may see:

• Asiatic

• Creole

• Glazed Purple Stripe

• Marbled Purple Stripe

• Middle Eastern

• Porcelain

• Purple Stripe

• Rocambole

• Turban.

For the Softneck types you may see:

• Artichoke

• Silverskin cultivars.

There are two major differences:-

• Softneck garlic – no center stalk.

• Hardneck garlic – center stalk present.

GARLIC NUTRITION FACTS

Garlic is highly nutritious but has very few calories.

One clove (3 grams) of raw garlic contains:-

• Manganese: 2% of the Daily Value (DV).

• Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV.

• Vitamin C: 1% of the DV.

• Selenium: 1% of the DV.

• Fiber: 0.06 grams.

• Fat: 0.01g.

• Carbohydrates: 0.93g.

• Natural sugars: 0.03g.

• Calcium: 5 milligrams (mg)

• Iron: 0.05mg (0.03% DV).

USES AND BENEFITS OF GARLIC.

• Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) - Taking garlic powder by mouth, alone or with other ingredients, seems to help slow hardening of the arteries.

• Diabetes - Taking garlic powder by mouth seems to reduce pre-meal blood sugar levels by a small amount in people with or without diabetes. It seems to work best if it is taken for at least 3 months. It's unclear if garlic reduces post-meal blood sugar levels or HbA1c levels.

• High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia)- Taking garlic by mouth daily for at least 8 weeks might reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, "bad" cholesterol) in people with high cholesterol levels. But any benefit is probably small. And taking garlic doesn't help increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL, "good" cholesterol) or lower levels of other blood fats called triglycerides.

• Better Blood Pressure - Garlic has anti-inflammatory benefits and helps blood flow more easily through the body. 

• Lower Cholesterol - Garlic can also reduce cardiovascular disease risk by lowering your cholesterol. The key here is commitment. Like many natural remedies, it takes a while for the benefits of garlic to kick in, because you have to let the vitamins and minerals build up in your body. But adding garlic to your daily routine is a healthy way to develop a lifelong habit that can benefit your health year after year.

• Reduced Risk of Heart Disease - Garlic is natural at reducing heart disease risk because it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. It’s also great at reducing your risk of heart disease by relaxing hardened blood vessels and preventing platelet aggregation.

Garlic increases production of nitric oxide which keeps blood vessels relaxed. It also prevents platelets from binding to proteins, which reduces blood clots. 

• Garlic for Colds and Flu - Digested garlic helps boost the immune system and reduces the severity and length of cold and flu symptoms.

• Better Athletic Performance - Ancient cultures used garlic to enhance the performance and reduce the fatigue of people doing physical labor. Eventually, the Olympic athletes in Greece started using garlic to enhance their athletic ability. Now modern athletes (and regular folks too) are using it to reduce exercise-induced fatigue.

• Stronger Bones - There is some evidence that garlic can help reduce bone loss by increasing estrogen in females, which can be a big win for your bone health after menopause. Adding a daily dose of garlic could help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. You still need to include other healthy foods to make a real impact on bone density—dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fish, and nuts are all good choices. But it’s easy to season your salmon and spinach dinner with garlic for some extra goodness.

• High blood pressure - Taking garlic by mouth seems to reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number) by about 7-9 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by about 4-6 mmHg in people with high blood pressure.

• Build up of fat in the liver in people who drink little or no alcohol (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD).- Taking garlic powder by mouth seems to help to improve liver health in people with NAFLD. People who eat more garlic also seem to be less likely to be diagnosed with NAFLD.

• Gum infection (periodontitis).- Taking aged garlic extract by mouth twice daily for 18 months can help improve gum health in people who have mild or moderate periodontitis.

• Improved Memory - Damage from free radicals contributes to aging, but garlic contains a powerful antioxidant to help battle that—S-allyl cysteine. This antioxidant shows promise in protecting against brain damage and keeping your brain functioning better as you age. It works by increasing your brain’s blood flow thanks to garlic’s ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. This means a reduced risk of brain disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Enhances Skin - Garlic is a superfood because it has so many beneficial properties: antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal. Which adds up to big benefits for your skin.

Got acne? Rub raw garlic over your bumps to kill bacteria. Just be careful and don’t overdo it if you have sensitive skin. Garlic’s antioxidant qualities come to the rescue to protect your skin and prevent damage from free radicals. Using a topical garlic extract over time may have anti-aging effects because garlic helps increase the growth and longevity of skin cells.

POSSIBLY INEFFECTIVE FOR :

• Stomach cancer - People who eat more garlic or take garlic supplements by mouth don't seem to have a lower chance of developing stomach cancer.

• Digestive tract infection that can lead to ulcers (Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori). - Taking garlic by mouth does not seem to help treat H. pylori infections.

SIDE EFFECTS.

• When taken by mouth: Garlic is likely safe for most people. It can cause side effects such as bad breath, heartburn, gas, and diarrhea. These side effects are often worse with raw garlic. Garlic might also increase the risk of bleeding and cause allergic reactions in some people.

• When applied to the skin: Garlic products like gels, pastes, and mouthwashes are possibly safe. But garlic might cause skin damage that is similar to a burn. Raw garlic is possibly unsafe when applied to the skin. It might cause severe skin irritation.

WARNING.

• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Garlic is likely safe to take by mouth in the amounts normally found in food. Garlic is possibly unsafe when used in medicinal amounts during pregnancy and when breast-feeding. There isn't enough reliable information about the safety of applying garlic to the skin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

• Children: Garlic is possibly safe when taken by children in doses of up to 300 mg three times daily for up to 8 weeks. There isn't enough reliable information to know if garlic is safe when used in larger doses or for longer than 8 weeks. It is possibly unsafe to apply raw garlic to the skin. It might burn the skin.

• Bleeding disorder: Garlic, especially fresh garlic, might increase the risk of bleeding.

• Surgery: Garlic might prolong bleeding and interfere with blood pressure. Garlic might also lower blood sugar levels. Stop taking garlic at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery.

NOTE: It is not certain whether garlic is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Garlic should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Garlic is both tasty, nutritious and super healthy. With inevitably plausible reasons to include it in your diet.

Eat healthy, stay safe.

DISCLAIMER

This post is for enlightenment and should not be used as a replacement for professional medical diagnosis and treatments. Remember to always consult your healthcare provider before making any health-related decisions for any medical condition.

Obasi Kelechi.