Garlic: composition, calorie content, benefits, harm and contraindications

Share:

The beneficial effects of garlic on the human body have been known since ancient times. The chemical composition of the spicy plant is rich in macroelements and vitamins. Garlic can be fried, stewed and even baked in its entirety, but the vegetable will not lose its healing properties, which are widely used in folk medicine. With the help of garlic, you can strengthen your immune system, reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood, increase endurance and performance, which is especially appreciated by athletes.

Composition of garlic and calorie content

Garlic contains a rich set of vitamins, macro- and microelements. It has been scientifically proven that the product contains natural antibiotics. (Source - Wikipedia). The calorie content of fresh garlic is 148.5 kcal per 100 g and varies depending on the cooking method, namely:

dried – 344.8 kcal;
baked – 15.7 kcal;
pickled or salted – 46.5 kcal;
boiled – 20.1 kcal;
fried – 41.4 kcal;
stewed – 143.2 kcal;
garlic pods (arrows) – 24.2 kcal.

1 clove of garlic contains approximately 5.8 kcal.

Nutritional value of fresh product per 100 g:

carbohydrates – 29.9 g;
proteins – 6.5 g;
fats – 0.5 g;
water – 60 g;
dietary fiber – 1.5 g;
ash – 1.5 g.

The chemical composition of garlic per 100 g is presented in the table:

Name of elements	Units	Contents in the product
Molybdenum	mcg	25,4
Aluminum	mg	0,455
Copper	mg	0,13
Bor	mcg	31,2
Nickel	mcg	14
Selenium	mcg	14,2
Zinc	mg	1,03
Potassium	mg	260
Sulfur	mg	63,6
Calcium	mg	180
Phosphorus	mg	100
Chlorine	mg	30
Magnesium	mg	30
Vitamin C	mg	10
Vitamin PP	mg	2,8
Thiamine	mg	0,08
Vitamin B6	mg	0,6
Kholin	mg	23,2

In addition, the product contains small amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-6 - 0.0229 g and omega-3 - 0.02 g, as well as starch - 27 g and disaccharides - 3.9 g per 100 g.

How does the energy value of fresh garlic change during cooking?

Despite how many calories nutritionists have discovered in garlic, the aromatic vegetable is very rarely consumed fresh, even by those losing weight. After all, it has a specific smell that can scare away not only vampires, but also everyone around them. And you can’t eat a lot of it, because in large quantities it can lead to gastritis.

The bitter root vegetable is combined with other products. It is clear that this is reflected in its calorie content - it becomes completely different. See how many calories these delicious garlic delicacies have in store for you:

1 garlic clove, fried in olive oil – 10 kcal;
garlic bread (per 100 gram serving) – 323 kcal;
garlic salt – 27 kcal;
garlic sauce (store-bought) – 79 kcal; homemade – 339 kcal;
beet salad with garlic – 108 kcal.

Health Benefits

Thanks to its unique chemical composition, garlic has beneficial properties for human health:

The product helps improve digestion; it is especially useful to add it to dishes that contain a lot of fat. In addition, the spicy plant has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and gall bladder.
Systematic consumption of garlic helps reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood and increase the level of good cholesterol.
Garlic helps normalize blood pressure.
The product prevents the formation of blood clots and has the ability to interfere with the process of platelet adhesion.
The spicy plant is useful to use in the presence of atherosclerosis - the product increases fibrinolytic activity.
Garlic acts as a preventative against cancer due to allicin, which is part of the spicy plant. In addition, it is also effective during cancer treatment.
The plant has antiseptic properties due to allicin and is able to fight E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Juice or crushed garlic pulp can be used to treat wounds.

Garlic is useful for athletes and people with physical labor - the product increases endurance and performance.

The benefits of garlic for the female body

Garlic reduces pain in diseases such as femoral osteoarthritis, which often affects women in old age. The product is recommended to be consumed regularly as a preventive measure for this disease. The sulfur compounds contained in garlic have a beneficial effect on the condition of ligaments, cartilage and joints.

Systematic use of the product reduces the risk of developing cancer in the mammary glands and genitourinary system. Thanks to the spicy plant, you can quickly restore the body after stressful situations, improve the condition of the nervous system and normalize sleep patterns.

In addition, garlic is used for cosmetic purposes to improve skin condition and prevent hair loss.

Benefits for men

The most well-known benefit for men from the systematic use of garlic is increased potency, since this product is a natural aphrodisiac. Garlic, when consumed systematically, reduces the risk of malignant prostate tumors by approximately 50%.

Thanks to the ability of the spicy plant to fight bacteria, the development of infections that can lead to male infertility is prevented.

According to statistics, men are more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis than women, and regularly adding garlic to food, no matter in what form: fresh, boiled, fried, baked or dried, will cleanse blood vessels and prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques in the blood.

How does garlic work for weight loss?

