It is no news that garlic has several beneficial properties that can improve health and prevent diseases. Garlic is known for its natural antibiotic and anti-bacterial properties. It is one of the few super foods that can act as a panacea for all ills.
In terms of food categories, garlic is an herb that is nowadays found on almost every continent and is considered to be a key ingredient in almost every major cuisine. From Italian garlic bread to Cantonese garlic fried rice, this humble and commonplace ingredient has left a mark everywhere.
Additionally, garlic has also been used as common remedy in ancient and alternative medicine.
Eating Garlic in the Morning
Now, eating raw garlic in the morning on an empty stomach does not sound very appetizing, does it? In addition, raw garlic can also be hard to digest and consequently, can cause indigestion and stomach ache. Nowadays you don’t have to worry about bad breath as a good mouthwash or mint-based chewing gum can easily rid you of the problem.
The problem with cooked garlic is that it cooking it in fatty oils can rob it of most of its beneficial properties. So, it is advisable to use organic oils, for instance extra-virgin olive oil to cook garlic. A simple way to consume garlic on an empty stomach is to bake a few pods in the oven.
You can also roast or grill an unpeeled clove in a pan and then remove the peel before consuming the soft flesh inside. However, keep in mind that you should never microwave garlic as microwaving destroys the allicin it contains and all its benefits.
Garlic and Honey
A highly effective way to consume garlic in the morning is to eat it with raw honey. While garlic contains allicin and a host of nutrients including manganese, vitamin B6, vitamins A, C, E, and selenium; raw honey is also known for its antibacterial properties and high nutrition levels.
- You can take 3-4 heads of garlic and separate the individual cloves.
- Remove the outer layer but leave the individual pods unpeeled.
- Place these pods in airtight glass jar.
- Pour raw honey into the jar and stir with a spoon to remove any air bubbles.
- Make sure that all the pods are completely covered by honey.
- Leave the mixture for 1-2 days, allowing the ingredients to infuse together.
- Take a spoonful every morning on an empty stomach.
You have to peel and crush a garlic pod before swallowing it along with some of the garlic infused honey. Imbibing this on a daily basis will provide great health benefits in the long run.
Given below are some benefits of eating garlic on an empty stomach
1. Fights and Kills Bacteria
Garlic juice is often used by many people to treat their fungal infections and warts. Allicin is a thiosulfinate present in garlic that gives garlic its distinctive odor. However, Allicin is not found in fresh garlic, instead fresh garlic contains allicin, an enzyme that is converted into allicin when garlic is crushed.
Allicin is known to have antimicrobial properties, effectively fighting bacteria, fungus, parasites and viruses. Having garlic early in the morning on an empty stomach can help you fight gastrointestinal infections.
When you ingest garlic on an empty stomach, it can act directly against the exposed bacteria as its antimicrobial properties are undiluted due to the absence of food. Therefore, we can see that consuming garlic on an empty stomach boosts its antibiotic properties.
2. Aids in Digestion and Improves Appetite
Garlic also aids in digestion as allicin stimulates the mucous membranes of the stomach and this increases the secretion of gastric juices. This promotes digestion and increases your appetite.
Furthermore, allicin also promotes proper functioning of the intestines. It leaves the beneficial organisms in the intestines untouched while destroying any harmful bacteria, for instance consumption of 3-4 grams of garlic can prove to be highly effective in treating diarrhea.
3. Is Rich in Antioxidants
Garlic can prevent damage from free radicals in the body due to its antioxidant properties. There are four main compounds in garlic that enhance its antioxidants properties: alliin, allyl cysteine, allyl disulfide, and allicin. A 2006 study by L.Y. Chung indicated these compounds have antioxidant properties and act as protective compounds against the damage caused by free radicals.
4. Has Anti-Cancerous Properties
Garlic is known for its anti-cancerous properties and reduces the risk of stomach colon, breast, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer. Garlic has a high content of organic sulfur compounds or OSCs. These compounds fight cancer by preventing the growth and proliferation of cancerous cells.
This property combined with its antibacterial characteristics is said to prevent cancer. The consumption of garlic on an empty stomach boosts its effectiveness in preventing cancer.
5. Is Good for Your Heart
Garlic is believed to be highly beneficial for the heart and is said to lower the risk of heart disease. In fact, a 2007 study conducted by Gloria A. Benavides and her colleagues at the University of Alabama, Birmingham has conclusively shown how garlic promotes blood flow.
According to the results of the study, garlic contains organic poly sulfides that are absorbed by the red blood cells. The red blood cells process these compounds and transform them into hydrogen sulfide which acts as a cell signaling molecule.
Cell signaling is a process of communication that determines the basic actions of a cell and its response to changes in its surroundings. The increased production of hydrogen sulfide relaxes our blood vessels and improves blood flow.
This in turn reduces the strain on the heart, i.e., lowers blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Since, the increased consumption of garlic effectively lowers blood pressure; it provides relief to people suffering from hypertension.
6. Is Beneficial for Your Brain
It is also believed that the increased consumption of garlic can have a beneficial effect on neurological disorders. Degenerative diseases of the Central Nervous System or CNS like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and motor neuron disease are caused by the degeneration of neurons in specific regions of the brain and spinal cord.
Garlic contains a large amount of antioxidants that can effectively fight the free radicals that may damage the cognitive processes. The following article by BC Mathew and RS Biju further elaborates on how certain compounds present in garlic can help fight cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
7. Respiratory and Bronchial Diseases
Garlic is also known to be effective against respiratory diseases like tuberculosis, bronchitis and lung congestion. In case of tuberculosis, eating an entire bulb of garlic a day can prove to be most effective.
For bronchial disease, you can prepare an infusion of garlic by chopping up 4 to 5 pieces of garlic and boiling it in a cup of water. You can add a tablespoon of sugar to this infusion and take three small sips of this infusion during the day; this will clear up your throat in no time.
8. Boosts your Immunity
Garlic contains several beneficial compounds and nutrients that protect your body from a myriad of internal and external threats. Its antimicrobial properties can fight several infections and effectively kills any harmful parasites in your body. Consequently, taking garlic on an empty stomach in the morning enhances your immunity by lending your natural immune system a helping hand.
Therefore, we see that the consumption of garlic provides a plethora of health benefits and remedies. Research is ongoing about the benefits of garlic for diabetes and Alzheimer’s patients. Let us wait and see what more benefits are brought to light in the future.
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