Garlic
Health Benefits

Garlic: A Superfood for Health and the Immune System

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.

Garlic Side Effects

4 User Reviews
4 star (1) 
  25%
(3) 
  75%

Posted by Benard (Bahrain) on 05/31/2019

I am struggling with lower abdominal crimping and constipation after I ate raw garlic and honey to clear a sore throat, My GE doctor ordered for a ct scan but apparently it showed nothing. I have lost 15kg in 5 months and now am searching for an alternative to my pain and diving weight, please anyone with an opinion should share.

Replied by Marty
(FL)
03/19/2023

I have found when we do most things in extreme, we may end up with a healing crisis. All the uncomfortableness in the body is in the lymphatic system and toxins not having a way out of the body so all kinds of things can happen until it does. If your kidneys are not filtering, then all the waste in the lymph is being held somewhere. That can be dangerous when all of a sudden a big load gets dealt with and then it can't go anywhere, make sense?

Slowly build up to more and more but listening to the body is important and using kinesiology on yourself is helpful too.


Garlic Side Effects
Posted by Maria (Silver Spring, Md, Usa) on 12/15/2010

Garlic side effects
The same thing that happened to Lin from QLD, Australia happened to me. I got horrific blisters on my toes from eating 3 raw cloves of garlic. It took a long time to cure. But, the most important thing is that I realized that the blisters were a manifestation of my candida, as the garlic is a fungicide that attacks the yeast inside the body. The problem is not the garlic, but starting with garlic at such a high dose that the body cannot handle the toxins that emanate when the garlic kills the yeast. Start slow and increase gradually.


Garlic Side Effects
Posted by Lin (Qld, Australia) on 08/18/2009

Reading the benefits of garlic and with winter ailments around I bought a bag of garlic and added crushed 1/2 a garlic in our family meals, (in our meat or potato etc)
After 4 days of garlic in our meals my stomach continued to worsen with bloating, gurgling and upset stomach until a dose of diarreah. I felt very ill and am not game to touch it again. Within two days I was back to normal but wonder if I'm allergic to it. None of my family reacted at all. Perhaps this is a cleansing thing but I have my doubts as previously after taking high potency garlic capsules for a week or two my hands break out in red itchy blisters, especially between the fingers and eventually clears up after I stop using them. Should I keep clear of Garlic?? I tried the hydrogen peroxide therapy and it had no side effects.

Replied by Katrinakay
(Minneapolis, Usa)
10/26/2009

Pertaining to your problem with bloating, gas, upset stomach - I struggled with stomach ailments for 10 plus years as well as sinus congestion and now within the last 5 years asthma - I have been aggressively researching over the last 5-6 years about natural remedies for these ailments and have been learning alot about how to stay healthy. FIRST AND FOREMOST - check your diet - you mentioned eating meat and potato meals - 2 types of foods that may be highly suspect in causing gas and bloating - It may not be the garlic at all but rather your diet that may be the cause of your stomach ailments. I used to eat a diet heavy in meat and starchy foods like potatoes and lots of carbs - I ended up in the hospital with serious stomachs pains in 1999 that was diagnosed as Gastritis - I started seriously looking at my diet and over the next 5 years or so made some big changes in what I eat on a regular basis. My diet now includes things like whole raw vegetables, fruits, and good sources of proteins, like legumes and nuts, seafood too (especially Salmon) for omega 3 oil. I cut out as much sugars, processed foods and toxins from my diet as possible and limit my intake of meats and starchy foods. Now, I rarely ever have any stomach problems any more. I also noticed other health benefits after changing my diet - lost 15 pounds, haven't had any cavities for last 7-8 years (used to have 1 or 2 each 6 month apt.), plantar wart went away (I had tried everything else and couldn't get rid of it), eyesight improved (confirmed by eye doctor apt.). I am still struggling with some congestion and asthma however and continue researching natural remedies for this. I suspect environmental causes and am researching these (things like potential allergies, cat dander, smoky air, mold in home, and pollution from living in city). I read about ACV on this site about a week ago and had some success with it, also some success with garlic - I probably need to keep at it and try for longer period of time. So I say don't give up on the garlic as well as helping for stomach ailments - My dad had a quadruple bypass and was in serious trouble with his heart - my mom researched on the incredible benefits of using garlic to help your heart and he has made a complete recovery after his surgery about 2 years ago and looks better than ever (he is 78 years old!)


