- 15 Health Benefits Of Chinese Garlic
- 1- Prevents cancer
- 2- Protect the heart
- 3- Improves the functioning of the immune system
- 4- Prevents the common cold
- 5- It benefits the prostate
- 6- Cancer treatment
- 7- Antihypertensive
- 8- Ally against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
- 9- Treatment for fatigue
- 10- detoxifies our body
- 11- Improves bone health
- 12- Acne Treatment
- 13- Therapy for hair loss
- 14- Helps treat bronchitis
- 15- Protects from liver injury
- How much garlic can you eat per day?
- How to get rid of garlic breath?
- Attentive to possible interactions
- Recipe: Chinese Garlic Sauce
- Ingredients
- Preparation
Some of the health benefits of Chinese garlic are to prevent cancer, protect the heart, improve the functioning of the immune system, prevent cancer, detoxify the body, improve the condition of the bones, reduce hypertension, treat acne and others. that I will explain to you below.
This type of garlic is the most popular in the world and this is because China leads the garlic production with almost 60 million metric tons per year, which is equivalent to about 66% of the total world production.
The cultivation of Chinese garlic dates back to 2000 BC when the ancient Chinese used it in traditional medicine to cure an upset stomach and other ailments. Even today some young children in China have garlic oil rubbed on their foreheads to protect them from vampires.
15 Health Benefits Of Chinese Garlic
1- Prevents cancer
According to a 1999 publication in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, several population-based studies conducted in China have focused on garlic consumption and cancer risk.
In one study, they found that consuming garlic frequently, as well as onions and chives, was associated with a reduced risk of esophageal and stomach cancer, and that the higher the consumption, the lower the risk of developing this disease.
According to the publication "Garlic and Cancer", made in 2001 by the Journal of Nutrition, several studies show an association between increased intake of garlic and a lower risk of certain types of cancer, including cancer of the stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas and breast.
"An analysis of data from seven population studies showed that the greater the amount of raw and cooked garlic consumed, the lower the risk of stomach and colorectal cancer," the magazine noted.
2- Protect the heart
A study from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, concluded that garlic has potential for cardiovascular protection, based on the reduction of risk factors (hypertension and total cholesterol) and indirect markers of atherosclerosis.
3- Improves the functioning of the immune system
Garlic seems to improve the functioning of the immune system by stimulating certain types of cells, according to the Genetics of Nutrition Unit of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
They concluded in their research that it modulates cytokine secretion and that this modulation can provide a mechanism of action for many of its therapeutic effects.
4- Prevents the common cold
Evidence suggests that garlic can help prevent colds. One study evaluated 146 participants over a three-month period; half of the participants took a placebo tablet and the other half took a garlic tablet during this time.
The study found that people who took garlic every day instead of the placebo had fewer colds.
5- It benefits the prostate
According to the Harvard Health Publication, onions and garlic may alleviate or prevent Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH), which is the abnormal enlargement of the prostate.
In a multicenter case-control study, the potential role of onion and garlic in BPH was examined, and researchers found that men with hyperplasia ate less garlic and fewer servings of onions per week than those without BPH.
6- Cancer treatment
As reported by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in the pages of the Journal of Food Science, this natural food provides effective support for the body during therapy for cancer treatment.
According to the study conducted by Dr. Zeng Tao together with researchers from the School of Public Health of the University of Shandong in China, garlic represents not only a natural remedy for cancer prevention, but also a support during chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
7- Antihypertensive
According to research by the Australian National Institute of Integrative Medicine, garlic has potential in lowering high blood pressure.
Hypertension, or chronic high blood pressure, is a multifactorial disease implicated in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, being one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
8- Ally against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
A team of researchers at the University of Missouri has found that garlic protects the brain from aging and disease. This research provides further insight into how garlic can prevent age-related neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
9- Treatment for fatigue
According to a publication from the Health Research Institute in Hiroshima, Japan, the available data suggests that garlic may be a promising anti-fatigue agent.
The anti-fatigue function of garlic may be closely related to its many favorable biological and pharmacological effects.
10- detoxifies our body
The Toxicology Medical Center of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, conducted research on the therapeutic effect of garlic in patients with chronic lead poisoning.
The study was conducted with employees of a car battery plant and found that garlic reduces blood lead levels by up to 19%. Likewise, garlic decreased many clinical signs of toxicity, including headaches and blood pressure.