Why does garlic help you gain weight? It can increase appetite, but at the same time quickly sends a signal to the brain about satiety. This helps a person stop eating on time, preventing overeating.

In addition, garlic stimulates metabolism - this forces the body to quickly burn calories, rather than storing them on the hips and stomach.

The “magical” properties of garlic are beyond doubt. Such a small vegetable can give so much to a person’s health! Garlic will only harm those who consume it in large quantities and are also allergic to this product. To get the benefits for your figure and health, you should limit yourself to 1-2 cloves per day.

Medicinal properties

In folk medicine, garlic is used both for preventive and medicinal purposes. More attention must be paid to the product during the spread of infectious diseases.

The medicinal properties of the spicy plant extend to:

Sore throat. To cope with a sore throat, you need to prepare a garlic tincture for drinking (5 crushed cloves, pour a glass of sour milk, leave for half an hour, drink 1 teaspoon a couple of times a day) or gargling (1 clove passed through a press, pour a glass of lukewarm water, let stand 1 hour and then strain).
Flu or cold. It is problematic to cure an infectious disease with crushed garlic alone; it must be used as an additional remedy along with honey, mixed in equal quantities. It is enough to take folk medicine a couple of times a day, half an hour before meals.
Atherosclerosis. A medicinal tincture is prepared with garlic and honey. To do this, you need to take half a tablespoon of the juice of the spicy plant and mix it with honey in the same amount. Take 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Bronchial asthma. A decoction of garlic in milk significantly alleviates the symptoms of the disease. You need to take 12-15 cloves of garlic and cook in 0.5 tbsp. milk, drink the tincture once a day.
Excessive blood viscosity. The tincture, which helps thin the blood, is made from peeled garlic cloves and purified water in a ratio of 1 tablespoon of pulp to 3 tablespoons of liquid. Grate the garlic cloves on a fine grater and add water. Keep the mixture in a dark place for 2 weeks, stirring occasionally. Then strain the tincture and add 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon. Eat 1 tbsp. l. for the night. The number of components can be increased, the main thing is to adhere to the proportions.

Benefits of garlic

What are the benefits of garlic? It contains a huge amount of fiber, ascorbic acid, carbohydrate, macro- and microelements, among which the most are potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, manganese, phosphorus, iodine and zinc, as well as vitamins C, P, D, B, phytoncides, sulfur and essential oils.

Sulfur, or sulfides, which are contained in garlic, have amazing properties to inhibit the pathogens of typhoid, dysentery, pathogenic fungi and yeast, and various types of staphylococcus. It is those sulfides that are contained in garlic that are able to combine free toxins before they have time to harm the body. Garlic has such a strong effect on toxic substances that their molecules begin to move much more slowly, become lethargic and are easily eliminated from the body.

In addition, garlic contains other substances that are no less important for the body: adenosine, allicin, pectin, diallyl trisulfide, allixin. These substances can effectively resist the formation of tumors, destroy pathogens of various infectious diseases, lower blood glucose levels, prevent the formation of blood clots, stabilize the amount of cholesterol in the blood and eliminate the negative consequences after suffering stress.

Regular consumption of garlic can reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men. According to research, if you eat five or six grams of garlic and onions every day, you can reduce the likelihood of developing cancer cells by 50 percent. According to oncologists, this ability is given to garlic by the allium it contains, which gives the plant a specific smell.

Despite the high calorie content of garlic, it is very useful for pulmonary asthma, diseases of the nervous system, gout, joint diseases, diseases of the throat and spleen. It alleviates the condition of pulmonary ulcers and stomach diseases, as it is able to remove excess gases from the body. And to prevent the occurrence of diseases of teeth and gums, it is recommended to consume baked garlic.

Substances contained in garlic increase the performance of the stomach, liver, and intestines, and have anthelmintic, diuretic, analgesic, antispasmodic and antimicrobial effects.

Of particular value is hydrogen sulfide, which occurs after cutting garlic cloves. If garlic is not dried or cooked, this substance can relax vascular walls.

Harm and contraindications

The recommended dose of garlic consumption per day is 2, maximum 3 cloves; if the product is abused, it can cause harm to health.

Contraindications to the use of the spicy plant are as follows:

allergy;
liver pathologies such as hepatitis or nephrosis;
individual intolerance;
stomach ulcer;
gastritis;
pancreatitis;
an aggravated form of other gastrointestinal diseases.

Breastfeeding women should not consume garlic.

People whose work requires increased attentiveness and quick reactions (pilots, surgeons, drivers, etc.) are not recommended to eat the product before work, as garlic can cause absent-mindedness.

Excessive consumption of the product can cause heartburn, bloating and gas accumulation in the intestines. It is strictly forbidden for people taking blood thinners to consume garlic, since garlic has similar properties and in case of injury it will be difficult to stop the bleeding.