Garlic Water Benefits For Increased Quality Of Life

Garlic is one of the most commonly used spices in cuisines. It is often used to flavor numerous meals, including salad dressings, sauces, meats, soups, vegetables, stews, vinaigrettes, and marinades. However, this bulb is also loved for its intense flavor and benefits outside of  the kitchen. It is also used besides cooking as a remedy and in therapy. Today we will look at the process of preparing an easy drink of garlic water. It is an excellent way of adding garlic to your diet to possibly improve your health. Stick around to learn about garlic water benefits and side effects.

What Is Garlic Water?

As the name implies, it refers to a drink prepared from garlic and water. A garlic water recipe will ask you to (5):

1. Add two or three cloves to your cup of water.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil. 
3. Please turn off the heat when it boils.
4. Let it cool and serve it in a glass.

You can drink it as it is, or you can choose to add some lemon juice, parsley, or honey if you want more flavor. Note that the servings will vary depending on the number of cups you are using.  

But most importantly, make sure you do the following when preparing this mixture:

• Use Fresh Garlic Cloves. Food experts cannot emphasize enough the importance of using fresh garlic to make garlic water. They argue that allicin compounds in garlic degrade when they sit out for too long. We do not want them to degrade because these compounds contribute to most of the health benefits of garlic water.
• Peel the Skin of the Clove. You must remove the skin of the garlic clove before you add it to your water. Only peel the cloves you are using and store the rest for later use.
• Boil Until the Clove Softens. Some recipes may not tell you how long you should boil the garlic clove. It would be best to boil it until it softens and is easy to pierce using a fork. 
• Drink in Moderation. As we will see, garlic water has numerous possible health benefits. Drinking too much of it does not mean you reap even more. There are some potential side effects from drinking in excess, as we will see later in this discussion.

Over the years, this drink has become pretty popular in the health and fitness industries.

Read More: 7-Day Vegan Cleanse Diet Guideline: What It Takes To Design A 7-Day Vegan Detox Diet

Benefits Of Drinking Garlic In Hot Water

Taking raw garlic in hot water has been linked to many benefits. Some of them include:

• Reduced Risk Of Diseases

We kick off this list with one of the impactful benefits; reduced risk of diseases. This mixture has been claimed to reduce the risk of diseases such as:

• Cancer

Medical News Today acknowledges that garlic is used by some people for the prevention of cancer (5). Garlic contains organo-sulfur compounds that have been seen to induce the death of cells in glioblastomas, which are a type of brain tumor.

Similarly, raw garlic consumption was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer in a large population-based study in China. So, when you use raw garlic to prepare this drink, you might benefit from its anti-cancer properties.

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1. Bacterial Infections

Numerous studies confirm that garlic has antibiotic properties that help fight a broad spectrum of viruses, bacteria, and fungi (5). According to Medical News Today, garlic has a compound known as diallyl sulfide. It is 100 times more effective in fighting the Campylobacter bacteria than two popular antibiotics. 

This Campylobacter bacteria is mainly known for causing food-borne intestinal infections. So, having a cup of garlic water might help prevent the bacterial action in your gut as you benefit from garlic’s antibiotic properties.

2. Colds And Coughs

Similarly, experts acknowledge garlic water is sometimes used to help prevent or treat coughs and colds (5). One study reported that using garlic regularly may decrease the frequency of colds in adults, but has no effect on duration of symptoms.

3. Cardiovascular Disease

Garlic water may also be good for your heart because garlic might help reduce several risk factors for cardiovascular disease. For example, one small study found  that consuming garlic extract reduced LDL ’bad’ cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and blood pressure.

These are among the indicators and risk factors for heart disease. Similarly, consuming garlic water could be good for your heart because it might prevent cell damage and reduce plaque buildup in your arteries. That same study also found decreased levels of oxidation products in the blood samples of those taking the garlic extract.

4. Helps With Detoxification

Detoxification is not a new term in the fitness industry, especially with the rise in detox diets. However, it has become prevalent, and people are curious about this concept. The popular buzzword detoxification or detox refers to the removal process of toxins from your body (6).

Detoxification is not a new term in the fitness industry, especially with the rise in detox diets. However, it has become prevalent, and people are curious about this concept. The popular buzzword detoxification or detox refers to the removal process of toxins from your body (6).

The body does this on its own, with no need of help from you in the form of drinks or restrictive “cleanse” diets. However, one of the most important organs in the body’s detoxification system is the liver, and a compound in garlic called diallyl disulfide may help protect against alcohol-induced liver injury  (5).

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• Weight Loss

Weight loss is also one of the purported benefits of drinking garlic water in the morning. There have been numerous debates about the effectiveness of garlic water on weight loss. But, take it from recent studies, garlic water might promote weight loss in the abdominal region.

A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis analyzing randomized controlled trials on the effects of garlic supplementation on weight loss discovered it reduced waist circumference, although not body weight or BMI (3).

