7 Reasons to Start Eating Raw Garlic Today

For thousands of years, this ingredient has been used by people not only for its distinct flavor but also for its innumerable health benefits. So much so, that it was also known as the elixir of health. Today I want to address the power and magic of this allium found in almost every household across the globe. Most cuisines and their traditional preparations would be incomplete without this ingredient. Yes, I am speaking about garlic.

Of course, if you are Jain and cannot have garlic, you can find these health benefits in several other vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. But for those of you who can, adding it to your daily regime can be highly beneficial.

What makes garlic powerful?

Garlic, in its raw form, contains an amino acid called alliin. When you crush or chop it into small pieces, you produce an enzyme called alliinase. When exposed to oxygen – alliin and alliinase interact and form the super-powerful compound allicin. Allicin is scientifically and medically recorded to have a host of benefits for the human body.

For heart health

Millions of people have cardiac issues today and we all know that chronic inflammation is one of its major contributors. Most of them struggle with high blood pressure and cholesterol issues where their triglycerides and LDL are spiking whereas their HDL is dipping. Allicin is anti-inflammatory and has antioxidant properties. This makes it excellent in reducing inflammatory markers and boosting heart health. Now be warned, more garlic does not mean better heart health. Having it in the right quantities in the right way makes all the difference.

To lower cholesterol

In our own experience, we have witnessed how clients have lowered their triglycerides by incorporating garlic coupled with lifestyle changes. In most cases, their doctors safely weaned them off their lipid-lowering medications.

Unlike a statin which stops your liver from producing cholesterol, garlic can minimize the production of cholesterol which is a healthier way of bringing down cholesterol without all the side effects of conventional drugs and statins. Most of our clients who have solved their cholesterol problems move to high-fiber diets which suit them and have garlic as a part of their daily diet.

I know a lot of people do not like to bite into it first thing after waking up because they don’t want garlic breath. So they swallow it whole. Now let me tell you, this is completely useless because only when you crush or damage the clove by chomping or chopping it and exposing it to oxygen does the enzymatic reaction help you form allicin.

For blood pressure

It is recorded medically to lower blood pressure. If you look up medical journals they will tell you – if you are a high blood pressure patient and already taking BP medication, be careful to not overdo garlic because the combined effect of the two will result in pressure dropping dangerously. Does this mean you shouldn’t consume it? No. You can have it in restricted quantities while monitoring your blood pressure. Keep your doctor in the loop. Work with them to reduce the medication if your systolic and diastolic pressure is dropping rapidly. And you will experience that when the time is right, you will be able to get off your medications safely.

Remember, eating garlic alone won’t help you with your blood pressure. You need to pair it with quality sleep, control your stress levels, and add exercise, among other lifestyle changes.

For diabetes

You will find this on every medical website and journal. If you are a diabetic, garlic is excellent for you. One aspect to be mindful of is that if you are already on blood sugar medication, keep your doctor in the loop before adding it to your lifestyle and keep monitoring your levels. The combined effect of your medications and the allium shouldn’t make your levels dip to the extent that you go into hypoglycemia. When done right, you will be able to work with your healthcare expert to reduce your dosage.

For those of you wondering, reversing Type 2 diabetes is possible when you make the right lifestyle changes and integrate nutrition, exercise, sleep, and emotional wellness. Know more about our You Care Wellness Prediabetes and Diabetes Care Program here.

To combat fatty liver

Fatty liver – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic is affecting a big population today. And it isn’t okay to live or age with it. It slows down the organ that is responsible for over 500+ functions in your body. One of these functions is – fat loss. Yes, you cannot lose weight or burn fat if you have compromised liver function. Above this, your liver also has the job of filtering and getting rid of the toxins that you are exposed to. The more and more toxins accumulate, your liver starts working in overdrive, gets burdened, and starts getting sluggish. A sluggish liver = more toxin buildup = a whole new range of medical conditions in your body.