11- Improves bone health
According to Whole Foods magazine, a group of scientists from the University of California have found that aged garlic (stored in 15% ethanol for more than a year and a half), can help improve bone density in patients with atherosclerosis.
The study evaluated 60 individuals with an intermediate risk of atherosclerosis and divided them into two groups, one taking a placebo and the other a supplement formulated with aged garlic extract, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin B6 and arginine.
After one year, the researchers measured coronary artery calcium (CAC) and bone mineral density (BMD) levels for both groups, finding that individuals who took the supplements saw dramatic increases in CAC and BMD as well. as less arterial calcification within the heart.
12- Acne Treatment
According to a study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie in 2009, garlic can serve as a natural topical treatment to get rid of acne due to allicin, an organic compound that has the ability to kill bacteria.
13- Therapy for hair loss
An experiment from Iran's Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences showed that the use of garlic gel significantly increases the therapeutic efficacy of topical betamethasone valerate in alopecia areata, which can be an adjunctive topical therapy for its treatment.
14- Helps treat bronchitis
The University of Maryland, United States, states that garlic can help in the treatment of acute bronchitis. In the aforementioned study, individuals who received garlic treatment for 12 weeks had 63% fewer cases of upper respiratory diseases.
15- Protects from liver injury
Ethanol-induced liver injury is caused by long-term heavy drinking of alcoholic beverages.
Scientists from the Institute of Toxicology at the Faculty of Public Health, University of Shandong, China, wanted to determine whether an organic sulfur compound derived from garlic could have protective effects against ethanol-induced oxidation.
In their study, the researchers concluded that it can help protect against ethanol-induced liver injury.
How much garlic can you eat per day?
There is no scientific evidence of what the recommended dose is. Apparently, at least one fresh garlic clove a day (4 g) is beneficial for health. It must also be said that the surprising properties become less effective if the garlic is cooked or fried.
It is estimated that cooked garlic loses up to 90% of its healthy properties, so the ideal would be to eat it raw or not overcooked.
It is important to say that garlic should be consumed in moderation to avoid some of the effects of its excessive consumption, such as nausea and vomiting.
How to get rid of garlic breath?
No matter how much you brush your teeth or clean your mouth, garlic and its smell will not disappear because it comes from air exhaled through the lungs. Luckily there are a variety of options available for you to mask it:
- Eat raw apples, parsley, spinach, and / or mint: In a 2014 study, scientists found that consuming these foods reduced the bad smell of garlic.
- Drinking the juice of a lemon or green tea can also reduce the smell of garlic adding the juice of a lemon to a meal containing garlic or drinking green tea.
- Foods or drinks high in water and / or fat: Foods or drinks with high water and / or fat content help reduce bad smell in the breath after eating garlic.
Attentive to possible interactions
According to information from the University of Maryland, some of the medications listed below may interact with the consumption of any type of garlic. To be safe, consult your doctor.
- Isoniazid (Nydrazid): This medicine is used to treat tuberculosis. Garlic can interfere with the absorption of isoniazid, which means the drug might not work as well.
- Birth Control Pills: Garlic can make birth control pills less effective.
- Cyclosporine: Garlic can interact with cyclosporine and make it less effective. This is a medicine that is taken after an organ transplant.
- Medications to thin the blood: Garlic can strengthen the actions of blood thinning medications such as warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix) and aspirin, increasing the risk of bleeding.
- Medicines for HIV / AIDS: Garlic can lower blood levels of protease inhibitors, which are medicines used to treat people with HIV.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Both NSAIDs and garlic can increase the risk of bleeding. NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), as well as prescription drugs.
Recipe: Chinese Garlic Sauce
A garlic sauce is a great way to add flavor to stir-fry dishes, especially seafood. With the exception of rice wine or dry sherry, seasonings for garlic sauce are available in the international food section of many local supermarkets.
- Yield: about ½ cup.
- Preparation time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium garlic cloves, finely minced (1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon chili sauce according to taste
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil
Preparation
1-Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, rice or sherry wine, chili sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl, stirring to combine.
2-In another small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water.
3-Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until aromatic (about 30 seconds).
4-Quickly stir the sauce again, add the first preparation to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring. (This will take about a minute).
5-Stir the cornstarch water mixture again and add it to the sauce, stirring to thicken.