Garlic Tea

9 User Reviews
5 star (9) 
  100%

Posted by Kenike007 (Utica) on 04/30/2015
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Hello Everyone. Ever since I was a tiny tot garlic has been a huge part of my life. I am full blooded Italian and I can remember while on my way to 1st grade school just a block away from my home my Italian Grandmother would hobble down the street after me calling for me to wait up..."Ashbet", she would call out, means wait in Italian. Then she would proceed to stuff a few cloves of garlic into my socks, for she believed it to keep the evil spirits away. When I went out to play at recess time all the wonderful healing garlic properties would seep into my pores and of course along with it, it's pungent odor. All the kids would run from me and say that I stunk. I would come home crying and of course my mother would pick up on the smell and find the cloves tucked into my socks. I can still hear her hollering to my grandmother, Ma, what are you doing??" My grandmother would reply, " I keeps the Evil Spirit's away", and my mother would reply to her, " and yes Ma, it also keeps everyone away! " Our Ancestor's knew the powerful knowledge of healing herbs.

Here's a great Garlic Recipe for ingesting or making into a tea.

*6-7 large cloves of finely minced Garlic

*1Tablespoon Raw Honey ( Make sure it is RAW Honey). Raw honey in itself is a powerful food loaded with enzymes. The junk honey you find on grocery shelves is refined and useless.

*Add a very tiny sprinkle of Cyanne Pepper appox. 1/6 tsp. or smaller. Cyanne pepper is a high source of Vit C.

* Put a teaspoon in mouth, chew and swallow as often as needed. I guess you can just swallow, but I chew it to release the potent allicin, then swallow. You can also put this into a tea with some lemon and other added super foods like tumeric, a bit of ginger, lemongrass or whatever you desire. Yum. I add a hint of stevia also.

Even without any symptoms, I take 1 teaspoon of this recipe at least 3-4 times a week to stay fit and well.

Hope this gave you all a laugh and helps!

How grateful I am for the healing herbs of Mother Nature. Love and Many Blessings of Wellness to you all.


Garlic Tea
Posted by Nicole (Atlanta, Ga) on 09/02/2013
★★★★★

I woke up this morning with a head cold, thanks to my nieces. Today is Monday and I have a business trip that starts on Saturday so checked Earthclinic for a home remedy to clear it up before then Had taken ACV but really help. A week before travel, I always start Emergen-C to boost the immune system; taking that helped a bit. However, I cut up 3 cloves of garlic and added them (after sitting for 15 minutes) to my hot tea and started to feel relief almost immediately. I will definitely repeat this until everything is cleared up and make my nieces drink some too.


Garlic Tea
Posted by Kelly (Cincinnati, Oh) on 01/15/2010
★★★★★

a great way to ingest garlic for multiple ailments is using it in a broth. It can be any kind of broth (no solids) so as to give your digestive system a break. Personally, I love the taste of roasted garlic. So I either sautee/bake fresh garlic and add it to the broth,then finely chop fresh garlic and add it as well (after heating-stir in and let sit a couple of minutes). The amount depends on ones tolerance for garlic. But that way I get the best of both worlds. The flavor of the roasted garlic and the allicin (the enzyme in garlic that fights disease) as well. cooking garlic kills most of the allicin so this is a good way to get it raw in a larger quantity. God Bless!


Garlic Tea
Posted by Ermila (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) on 06/16/2009
★★★★★

GARLIC DO WONDER.