More and more research shows how sulfur-based compounds like allicin can play a role in combating fatty liver. Allicin can stimulate your liver enzymes and expel toxins. One way to do this is to chop and mash cloves of raw garlic and have it with a glass of lemon water. This combination is fantastic for detoxifying/cleansing the liver.

For stomach infections, gut health, and immunity

Studies show its effectiveness in combating bacterial infections in the stomach due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. A single clove of garlic will have roughly 5 mg calcium, 12 mg potassium, and 100+ sulphuric compounds that are enough to fight bad bacteria in your body.

It is also excellent to promote gut health. It works as a prebiotic. Your probiotics cannot work without prebiotics. Raw garlic has the potential to destroy unfriendly bacteria in your gut that cause gut issues (like indigestion, bloating, and acidity). These bad bacteria also hamper the assimilation and absorption of nutrients. Raw garlic helps you populate good gut bugs that boost, and in turn, immunity (70% of your immunity lies in your gut). Add raw chopped garlic to your salad with a little bit of apple cider vinegar. It works as an excellent prebiotic.

Allicin is scientifically proven to be one of the most powerful immune boosters. It is even classified as a natural antiseptic and antibiotic because of its antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

To boost sexual health

Did you know garlic is also a powerful aphrodisiac? Yes. Allicin can boost sexual health by stimulating blood flow to your genitals. It can help maintain a healthy sperm count (in men) and increase libido in men and women.

How to add garlic?

I love garlic fried rice, but that is not how you will get that beautiful allicin. When you heat, boil or cook garlic, you reduce the health benefits of allicin. So it is crucial to eat it raw.

I will not force all of you to chomp on raw garlic.

So the best way to eat it is:

• Take 2-4 cloves of garlic (up to you.) Don’t overdo it.
• Chop them into small pieces and leave them exposed for 2 to 4 minutes. Doing this will activate the allicin.
• Swallow these chopped pieces with water. If you want to chew it, that’s even better.
• You can opt to do this first thing in the morning, or if you want to chew raw garlic, that’s even better. Do it before you go to sleep because garlic breath at bedtime will not bother you as much. Remember, it is antimicrobial. It can kill the harmful bacteria in your mouth.

How to give it to children?

There is a creative way of giving this to your kids. Once you have sliced your raw garlic and let its allicin activate for a few minutes, add pure raw honey to it. You can give them a teaspoon of this in the morning or at night. In the Middle East, locals take a glass jar, fill it with honey and add slivers of garlic to it. And they eat one or two pieces every morning. Raw honey is also highly antimicrobial and a good immunity booster. So the combination can work beautifully for kids if the ingredients suit them.

What should you be careful of?

• If you have your first piece of raw garlic and feel extremely gassy, acidic, or nauseous, this may not be the best thing for you.
• If you experience a burning sensation after having garlic on an empty stomach, you can opt to have a meal first. And 30 minutes later, once your stomach is lined, consume your raw garlic by chopping and swallowing it in water or simply chewing on it.
• Be careful if you are on blood thinners. Garlic works as a natural blood thinner. If you are on blood thinning medications or high doses of Vitamin E, check with your doctor before adding raw garlic to your lifestyle to avoid interference.
• Similarly, if you are scheduled for an upcoming surgery, do not do this. You don’t want to go into surgery having a blood thinner in your system, so cut it out.
• Be careful if you have IBS. Check if consuming raw garlic works for you or makes your condition worse. Seek medical guidance before adding this to your routine.

The bottom line

You are a unique individual. What works for someone else doesn’t have to work for you. If garlic doesn’t suit you, it doesn’t make it bad. It just means you are different.

Garlic grows abundantly across the world. Your ancestors used it effectively. It is time for you to do the same too. Tell me how it worked for you. Source organically-grown garlic here.

ALSO WATCH: Why I Recommend Adding Garlic To Your Meals (And How)

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