How Much Garlic is Too Much?
Garlic is one of those vegetables that is packed with health benefits despite the potent aroma. I pretty much add garlic to anything, within reason of course. From pizza to pasta, hummus and tacos, garlic plays a huge role in the kitchen. Garlic actually ranks as one of the top vegetables for reducing cancer risk. For starters, a healthy diet incorporating garlic can slow down abnormal growth of prostate cancer cells. Here are a few more benefits of garlic:
Reduces prostate enlargement risk
Increases the body’s ability to absorb minerals
Suppresses breast cancer cell growth
Protectant again radiation damage
Let’s be honest, when a recipe calls for a clove or two of garlic, at the least I double that amount. A close friend of mine, let’s call her Jess, loves garlic just as much as I do to the point where her nickname has become “Garlicky Jess” among other close friends. Garlic seems to continuously grow in popularity. The question remains though, how much garlic is too much? When it comes to fruits and vegetables, there really isn’t a “limit” as to how much you should consume due to all of the health benefits and nutrients. Garlic on the other hand is a potent vegetable that could cause some issues if too much is consumed in one sitting. This is not to say that you should limit how much you eat, but if there is too much consumed in the raw form you could end up with more than just bad breath. Consuming too much garlic can cause intensified burning sensation in the mouth or stomach, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting, body odor, and possibly diarrhea.
Putting those side effects aside, garlic is a flavorful and beneficial addition to many dishes. Just don’t start eating whole bulbs of garlic at a time or you may find yourself more than 6 feet away from your friends. Perhaps this is why vampires are afraid of garlic?
Check out more information on the power of garlic below.
Benefits of Garlic for Fighting Cancer and the Common Cold
*Information provided by “How Not to Die” by Dr. Michael Greger*