Nutritional Facts Of Garlic
July 22, 2020 | by Vaishnavi Vajha | Posted in Nutrition Facts
Garlic, is an herb that is grown all over the world. It is mostly similar and related to onion, leeks, and chives. It is a rich source of Organosulfur releases an enzyme called allinase when crushed or chopped. It catalyzes allicin formation which breakdowns rapidly to form different organosulfur compounds. These compounds are inadequately bio-available.
Allicin forms a variety of organosulfur compounds( fat soluble) when they breaks in in vitro condition. Because of over incubating in aqueous solutions, crushed garlic forms water soluble compounds. This is generally done in aged garlic extracts manufacturing.
Garlic also enhances immune function and supports respiratory health. There are many nutrients rich in garlic that helps human body to maintain healthy lifestyle. In this article, we are going to know about some nutritional facts of garlic.
Benefits
There are many activities performed by garlic in our body which are listed below:
Antioxidant activity :
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) which leads to oxidative stress induced damage to macromolecules(biological) levels are decreased by allicin derived from garlic. Allicin prolongs the antioxidant activity.
Cardiovascular system:
Garlic decreases the synthesis of cholesterol by hepatocyte. The organosulfurs inhibits the platelet aggregation. If platelet aggregation is increased it narrows the blood vessels and may lead to acute thrombotic events. Aged garlic extract inhibit chemically stimulated platelet aggregation. These compounds also inhibits the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.
Anti-Cancer activity:
Garlic inhibits the metabolic activation of carcinogens. Aged garlic extract inhibits the cell proliferation and also reduces the formation of precancerous lesions, adenomas (but not adenocarcinomas). Garlic oil also prevents the oxidative damage to lipids and DNA.
Antimicrobial Activity:
Garlic have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Aged garlic extract reduces the severity of cold or flu.
Effects Of Cooking
Alliinase enzyme in gets inactivated when garlic is heated and unpeeled, uncrushed garlic is destroyed by microwave cooking. Garlic should not be boiled for more than 6 minutes. Crushed or chopped garlic allowed to stand for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Heating uncrushed garlic clove for a minute can even destroys the protective effects of garlic.
Supplements
Garlic preparations are of different type and each type has a different organosulfur profile depending on the way it is processed .
Adverse Effects
Aged garlic extract have a safe profile without any undesirable side effects. But the most common effects of oral intake of garlic or its supplements is breathe and body odor. Garlic have also allergic effects in asthma patients. The serious effect of oral garlic supplement is uncontrolled bleeding. The oral garlic supplements also results in heart burn, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. The safety characteristics of garlic preparations depends on its chemical composition.
Nutritive Intake
Crushed garlic cloves have 2.5-4.5 mg allicin per gram. One fresh garlic clove weighs about 2-4 gram.