Garlic
Garlic is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus Allium having botanical name Allium sativum and belongs to family Amaryllidaceae.
Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive. Each segment of a it’s bulb is called a clove. There are about 10–20 cloves in a single bulb, give or take. It has been used by humans for thousands of years and was used in Ancient Egypt for both culinary purposes and its health and therapeutic benefits.
Nutritional Value –
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
• Decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron
and vitamin B1
This comes with 4.5 calories, 0.2 grams of protein and 1 gram of carbs.
Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients. In fact, it contains a little bit of almost everything you need.
Uses –
It is an herbal supplement which can be used for
• coronary artery disease CAD(prevention)
• cancer (prevention)
• circulation (enhancement)
• Helicobacterpylori infection
• high lipids in the blood (hyperlipidemia)
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• immunostimulant
• menstrual disorders
• tick repellant
• fungus (tinea) infections
Part Used –
It’s plant’s bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. With the exception of the single clove types, garlic bulbs are normally divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. It’s cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked) or for medicinal purposes.
Dosage –
The optimal dosage of garlic hasn’t been established. Your dosage may depend on your medical condition and the type of product you use.
The lower the amount of allicin, the less effective the garlic supplement might be.
▪︎ Oral
Standardized extract
• 200-400 mg orally three times daily
Aged extract
• 600-7200 mg orally per day
Fresh
• 4 grams (approximately 1 clove) orally once daily
Topical (Liquefied raw Garlic or Extract)
• Apply to affected area three times daily
A typical dose is one 300 milligram (mg) dried garlic powder, tablet two to three times a day, or 7.2 grams (g) of aged garlic extract per day.
Benefits –
• Hypertension
High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure for those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances, supplements may be as effective as regular medications.
• Improves cholesterol levels
It’s supplements seem to reduce total and
LDL cholesterol, particularly in those who have high cholesterol. HDL
cholesterol and triglycerides do not seem to be affected.
• Alzheimer’s disease
It contains antioxidants that protect against cell damage and aging. It may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
• Detoxify heavy metals
At high doses, the sulfur compounds in it have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity. It also reduced many clinical signs of toxicity, including headaches and blood pressure.
• Protects your food
Those same antibacterial properties in fresh garlic can kill the bacteria that lead to food poisoning, including salmonella and E.coli.
• Treat athlete’s foot
It also fights fungus. If you have athlete’s foot, soak your feet in garlic water or rub raw garlic on your feet to attack the itch-causing fungus.
• Anti-inflammatory
Garlic oil works as an anti-inflammatory. If you have sore and inflamed joints or muscles, rub them with the oil. It helps to prevent cartilage damage from arthritis.
Side Effects –
It is likely safe for most people when taken by mouth appropriately. When taken by mouth, it can cause bad breath, a burning sensation in the mouth or stomach, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting, body odor, and diarrhea. These side effects are often worse with raw garlic.
RAW garlic is possibly unsafe when applied to the skin. It might cause severe skin irritation when it is applied to the skin.
The use of garlic as a flavoring agent in foods is considered safe during pregnancy.
For more informative articles on Ayurvedic herbs and other health related issues, please visit our website www.santripty.com and also feel free to consult.