According to the Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control (CDC), too much belly fat indicates an increased risk for obesity, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (2). So, you can use your waist size or circumference to predict the risk of health problems arising from being overweight (2).

The CDC recommends a healthy waist circumference for both men and women. Women are advised to maintain a waist circumference less than 35 inches, while men maintain a waist size of not more than 40 inches (2).

How Does Garlic Water Promote Weight Loss?

Yes, drinking a glass or two of garlic water right after waking up might help you shed pounds. But what is the rationale behind this running theory? Scientists believe that this beverage might promote weight loss in several ways, including (3):

• Suppressing Your Appetite. Garlic may work as an appetite suppressant, which is helpful as it prevents overeating. Consequently, you can watch the number of calories you consume to help maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss.
• Enhancing the Fat-Burning Process. As seen above, garlic has numerous compounds, such as ogano-sulfur and diallyl sulfide. These and more of its compounds may stimulate the fat-burning process and help you torch more calories.
• By Stimulating Digestion. A smooth digestion process can help you lose weight. The running theory is that the entire digestive process requires calories as it uses up energy. That means you could shed pounds if you consume fewer calories than you are burning.

Despite this knowledge, experts state that this drink may not be as effective as other known weight loss drinks like green tea. Instead, it has been found to be more effective in reducing waist circumference, unlike body weight and body mass index (BMI) (3).

So, you are advised to enhance its fat-burning properties by consuming a healthy balanced weight loss diet and exercising.

• Improve Digestive Health

Drinking garlic water is also believed to help improve your digestive health. Some say that it is better to drink this drink first thing in the morning because it stimulates digestion and appetite (5).

Additionally, this drink can improve digestive health by preventing stomach issues like diarrhea if they are due to pathogenic bacteria. Maintaining digestive health is crucial as it improves overall health by bringing essential nutrients to your body. Similarly, you would be least likely to experience a host of uncomfortable symptoms like bloating and constipation when your digestive health is in check.

Read More: 3-Day Detox To Lose Weight: Why It Doesn’t Work, And What To Do Instead

• Combats Depression

Drinking garlic water first thing in the morning is also said to help boost your mental health. Some people believe that garlic contains natural mood-lifting properties that help balance chemicals in your body that regulate your mood.

Depression sometimes arises when there is an imbalance of these chemicals in your body. So, when you use raw garlic to prepare this drink, you could reap its potential mood-enhancing properties and might ease depressive symptoms. However, be sure to talk to a professional before consuming this drink for this benefit – it is not a substitute for any therapy or medication prescribed by your doctor.

Side Effects Of Garlic And Lemon Water

Whether you add lemon water or not, garlic water could result in some side effects. For example, researchers investigating the impact of garlic on cardiovascular health discovered that the most common complaint among participants was gastrointestinal discomfort and nausea (1).

Researchers also acknowledge other side effects could be experienced, including dizziness, headaches, bloating, profuse sweating, and sometimes, allergies (1). In addition, consuming raw fresh garlic may also have additive effects with anticoagulants or platelet aggregation inhibitors (1).

It may lead to a life-threatening hemorrhage (1). So, let your doctor know if you are on medications or have an underlying health condition before you start drinking garlic water.

On top of that, you may also experience bad breath because this bulb is known to cause a strong stench. So do not be surprised to notice your sweat and pee also smelling garlic.  

You can mask the stench by eating citrus fruits like oranges or drinking milk (1). Lastly, some studies have found that too much allicin in your body may lead to liver toxicity (1). So, you are urged to drink this beverage in moderation and not overdo it with the cloves.

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Can You Drink Garlic Water Every Day?

Based on our discussion above, you may want to drink garlic water every day to reap the many benefits of this drink. You may be tempted to use more garlic cloves in a bid to get as many benefits as you can.  

Note that, as seen from our discussion of the side effects, using too much garlic can result in some discomfort and stomach issues. In addition, it may result in bloating, diarrhea, and even bad breath. So as tempting as it is, it is important to drink this beverage in moderation (1).  So how often can you drink garlic water?

Well, it comes down to what your doctor recommends. When in doubt, stick with one garlic clove per day.

When Is The Best Time To Drink Garlic Water?

Some drinks like garlic water are believed to work best at particular timelines. There are numerous possible benefits associated with drinking garlic water in the morning, so most people often find themselves having this drink in the morning. For years, this practice has been carried out in some cultures and has been linked to the named benefits above.

The Bottom Line

Drinking garlic water might benefit you in numerous ways. It could help prevent illness, support your mental well-being, and digestive health. This drink may also reduce your risk of diseases such as cancer, promote weight loss, and help protect your liver.

Even so, too much of this drink has adverse effects. It may lead to diarrhea, bloating, bad breath, and other stomach issues. So, please take it in moderation and after getting your doctor’s go-ahead.