I was suffering from fever and flu, the Company Doctor prescribe medecine and anti biotic. All the medecine had been finished and yet my fever haven't gone, and worst of all i also suffer from tonsilitis.

I've been a regular reader of Earth Clinic and try this garlic soup 'walla' the fever is gone and so with the tonsil ache. Whenever my kids suffer from sorethroat, this is the best remedY.


Garlic Tea
Posted by James (New Orleans) on 03/12/2006
★★★★★

I didn't boil the garlic . I've read over and over that heat destroys the allicin. Anyway , I simply use a garlic press . It's a lot easier than chopping. I take it straight and chase it with lots of water . You can ball the pressed garlic up into a wad and take it like a pill. I was able to sleep last night without waking due to coughing. I took two medium sized cloves.


Garlic Tea
Posted by Anonymous (Alabama)
★★★★★

I had a nagging cough for a long, long time. I drank the Garlic Tea and within two days I had stopped coughing almost altogether. I have given this remedy to a lot of my friends. Thank you so much. It really works!!

Replied by Susana
(Hesperia, California)
09/08/2010

Can I give my 7 month old grandson garlic soup? Nothing works what the doctor has given me for my grandson.. Prescripton drugs don't work for my grandson Ethan.

Replied by Wendy
(Ontario, Canada)
03/21/2011

It is challenging for parents to find books to learn from for holistic approaches for children! I started a holistic parenting group in my area online 6 yrs ago and we have over 300 members now. Like here we share what has worked for us and our children. Nice to get back to grandma's /kitchen remedies as our first line of defense. My mentor is Aviva Jill Romm's teachings. Her books are my bibles ;-) She is a 25 yr midwife and herbalist and gives specific remedies not only for children but for pregnant and lactating women as well. In fact that is where I learned how to make the garlic tea and also to gain the confidence to do a mustard plaster on my children. ;-) Amazing woman, invaluable books.


Garlic Tea
Posted by Yakal (Philippines)
★★★★★

The tea was great. It helped me from my misery. It helped me solve my problems. It also helped my friends, Charmelle and Zandro. Also try putting SUGAR. Thank you very much!


Garlic Tea
Posted by Jennifer (Miami, Florida)
★★★★★

By accident I was told that raw garlic was good for slimming so I went and bought some garlic, at the time I had a chronic cough, and it silence my cough all night, but I didn't not like the taste, So I will make garlic tea, or Soup sounds like a more tasty idea, thanks for the advice.


Garlic Tea
Posted by Susan (USA)

Marco, a well known soux chef in Santa Monica, California, gave us this simple soup recipe for nagging coughs. This is an old Mexican recipe from Marco's mother that aided him and his siblings' flu/cold recovery process.

Recipe:

  • Cut a garlic cubed into quarters and add to two 2 quarts of H2O.
  • Boil on low flame for at least one hour.
  • Strain and sip slowly.

Believe or not, this warm garlic soup has a very pleasant taste!

Click here to see all books on the healing properties of garlic.

Replied by Ranjana
(Arlington, TX USA)
01/04/2009

What did you mean by garlic "cube"? Is it a clove of garlic or is it a whole head of garlic. Please post a reply. Thanks."

EC: A whole head of garlic!


09/12/2009: Tim from Portland, Or replies: "Actually its a bulb of garlic."


09/12/2010: Rh from Los Angeles, Ca replies: "Yes, a whole garlic head. I tried it and it works! Boil water with a whole garlic head. Take it at night you will immediately feel the difference the next morning."


02/01/2011: Tony from Antofagasta, Chile replies: "This is a bit confusing as Marcos uses the word cube that has been translated by Tim from Portland as a bulb and Rh from Los Angeles as a whole garlic head. Marcos says that the cube has to be cut into quarters, Does this mean that the whole garlic head has to be cut into four? I have never cut a garlic head into two or four as we usually divide it into cloves. Would Marcos be so kind in clarifying this to us, please?"


