Here are garlic nutrition facts and health benefits. The health benefits of garlic mentioned in this article are based on studies.
The benefits of garlic are plenty; however, how many of these are, in fact, scientifically true? A kitchen staple in cuisines over the world and a widely-used home remedy, the uses of garlic are almost never-ending. Today, we will help you understand some of the scientifically-proven health benefits of garlic. The benefits of garlic mentioned here in this article are based on human studies.
Garlic nutrition facts
Garlic is a food that many people either love or hate. Its strong, pungent flavor lends itself to several types of savory dishes, and garlic is used in traditional cuisines worldwide.
Garlic has been used to treat illness and disease for thousands of years. There are biblical references to the use of garlic in medicine. According to some sources, Hippocrates prescribed garlic for various illnesses, and early Olympic athletes used garlic to enhance performance. The benefits are mainly due to plant compounds, but garlic does contain several vitamins and minerals as well.
This nutrition information for one clove of raw garlic (3g) is provided by the USDA.
Calories: 4.5
Fat: 0g
Sodium: 0.5mg
Carbohydrates: 1g
Fiber: 0.1g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 0.2g
Vitamin C: 0.9mg
Zinc: 0.04mcg
Carbs
The calories in garlic come from carbohydrate, and because the serving size and calories are so low, the carbs in garlic are also very low. There is just one gram of carbs in a clove of garlic.
Fats
There is no fat in garlic.
Protein
Garlic provides no significant protein.
Vitamins and Minerals
Garlic contains several vitamins and minerals, although a single clove doesn’t provide much due to the small serving size. Each clove contains a small amount of vitamin C, zinc, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin K, and manganese, according to the USDA.
Calories
A 3-gram clove of garlic provides almost no calories. You’ll only add four calories to your total intake if you consume the whole clove. Because you are likely to eat so little of the food, garlic calories are not likely to make a noticeable difference in your daily food intake.
Health benefits of garlic
Provides relief from the common cold
Known for its antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties, garlic can improve your immunity, thereby protecting against illnesses such as the common cold. Also, the compound allicin in garlic helps kill the bacteria that cause sore throat. You can add garlic directly to your food or use garlic supplements.
Can help manage blood pressure levels
As per studies, the active compounds in garlic can help reduce high blood pressure levels, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, stroke etc. However, according to studies, supplement doses must be fairly high to have the desired effects. Therefore, the amount needed is about four garlic cloves per day.
May reduce inflammation
Studies have shown garlic to produce potent anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing biomarkers of inflammation. A double-blind randomized clinical trial showed a significant reduction of inflammatory cytokines with a 400 mg dose of garlic extract given twice a day for eight weeks. Keep in mind this study used an extract and may not reflect real-life consumption of garlic.
Can reduce the risk of heart disease
As aforementioned, the active compounds present in garlic can help reduce blood pressure levels and improve cholesterol levels – both of which work together to lower the risk of heart diseases.
May lower blood lipids
Garlic has been shown to lower serum cholesterol levels. Patients with diabetes who were given a combination of olive oil and garlic were able to regulate cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
These effects were seen with garlic in powder or non-powdered form dosed over one to three months. After four months, the garlic consumption raised HDL (good cholesterol) and lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol levels.
May help prevent dementia
Due to its high antioxidant content, garlic (compounds) has been shown to help prevent the onset of cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Also, garlic supplements have been shown to reduce total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, particularly in those with high cholesterol.
May improve bone health
While this point requires more research, existing studies show that garlic supplements may help improve bone health. A study showed that a daily dose of dry garlic extract, equal to 2 g of raw garlic, reduced the marker of oestrogen deficiency, thereby improving bone strength and reducing loss of bone mass.