What are the benefits of garlic and how to use it correctly so as not to harm your health
The homeland of garlic is Central Asia. Throughout the history of mankind, people have highly appreciated this vegetable for its beneficial properties and taste. Today, the importance of the plant cannot be overestimated - it is actively used in cooking, folk medicine, and cosmetology.
In this article, we will look at the beneficial and medicinal properties of garlic and explore tips and tricks for its use.
The content of the article
Why is garlic good
First, let's figure out what vitamins and minerals are contained in this vegetable and what is their usefulness.
Chemical composition
100 g contains:
- 6.5 g protein;
- 0.5 g of fat;
- 29.9 g carbohydrates;
- 1.5 g dietary fiber.
The plant also contains vitamins B1, C, B2, K. In addition, it is rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, iodine, zinc, saturated fatty acids. In total, the plant contains about 30 useful macro- and microelements.
Benefits and harm to the body
The vitamins contained in the root vegetable participate in redox reactions, support the immune system, and promote the absorption of iron. Also, the product has antimicrobial and healing effect. Essential oils saturate the body with vital elements.
However, do not forget that garlic is an allergenic product, so it cannot be overused. It can cause adverse reactions such as mucosal, liver and kidney irritation. The plant can cause burning, heartburn, nausea, and a number of other adverse effects.
Benefits for women
First of all, the product reduces the risk of tumors of the mammary glands and uterus... In addition, the vegetable reduces irritability, has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, and reduces stress and anxiety. Do not forget that garlic is recognized as an aphrodisiac.
As for pregnant women, doctors advise not to abuse this product. The rule also applies to women who are breastfeeding. Essential oils affect the taste of milk. Garlic is a strong allergen and it is not known what reaction it can cause.
For men
For representatives of the strong half of humanity, garlic is also useful:
- kills intestinal infections - for example, a vegetable will help eliminate the effects of a bad dinner, as it can remove toxins from the body;
- stimulates the production of bile, which means it improves the functioning of the digestive tract;
- scientists have proven that the plant improves memory and raises the general tone of the body;
- promotes rapid restoration of cartilage tissue;
- has a beneficial effect on the reproductive function of men.
For kids
Children can only be given boiled garlic from the age of 8-9 months. It is advised to consume a vegetable in small quantities for colds, bronchitis.
It is recommended to use it as an inhalation or nasal drops (of course, in the appropriate dosage). Medicines for children containing garlic extract have antimicrobial, expectorant, antibacterial effects. Garlic is also given to children to remove intestinal parasites from the body.
The healing properties of garlic
Let us examine in detail what exactly is the value of the plant as a medicine.
Treatment of rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, colitis
The list of the most common diseases for which garlic is useful is as follows:
- Rhinitis - mucous discharge from the nose. The indications for using garlic are yellow or green discharge and pus in the nasal cavity. However, it should not be used for allergic and vasomotor rhinitis, as severe irritation may occur.
- Sinusitis is a complication of a cold or flu. You can soak cotton swabs with garlic juice and insert them into your nose - the juice of the plant will have a strong antimicrobial effect.
- Tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils in the throat. You should eat fresh garlic, apply compresses or inhale. You can use a vegetable not only as a remedy, but also as a preventive one.
- Laryngitis - inflammation of the larynx mucosa as a result of a cold. An effective remedy is garlic and honey. It is also recommended to dissolve fresh garlic cloves to reduce inflammation.
- Pharyngitis - inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa. Treatment is similar to that for laryngitis.
- Colitis - inflammation of the colon mucosa. To reduce inflammation, you should consume 1/2 spoonful of garlic powder daily. This will normalize digestion and reduce unpleasant symptoms.
Slimming
If you follow a dietary diet, then the plant will help you lose weight. The fact is that garlic normalizes blood sugar levels and improves lymphatic drainage - it removes excess fluid from the body, improves blood circulation. It also helps to properly process cholesterol and improve fat metabolism.
Important! On top of that, garlic promotes a good appetite - instead of one bowl of soup, you can easily eat two. Therefore, be careful not to overuse.
To strengthen immunity
Eating 1 to 2 cloves regularly every day will boost your immunity and help prevent getting the flu or colds. It is not for nothing that garlic is called a "folk medicine" - it has an excellent antimicrobial and preventive effect.
With diabetes mellitus
Garlic helps to normalize blood sugar levels and also improves metabolism. All these factors favorably influence the health of people with diabetes. Doctors advise to eat 1-2 cloves daily to lower sugar levels.
Fight against endocrine diseases
Endocrine diseases - diseases that arise as a result of improper production of hormones and glands. It is necessary to take the product after consulting your doctor, as the product has contraindications.
For general improvement in health, it is recommended to take the vegetable in small doses - 2-3 times a week with meals.
For blood vessels and heart
The use of medicines based on garlic lowers cholesterol levels, reduces blockages in blood vessels, and reduces the risk of heart attacks... The vegetable contains hydrogen sulfide.
It is thanks to him that a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels occurs. In addition, the product improves the elasticity of the vascular walls. The most popular is a proven remedy - a mixture of garlic, lemon and honey.
With gout
Gout is a disease caused by the deposition of uric acid crystals. This ailment looks like bumps on the human body, mainly on the arms or legs.
