What’s in Garlic?

Garlic is a type of herb from the allium family—yep, the same family as onions. It’s an annual plant and super common all over the world. It grows underground from cloves, just like onions do, and has a really strong smell and a spicy kick to its taste. Most of the time, people grow it using vegetative propagation.

You can eat garlic in different ways—raw, cooked, or crushed (which is a favorite for adding that extra flavor punch to your food). Dry garlic is usually preferred over fresh green garlic because it’s more potent.

Garlic’s not just for cooking—it’s also been used for centuries for its health benefits. It can come in many forms: whole cloves, garlic cream, or even in supplement capsules. It’s said to help with digestive issues, insect bites, toothaches, and more.

Types of Garlic

• Regular cultivated garlic
• Local garlic
• Yabroud garlic (from the Yabroud region in Syria)
• Chinese garlic
• French garlic

What’s in Garlic?

Garlic is packed with a mix of compounds, fibers, proteins, and vitamins. The key components include allicin, alliin, alliinase, scordinin, and selenium. Here's a breakdown of what you get in 100 grams of garlic:

• Carbs: About 33.06 grams
• Sugar: Less than 1 gram
• Dietary fiber: Around 2.1 grams
• Protein: 6.36 grams
• Fat: Only 0.5 grams
• Vitamins: A, B, C, and E
• Also includes: Minerals, enzymes, and natural antifungals

Benefits of Garlic

• Helps keep blood pressure in check
• Lowers the risk of strokes and blood clots
• Boosts heart function by increasing adenosine production
• Reduces bad cholesterol levels
• May help prevent certain types of cancer
• Cleanses the body and boosts immunity against bacteria
• Acts as an anti-spasmodic for people with epilepsy or hysteria
• Treats insect bites, wounds, and sores
• Improves appetite
• Reduces bloating and gas
• Aids digestion
• Helps relieve colds and flu symptoms
• Offers protection against malaria
• Acts as a diuretic and strengthens the bladder

Side Effects of Garlic

• Can irritate the digestive system in people with garlic sensitivity
• May cause body temperature to rise due to allergic reactions
• Can lead to skin rashes
• Headaches in some cases
• May interfere with certain medications, especially for HIV patients