Is considered Garlic one of the foods used in many dishes in all kitchens around the world. Garlic has a strong and sharp flavor, so it might be loved by some or disliked by others.
Garlic has been used for thousands of years to treat many diseases. In fact, some medical sources say Hippocrates prescribed garlic for different illnesses, and the first Olympic athletes used it to boost their sports performance.
The benefits of garlic mainly come from important plant compounds, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals it contains, In this article we will learn in detail about the calories and health benefits of garlic.
Calories in garlic
Here are the calories and nutritional values in 100 grams of fresh garlic, which equals about 33 medium-sized cloves of fresh garlic:-
| Calories | 150 calories |
| Fat | 0.79 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 32.7 grams |
| Fiber | 2 grams |
| sugar | 1 gram |
| protein | 6.3 grams |
- carbohydrates
A 100 gram serving of garlic provides about 33 grams of carbohydrates, where most of it comes from calories In garlic, most of the carbs come from carbohydrates, but the serving size of garlic used in one recipe is very small, so the carbs provided by garlic are very low, around 1 gram of carbs in one clove of garlic.
- fat
A 100-gram serving of garlic provides about less than 1 gram of fat, so garlic is considered almost fat-free food.
- protein
A 100 gram serving of garlic provides about 6 grams of protein, so garlic does not provide significant amounts of protein.
- vitamins and minerals
Garlic contains many vitamins and minerals, although one clove of garlic doesn’t provide much vitamins and minerals because of its small size, it can still supply small amounts of vitamin C, andVitamin E, andVitamin K, and some minerals like Zinc, andMagnesium, andcalcium, and manganese.
- calories
A 100 gram serving of garlic provides about 150 calories, so a single garlic clove, which is 3 grams, has almost no calories. So, it's unlikely that the calories in garlic make any noticeable difference in your diet's calorie count.
health benefits in garlic
There are some important health benefits that garlic can provide to the body because it contains many bioactive compounds, here are some health benefits garlic offers:
- It helps in healthy eating programs
Garlic can help in healthy eating plans or diet programs aimed at healthy weight and maintaining it. Garlic adds a tasty and strong flavor to food without adding fats or calories to your dishes.
It can also be used instead of salt in dishes to reduce sodium in food while still getting the satisfying taste of the dishes.
- Reduces inflammation
Research showed that garlic has strong anti-inflammatory effects by lowering inflammation markers.
Studies found a big drop in inflammatory cytokines after taking 400 mg of garlic extract twice daily for eight weeks.
- Protects against oxidative stress
It’s proven to ease oxidative stress from free radicals by consuming antioxidants. Garlic has phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant powers.
Specifically, garlic helps reduce heart and blood vessel diseases in obese patients by boosting antioxidants and cutting inflammation.
- Lowers blood cholesterol levels
Garlic is proven to lower Cholesterol levels In the blood, studies found that diabetic patients who took a mixture of olive oil and garlic were able to regulate cholesterol levels, andtriglycerides in the blood.
Other studies also showed that consuming garlic in powder or non-powder form for 3 months increased the body's absorption of good cholesterol HDL, reduced bad cholesterol LDL levels, and total cholesterol levels.
- It reduces the risk of heart diseases
Research shows that garlic extract can significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood fat, muscle infarction, and strokes due to the nutritional and phytochemical properties garlic contains.
Garlic allergy
Severe garlic allergy is rare, but some allergic reactions can happen after eating garlic or smelling it.
Symptoms range from mild like sneezing to severe like redness, swelling of the skin, nasal blockage, and skin spots.
Garlic storage and food safety
When buying garlic from stores avoid cloves that have started to get soft.
At home, store garlic at room temperature in a wire or mesh container. Avoid plastic bags. Keeping the top part of the garlic helps it stay fresh longer.
How to prepare garlic in recipes
You can prepare garlic in many ways, like cooking it as whole cloves, chopped or minced. Some recipes call for sautéing garlic in oil or roasting it.
Some people make what's called garlic tea by mixing garlic with different ingredients like lemon and honey. Garlic tea has no caffeine and is said to have health benefits like weight loss and lowering blood pressure.
A balanced diet is the best way to get the nutrients your body needs. It gives important health benefits to keep you healthy. Garlic is one of the key foods you should include in your diet.
Fitness Garage offers calorie-counted meal plans and home workout programs for different weight goals. To learn more you can visit Fitness Garage's Facebook page at here.
