How to Consume Garlic for Health

Ways to maximize the health benefits of garlic

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Last Updated: July 12, 2022 References Approved

Garlic may be a great way to ward off vampires, but it can also do the same for illness. Garlic has compounds that can promote heart health by limiting fats in your blood, relax your muscles, and even lower your blood pressure slightly.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} It can also increase immune function and help control high cholesterol.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
University of Rochester Medical Center
Leading academic medical center in the U.S. focused on clinical care and research
Go to source} The benefits of garlic are not medically proven and you should always speak to your doctor before using supplements or alternative treatments.^{[3]
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Research source} You may boost your health by incorporating garlic in your diet and by using products made from this vegetable.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Incorporating Garlic into Your Diet

1
Eat raw garlic. Include at least one serving—or a ½ clove—in your meal plan every day.^{[4]
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Research source}Many people like to cook garlic in their dishes, but raw garlic is just as tasty. Having a mixture of raw and cooked garlic is the best way to get the health benefits of this vegetable. Crushing, chopping, or mincing garlic can best release the compounds that benefit for your health. Eating raw garlic can also have additional benefits to cooked garlic. This includes relaxing smooth muscles in your blood vessels, which in turn dilates them and may lower your blood pressure. Some ways to enjoy raw garlic include:
- Mixing chopped or minced garlic with fresh tomatoes and basil. Use this delightful mixture on top of pasta, bread, or a salad.
- Adding garlic to salsa or guacamole.
- Making pesto.
- Slicing garlic onto a salad.
- Spreading minced or crushed garlic on toast and topping it with a slice of tomato.
- Blending a tomato, lemon, and garlic juice.
2
Cook with garlic. Raw garlic is the optimal way to get its benefits. However, you can still boost your health by cooking with garlic. If you’re using garlic in a recipe, use at least 1-2 cloves per dish.^{[5]
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Research source} As with raw garlic, make sure to crush, chop or mince it to release the compounds that boost health. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes to get maximum benefits from your garlic. Some ways to cook garlic in your meals include:
- Marinating meat or tofu in a garlic rub.
- Simmering a garlic soup.
- Whipping up a pasta dish with greens and garlic.^{[6]
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- Throwing garlic into a vegetable dish.
- Mashing garlic into potatoes.^{[7]
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3
Try garlic oil. Garlic is a great flavoring for any dish. You can bring more garlic and its flavor into your food by using garlic-infused oil to prepare dishes. Garlic oil can also have the added health benefit of reducing a pimple or relieving psoriasis when rubbed on the affected area.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Get garlic oil in a food or health store. Consider infusing your own, which can ensure you get a high dose of garlic in the oil. Use whole cloves of garlic and cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 20-30 minutes. Then cook in the oil for 5 minutes before funneling the infused oil into a container. For maximum health benefits, lower the cooking temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius).^{[9]
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4
Brew a garlic tea. Warm tea is a comforting way to get through a cold. Brewing a tea of garlic can comfort you and may help boost your immune system. Steep a clove of chopped or minced garlic in hot water for a few minutes. Then strain the garlic bits out and enjoy your tea.
- Add a bit of honey or ginger to make the tea taste better.^{[10]
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Add garlic powder to food.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} In some cases, using a garlic powder may be a more convenient way to get your garlic. Just like with other garlic products, this may not have the same health benefits as fresh garlic.^{[12]
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Research source} Consider using garlic powder to boost your efforts.
- Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to pasta sauces, soups, and other recipes that you think might benefit from some garlicky flavor.
6
Minimize garlic breath. Garlic is great for your health, but can also repel vampires as well as your friends, family, and colleagues from you. Garlic breath may be a concern if you are eating it daily for your health. You can minimize the effect of garlic on your breath by:^{[13]
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- Eating it with an apple.
- Mixing it with apple cider vinegar and water.
- Mixing it with water and honey.
- Eating a lemon with it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Trying Garlic Supplements

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Swallow dried garlic capsules. It’s best to boost your health with fresh garlic. However, you can also boost your health by using dried garlic capsules. You can get these at most health food stores and vitamin or wellness retailers.
- Read product labeling to ensure that your chosen capsule has allium in it, which is important for reaping its health benefits. Following dosing instructions to ensure you get maximum health-boosting benefits.
- Avoid purchasing dried garlic tablets. The process used to make these destroy the health compounds in garlic.
2
Take a garlic supplement. Using a supplement is a good way to enhance your consumption of garlic.^{[14]
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- Speak with your doctor before taking garlic supplements. You may have a condition or take other medications that shouldn’t be mixed with garlic. Ask your doctor to recommend a high-quality garlic supplement if you want to try one.^{[15]
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- Consider consulting a natural health professional about choosing the best quality supplement for your health.
- Follow the instructions on the bottle and any instructions your doctor has given you as well.^{[16]
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  Trustworthy Source
  University of Rochester Medical Center
  Leading academic medical center in the U.S. focused on clinical care and research
  Go to source}
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Look for a United States Pharmacopeia (USP) verified product. While supplements are not regulated by the FDA, you can choose a product that has a USP seal to ensure that what is in the bottle matches what the label says. This can also help you to choose the safest product possible. Some other types of seals that may indicate the product is trustworthy include:^{[17]
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Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
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- NSF International
- UL
- Consumer Lab

Warnings

Avoid using garlic salt because it is very high in sodium.

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Recognize that some people are sensitive and/or allergic to garlic.^{[18]
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Research source} Symptoms of a garlic allergy include: irritation and/ or inflammation in the nose, hives, skin swelling, and asthma.

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