How to Eat RAW GARLIC – Myths, Truths and Benefits!

How to eat raw garlic

There are many health benefits attributed to garlic, some true and some exaggerated. However, the truth is that garlic has properties that can help us have better health if we consume it properly. As with many other foods and ingredients, garlic can lose properties when cooked. This is mainly because garlic contains a substance called allicin, which has important antibiotic effects and is susceptible to heat.

This is why consuming raw garlic is considered to be more beneficial for health. However, doing it is unpleasant and many people feel unable to do it. That is why, on this occasion, we explain how to eat raw garlic without hating it in the attempt. Plus, we explore everything you need to know (and everything you need to forget) about garlic folk beliefs. Keep reading on oneHOWTO!

Garlic benefits

Before integrating the raw garlic to your diet in an intelligent way, it is important to know what its properties are and the benefits it brings to the body. One of its most discussed benefits is its ability to lower cholesterol, improve circulation, and lower blood pressure, thereby potentially reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Additionally, a study published in 2017 found that garlic can improve blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, it is important to remember that the effects of garlic are small and should not, at any time, replace medications to treat coronary heart disease or to control blood pressure.

If you want to know more about the garlic benefits, do not hesitate to consult the article that we have written about it.

Nutritional value of garlic

Beyond its allicin content, garlic contains many other nutrients that can be used and are not necessarily lost in heat. Each 100 grams of garlic provide, approximately:

  • 110 Kcal
  • 5.3 mg protein
  • 23 mg of carbohydrates
  • 1.1 mg fiber
  • 0 cholesterol
  • 9 mg of vitamin A
  • 31.2 mg of vitamin C
  • 3 mg of vitamin B9
  • 401 mg potassium
  • 181 mg of calcium
  • 153 mg phosphorus

How to consume garlic

Garlic is an ingredient that appears in many recipes throughout very diverse cuisines and cultures. You can find it in its natural presentation, the garlic cloves, as well as you can also find garlic powder or garlic oil. In some stores, garlic pearls or capsules are also sold, designed to enhance its health benefits.

While garlic is best consumed raw, there is a way to prepare it that will keep the loss of properties to a minimum. To do so, you just have to copy the traditional way of using garlic in the mediterranean cuisine. Cut the garlic into very small pieces or mash it and let it rest for about 45 minutes. This will cause the allicin to be activated before cooking, so you can enjoy more benefits of garlic even though it is not raw.

In the kitchen, garlic is very good for dressing salads, preparing toast, making sauces and for dressing meats and other foods in general. However, and as we said before, you can take advantage of 100% of the properties of garlic if you consume it raw, so read the following alternatives to incorporate raw garlic into your diet.

How To Eat Raw Garlic - How To Consume Garlic

How to eat raw garlic

The raw garlic It has a very intense and spicy flavor that is annoying for most people, especially when consumed raw or without other ingredients. In addition, no one can forget that, after consuming it, it leaves behind a breath that is difficult to get rid of.

You may have also wondered Yes it is bad to eat raw garlic. It’s not usually bad, but garlic side effects include allergic reactions, an upset stomach, and heartburn. For this reason, not everyone can consume raw garlic without having adverse reactions. Now, as for the dose of garlic that can be consumed per day, it is recommended that you eat only one clove daily.

Eating raw garlic without chewing

One of the options that you can put into practice to consume raw garlic is to eat it without chewing. To do this, you can take a clove of garlic, peel it, chop it in half and drink it with water as if it were a pill, without chewing. In this way, you will save the flavor and breath that is usually left when you chew it. Eating garlic on an empty stomach without chewing It is a very popular method among people who consider that garlic provides more benefits if it is consumed at the beginning of the day and on an empty stomach.

Eat raw garlic in recipes

However, if you want to consume raw garlic and continue to take advantage of its culinary skills, you can simply add raw garlic in recipes such as homemade gazpacho, allioli sauce and pesto sauce, as well as any garlic sauce. All are excellent options to ingest your garlic dose crude a day.

Eating raw garlic in salads

As a third alternative, you can add raw garlic to your salads. Of course, remember to laminate them into very thin cuts or chop it into super small cubes, so that the flavor is not too intense and does not overshadow the rest of the flavors of the dish. Tuna salads or caprese salads are ideal options, as their dairy-based ingredients reduce the intensity of the garlic.

Eating raw garlic with parsley

Now if you just want to make sure you can consume raw garlic every day and you don’t have too much time to think about the hows, you can chop it up, just like you would for a salad, and ingest it directly with a little parsley, since its chlorophyll content will help reduce the taste.

Subsequently, to avoid bad breathYou can drink a glass of milk or eat yogurt, as dairy counteracts the aromas of garlic. Do not forget that after eating your raw garlic you should wash your teeth very well using dental floss, brush and mouthwash.

Take raw garlic capsules

If none of these ways convinces you and you want to completely avoid the strong taste of garlic, you can go to Anastore and buy garlic capsules, since these retain all their properties without the disadvantages of eating raw garlic.

How To Eat Raw Garlic - How To Eat Raw Garlic

Eating garlic on an empty stomach

One of the most widespread myths About the benefits of garlic is that consuming it on an empty stomach will enhance its properties and help fight a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and other serious conditions. The truth is that there is no scientific evidence to prove that this is the case and more studies are still needed to determine the therapeutic benefits of garlic, whether consumed on an empty stomach or at any time of the day.

It is very common to hear, however, that consuming garlic on an empty stomach helps detoxify the body and, especially, the liver, from the excess of toxins that accumulate daily. If you want to take advantage of benefits of garlic in the morning and on an empty stomach, you can use any of the methods described above to consume raw garlic on an empty stomach.

Garlic contraindications

Garlic should not be a substitute for any medical treatment, no matter how famous it is as a home remedy. On the other hand, in the event that you already consume medications for chronic diseases, it is important to consult with your doctor about the consumption of garlic, since it has been proven that it can decrease the effects of medicines for the HIV and for him cholesterol control. In addition, garlic is an important anticoagulant, so it is not recommended for people who have blood clotting problems.

Does garlic help you lose weight?

Although this is another of the most heard benefits of garlic, the truth is that there is no scientific evidence that garlic helps you lose weight. But do not worry, anyway, garlic is not fattening and is a healthier condiment than salt when using it in meals.

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