02/02/2011: Keri from California, Usa replies: "A bulb of garlic = a whole head of garlic. The individual pieces are the cloves."


02/25/2011: Soulflower from Verbena, Al replies: "2 quarts of water? That's more than a whole days' worth of water for me. In what time frame should it be drunk?

I've been following these instructions:

How to make garlic tea:
1) Peel and roughly chop 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. The wait is to allow allicin to form. Allicin is the powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral compund in garlic which only forms when garlic has been broken in some way (eg by chewing, chopping).

2) Add the chopped garlic to a mug and fill it with some hot water [I use boiling hot water, as I would with other teas. ]. Sip the garlic tea once it becomes cool enough.

If you have a mild case of the flu or a cold, garlic tea should start working for you fairly quickly. However, if you're down with a particularly bad bout of the flu, you might have to take garlic tea over a period of a few days."


04/22/2011: Grannykeeper from Vancouver, Wa, Usa replies: "An easy way to prepare garlic is to smash the clove with the blade of a vegetable knife a couple of times. Then it is easy to peel. Whack it again and smash it good, then it is very easy to mince, and there is no waiting. If you can capture the juice, that is good, too.

Replied by Tash
(Sydney, Nsw Australia)
05/10/2012
★★★★★

I used this recipe and added a little vege-stock to make it more of a broth than a tea, and also a sprig of fresh rosemary for a little added flavour. Very yummy and suprisingly sweet :)

Replied by My2cents
(Rock Hill, SC)
11/18/2012

It is better to grate the garlic. If you have a zesting tool, grate the garlic and allow it to sit for 15 minutes so the beneficial allicin can fully form. Then proceed. The finer the chop or grate on garlic, the more beneficial compounds will be released. This is how I make my garlic tea and it works very well.


Garlic, Horseradish, Honey Remedy

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by 1rose (Sacramento, Ca) on 12/02/2010
★★★★★

Greetings to everyone. I'm very grateful for this site, I've used the information I found here and it has helped greatly, I'm writing now my 1st post because I want to give back as a thank you. :)

I have this amazing recipe that's actually a tremendous antibiotic, antiviral, anti critter remedy. I've used it for 3 years now with GREAT results. A friend told me about it when I was very sick with the flu in 2008, I have lost my voice, my whole body ached and I was half dead in bed for 4 days. She came over and brought this jar with stuff (I'll tell you in a minute) and I took a tablespoon of it and in 20 minutes my voice came back and I felt 75% better. I was stunned! By the next day I was fully recovered. Last year I got the swine flu and I got rid of it the same day by taking this remedy.

Here is what you need: equal amounts of fresh garlic and fresh horseradish, for ex. 3oz fresh peeled garlic and 3oz fresh horseradish. You will need a small food scale for weighing the stuff. Use a small grater and grate both the garlic and horseradish. Put them in a glass jar and add enough organic, raw honey to make a paste that will keep both the horseradish and garlic paste together. Close the jar and let it macerate for at least 3 days and then take 1T every 4-5h for at least 3 days or so...

I felt my body coming down with the flu again this year and I just made this mixture real fast and took 1T right away and in 1h I was sweating buckets... It does miracles... It kills infections of all sorts, etc. I've told everyone and their mother about this :) some do it and are amazed, some laugh. I have a jar with the stuff already made in my cupboard for emergency, :) the stuff doesn't expire because of the honey and it doesn't lose its potency either. To me it tastes good because I know what it does to my body, it kills the viruses, bacteria and it strengthens the immune system, it can't get any better than that! I pray that this post will go around the world and will save many people from misery. Thank you Earth Clinic for this wonderful site,
God bless. 1Rose
PS: It's safe for the kids, the dose is smaller 1t every 4-5h. The problem is that they complain about the taste, :)

Replied by Pam
(Johanesburg, South Africa)
05/12/2012

Thank you so much for this post I never knew about the horseradish. I have used the garlic and honey with great results.