In case of gout, it is recommended to consume garlic as often as possible, as it reduces the acidity of various fluids in our body. The most active component in this case is sulfur.
From parasites
Essential oils have the ability to destroy parasites in the body. Cleansing with garlic is a proven traditional medicine method. Vegetable infusion can eliminate not only larvae, but also adult parasites.
Of the popular methods, it should be noted enemas with root vegetable juice (dangerous for the intestinal mucosa), decoctions and mixtures, prevention in the form of fresh consumption.
For the liver
Is the vegetable good for the liver? The answer is yes. It prevents the development of congestion in the liver. You need to eat no more than 3 grams of garlic per day daily.
Contraindications
Garlic should not be consumed when:
- increased sensitivity;
- epilepsy;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- hemorrhoids;
- pancreatitis;
- anemia;
- kidney disease.
Excessive use of the product can lead to headaches, slowing down of the body's reaction, and severe allergic reactions. It is also not recommended to eat garlic at night.
Uses and benefits of garlic
You can eat a vegetable either alone or in combination with other products.
- Raw garlic is excellent in killing germs and bacteria, and also has a healing effect.
- Fried garlic does not lose its beneficial properties, as a result of heat treatment, its taste softens, essential oils evaporate, and a pungent smell disappears. Despite the fact that some of the nutrients disappear along with this, the remaining elements are enough to have a beneficial effect on the body.
- Boiled garlic is recommended for dietary nutrition. The boiled vegetable has little or no effect on the freshness of your breath. As with frying, the plant loses some of its vitamins, but this slightly reduces its benefits.
- Pickled garlic is high in chlorine. It helps to break down fats, has a beneficial effect on the liver, and participates in the intestines. In addition, the pickled vegetable contains a large amount of allicin, a powerful antioxidant.
Garlic husk
The husk contains a large amount of vitamin P, which has a remarkable healing effect, namely: it slows down the aging process, removes toxins, and improves tissue regeneration. The drink, infused with garlic peels, improves immunity and kidney function. In addition, there is a cleaning of blood vessels, improvement of the condition of the joints.
Garlic juice
It contains nicotinic acid, copper, phosphorus, sodium. Due to the increased amount of essential oils, the juice becomes a powerful antioxidant. Eating it in food improves blood pressure, prevents heart ailments. Garlic pomace is often used to make sauces and spices.
How to eat garlic correctly
Doctors advise to consume no more than 1-2 cloves per day.If you subject the vegetable to heat treatment, then do not exceed the cooking time.
The optimal frying or boiling time is 20 minutes. So the plant will retain most of the nutrients and vitamins. If the vegetable has sprouted, do not throw it away. As such, it contains even more antioxidants.
If you have a cough, cold, poor appetite, parasites, and other infections, eat it fresh. Dental floss and breath fresheners based on natural herbs will help get rid of the specific smell.
External use
Garlic tincture can cure a number of diseases:
- with psoriasis, compresses from vodka tincture with the addition of garlic will help;
- with sinusitis, the nasal cavity is washed with a vodka tincture of the product;
- for dandruff, make garlic masks for the scalp;
- with stomatitis, it is recommended to rinse the oral cavity with tincture.
Traditional medicine recipes
We bring to your attention 3 popular folk recipes using garlic:
- For a cold, take a couple of cloves, make a gruel out of them and mix with butter. You need to rub the resulting mixture every night into your chest.
- To make an alcoholic tincture, you need to pour 200 g of garlic with a glass of vodka and let it brew in a dark place for 10 days. During the month, drink 5 drops of the drink 3 times daily before meals.Alcohol tincture is a universal remedy for many diseases.
- Inhalation perfectly kills germs and eliminates colds. Place the head in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add a liter of water, soak for 20 minutes on low heat. Add a spoonful of lemon juice and breathe deeply over the saucepan until it cools.
Tips & Tricks
Before consuming garlic, make sure you have no contraindications. You can eat the vegetable both fresh and after heat treatment. If your body responds well to this product, then eating garlic will only benefit you.
To get rid of bad breath, follow the simplest oral hygiene guidelines: brush your teeth, use mouthwash to freshen breath. It is desirable that it contains herbal extracts. Remember that boiled or roasted vegetables have little or no flavor.
Don't be afraid to use the plant as medicine. The main thing is to observe the permissible dosages. You can also use the vegetable as a cosmetic - for example, make yourself a garlic hair mask.
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Reviews
Some praise garlic for its wonderful properties, others consider the vegetable to be the strongest allergen, and still others dislike the plant for its specific taste. Here are some reviews.
Galina from Naberezhnye Chelny claims that it is stronger than any antibiotics. The woman shares the secret that it is possible to recover from a cold in 3 days - you just need to eat a few cloves a day. In this case, pre-chopped garlic must be left for 20 minutes, and only then added to food.
However, many complain that garlic treatment causes severe heartburn and burning in the stomach. At the same time, there are repeated reviews that only pills help get rid of garlic heartburn, it does not go away by itself.
In addition, some people are unhappy with the effect of the popular garlic tincture. Drinking the drink caused headaches and feeling unwell. However, this is more the exception than the rule.
Conclusion
Garlic has undoubtedly more advantages than disadvantages. It will enrich your diet with nutrients and protect against many diseases. Be careful about the consumption and use of garlic, remember the contraindications.