We all know that is very healthy to eat garlic, and now we know how to consume it to take from it its maximum healing powers.
Garlic is a regular guest at our menus, but also a plant that we turn to when we have a cold or the flu. It is known as a natural antibiotic, and it is truly a healing food confirmed by experts. The garlic has nearly one hundred active chemical compounds, including several antioxidants – compounds that reduce the load of the body’s cells.

Glue a piece of garlic with a patch on the skin. The result will be amazing.

It is not yet clear how all the components of garlic act in the body, but garlic does act as an antibiotic agent, cleaning the respiratory tract, ant cancerous and anti-inflammatory, prevents fungi and certain viruses.

Garlic contains healing powers and powerful compounds that allow it to defend your body against attacks by bacteria and fungi. To make the best use of the beneficial effects of garlic, it should be consumed frequently and correctly.

Garlic has shown promise in treating a wide range of diseases and medical conditions — from lowering cholesterol and blood pressure to preventing many gastrointestinal cancers — but not all garlic is created equal.

Eating raw garlic is by far the best way to maximize its health benefits, far superior to pills and supplements.

Garlic produces allicin, an organosulfur compound that is created when garlic is crushed, chopped, or minced.

Allicin is extremely unstable and quickly breaks down into other sulfur-containing compounds such as diallyl disulfide.

These compounds react with the human body in various complex ways, appearing to lower blood pressure and reduce arterial fatty plaque build-up.

The Good and Bad of Eating Raw Garlic

That’s the good news. The bad news is that the chain reaction is quick and that garlic should be consumed within an hour or two of activating the allicin (by crushing or mincing the garlic) to get the full potential health benefits.

Stomach acids can also lower the effect of allicin, so try not to eat raw garlic on an empty stomach; even a glass of water first will help by lowering stomach pH slightly.

Heat can also destroy allicin and its resulting sulfur-containing compounds, so recipes that call for cooking garlic at high heat for long periods of time cancel out most of its healthy boosts.

Baking or roasting whole cloves or heads of garlic also won’t produce allicin as the cloves must be crushed, chopped, or minced to mix the parts together that produce allicin.

Best Garlic to Eat Raw for Health Benefits

If you’re turning to garlic solely for its health benefits, your best bet is to eat a garlic high in allicin — which is true of Porcelain garlic varieties such as Romanian Red — and to eat at least one raw clove of garlic per day.

Chop the garlic and let it sit for 15 minutes. Raw garlic can be hot and spicy so proceed with caution when first starting. And keep in mind that eating raw garlic doesn’t just mean straight down the hatch; raw garlic only means that it hasn’t been extensively cooked.

Below you’ll find five easy ways for eating raw garlic each and every day, giving you a few options in your quest to unlock the healing powers of garlic.

Eating Raw Garlic: The Wrong Way

Chew it up and swallow it: I’ve seen this recommended SO many times, and I can only assume that there are people who really have stainless steel mouths. <flashback to the 007 villian!>Garlic is a HOT little number, and chewing it will coat your mouth in the sulfuric flames from you know where. If you are of the teflon coated variety, then more power to you. But this does *not* work for me. <P-tooey!>

Swallowing a whole clove: This is not so uncommon…it sounds like a more pleasant way of getting all of the good potency of raw garlic without the unpleasant side effects of chewing it. But don’t do it! Last year, at least 2 people that I know personally tried this and one ended in the heimlich maneuver and the other with an ER trip. Why? Because a clove of garlic is roughly the exact circumference of your esophagus.

The BEST Ways to Eat Raw Garlic

Garlic Pills:

Simply chop a clove up into small pill sized shapes, and swallow with a drink of your choice. I usually only do half a clove at a time. Since raw garlic can be a little tough on the stomach, I use a smaller amount and work up if needed.

Tip: Choosing a drink with fat in it will help blunt the flavor. A thick smoothie, milkshake, or kefir consistency makes it a lot easier to get pills down.

Garlic Crush:

So, technically, this isn’t eating garlic, but it’s been very, very effective for throat/ear/mouth type infections here. Basically, you place a whole uncut clove between your back molars (it can even be a small clove) and gently press down *just* enough to bruise or crack it a bit. You *don’t* have to chew it at all. The crushing action begins the production of allicin, the potent anti-microbial component of garlic. You do get a slight flavor, but it’s not nearly as bad as chewing a clove, since the juices are basically going down the side of the throat as you swallow, and not coating your tongue. I hold it there for about a minute, and then spit it out. It’s toast. And speaking of toast…this is our favorite way:

Fresh Garlic Toast: 

Dice your garlic up finely, and add to 2 teaspoons of melted butter or softened butter. Pour over  or spread on toast. This idea came directly from my favorite Italian restaurant, who serves their super soft rolls drenched in melted butter with raw garlic. You may be very surprised at how the butter mellows out the flavors of garlic, and it’s SUPER yummy! Even my tender tongued kids love this garlic remedy.

 Source:

mmmgarlic.com