Is to much garlic bad for you?

Garlic, the stinking rose, is a flavorful ingredient used widely in cuisines all around the world. From Italian spaghetti to Indian curries, garlic has been an integral part of many dishes. However, with great flavor comes great responsibility; otherwise known as bad breath and stomach aches. Many conflicting claims exist over whether consuming excessive garlic can cause adverse health effects or not.

Let’s dive deeper into this aromatic root vegetable and explore whether too much garlic can be damaging to your health.

What Makes Garlic So Special?

Before we discuss its potential harms let’s understand why garlic is such an important food item across various cultures.

Firstly, it contains allicin – the compound responsible for its signature pungent odor and most of its medicinal properties like reducing inflammation and boosting immunity.

Secondly,garlic contains antioxidants which help fight free radicals that damage cells increasing susceptibility to diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, research suggests eating raw cloves may provide more benefits than cooked ones because cooking destroys some beneficial compounds like allicin.

Recommended Consumption

The National Cancer Institute guidelines suggest consuming one clove per day (about 3 grams) provides enough allyl sulfur compounds which have shown anticarcinogenic effects in animal studies.

It must be noted,people taking blood-thinning medications should notify their doctor on their intake as high doses have blood-thinning properties akin to aspirin causing bleeding disorders!

However,safe consumption levels vary individually depending on body weight, so large quantities may affect people differently based on factors such as medical history.

Risks Associated with Excessive Intake

While moderate consumption provides numerous health benefits research indicates excessively eating raw or cooked forms of garlic could lead to several harmful outcomes:

Digestive issues

Consuming excessive amounts of raw-garlic irritates the digestive system leading to bloating, indigestion or flatulence issues. Some people exhibit an allergy to garlic also resulting in diarrhea and vomiting.

Heartburn

People with a tendency to have acid reflux might experience chest pain, regurgitation or heartburn symptoms while ingesting excessive amounts of garlic due to anti-inflammatory properties irritating the esophagus lining.

Bad breath

While eating raw garlic, another potential risk includes bad breath induced from eating sulfurous compounds that are released when we eat it.

Skin Rashes

Eating too much of it can sometimes even lead to skin rashes on contact/ingestion for some more sensitive individuals

Pregnancy Myth

A common notion floating around is that pregnant women should avoid consuming large quantities, as its potential irritatory properties may affect the fetus causing digestive issues. However,no harmful effects have been reported so far, and moderate amounts only seem beneficial against gestational hypertension.

The Benefits Outweigh Risks

Despite risks associated with overeating Garlic, experts believe small-to-moderate daily consumption provides ample health benefits. So next time you’re wondering whether adding dash-too-many cloves might be unhealthy – don’t worry- carry on!

Table: Recommended Daily Intake
|Age |Male | Female |
| :— | :—-: | —:|
|<14 |1 clove |1 clove |
|14-18 |2 cloves | |
|19-50 |
| |
|51+ |
| |

Remember moderation is key!

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