Replied by Kamran
(Queens, New York)
01/31/2013

I am following the regiment for the last one month. Dec/Jan are the coldest months and is more suseptable to catch colds / flu etc. What I did was take two teaspoons of each (approx) and mix it in a jar.

I take half a teaspoon first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening before sleep. I'll probably taking it for along time as its become a habit now. One of the secrets of living longer is that folks takes raw garlic daily. This is the next best thing and I can tolerate the taste - It tastes better than licorice candy (a bit sweet from the honey).


Gas and Constipation

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Anuradha (Delhi, India)
★★★★★

I take garlic after meals. I am now free from gas and constipation.


General Feedback

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Morris Paul (Ireland) on 12/18/2013

Youtube/garlic is toxic to the body...............this was news to me. I used to be a big fan.....but not so sure anymore....because it deadens brain cells....some airlines do not allow their pilots to consume garlic 72 hrs.pre flight......decreases reaction time in an emergency by 30%. However it is nature's best incecticide......just spray on crops. Do you have an opinion on this issue.??

Replied by Beberobozo
(New York)
12/18/2013

Hi; I also saw that on utube by Andrias Moritz that onions and garlic are poison.. don't know

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee, Usa)
12/18/2013

Personally, I think garlic (and onions! ) are awesome. I use them in cooking and as medicine and find them to be very effective and safe. (Others might not find the garlic breath to be safe! )

Both have a long history of being used as food and medicine.

Some things I wonder about these studies...regarding airline pilots...was the garlic used in tests processed? If it was processed or not grown organically, there may have been other factors (like chemicals) that were what affected the reaction time of the pilots. Again, I haven't seen the studies, but I wonder what is behind them. We have seen effective and safe, natural things become banned from use. Comfrey is a plant that is currently being criticized. If we lose the rights to use plants for medicine by way of law or fear, the medical field and the drug companies do benefit from this.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents on garlic and onions! I will look forward to hearing other thoughts on this.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Om
(Hope Bc Canada)
12/18/2013

Regarding garlic, I was reading the pet section and indeed some had died from ingesting garlic. Different bodies have different tolerance to herbs even in general. In my case, if I ingest more than a sliver of garlic, I feel so nauseous that I hope to regurgitate it which does not happen and after a few minutes all is well again.

Eastern medicine, such as Ayurveda, state that as for garlic, too much for some can damage kidney and liver.

Great caution with regard to the place garlic was grown. What comes from China has a good dose of arsenic and a study claims people who ate garlic regularly also had high count of arsenic in their body.

Garlic is a powerful medicine and ought to be respected as such instead of a dish consisting of lots of roasted garlic for normal consumption. Bodies have different chemical composition and here we come to understand that medicating is a very individual procedure that demands much discrimination and insight. Om

Replied by Mike 62
(Denver, Colorado)
12/18/2013

Right on Mama: I would engourage you to keep promoting the best of God's Goodies, garlic. I take both aged garlic and garlic oil 4 caps of each daily. Sulfur is the mother of all minerals. The first life on earth got energy from sulfur before there was oxygen. Longevity experts promote garlic.

Replied by Mike 62
(Denver, Colorado)
12/19/2013

Morris Paul: Here's the skinny on garlic. A buffalo steps on a garlic plant and crushes the cellulose. Two chemicals that were seperated come together and make allicin. This prevents the wound from becoming infected. The buffalo does not eat the garlic because allicin also damages blood cells. Garlic contains 3 beneficial substances that when prepared properly are good. Crush a clove of garlic and and let set for 15 minutes. This lets the allicin fully form. Heat at low temp for 3 minutes changes the allicin into poly sulfides that expand the capillaries and produce h2s. Hydrogen sulfide destroys pathogens but does not harm the cells. Garlic oil has set for more than 72 hours so all the allicin has changed into poly sulfides. Aged garlic is high in a water soluable poly sulfide that is extremely beneficial. All of the above properly prepared garlics have 39 antibiotics that are not harmfull to the cells.



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