Is it Really a Good Idea to Eat Raw Garlic?

Is it Really a Good Idea to Eat Raw Garlic?

I’ve recently found out just how effective it is in kicking germs to the curb. It’s also a really potent anti-infection remedy. It has been an impressive little herbal healing companion that’s always easy to get my hands on anytime and anywhere, no matter where I am in the world.

Garlic is often recommended for:

  • colds & flu
  • cough
  • sore throat
  • mastitis
  • high blood pressure
  • lowers bad cholesterol levels
  • killing pinworms/parasites
  • regulating blood sugar
  • ear infection
  • increasing bile flow
  • immune stimulation
  • anti-microbial (allicin content)

How to Eat Raw Garlic

First things first, please DO NOT even consider trying to swallow a whole clove of garlic. It sounds like a great way of getting all of the good potency of raw garlic without the unpleasant side effects of chewing it, but please don’t do it! Last year, my friend tried this and ended up in the heimlich maneuver, because a clove of garlic is roughly the exact circumference of your esophagus, eek!

Now, I’ve personally found that the very best way to eat raw garlic is to dice it up finely, and add to 2 teaspoons of softened butter or olive oil. Then spread it on toast. It’s super yummy! I love eating thin slices of raw garlic with sliced sharp cheddar cheese too.

An alternative is to make your own garlic pills. Simply chop a clove up into small pill sized shapes, and swallow with a drink of your choice. I usually only do half a clove at a time because raw garlic can be a little tough on the stomach, use a smaller amount and work up if needed. Tip: A thick smoothie or milkshake makes it a lot easier to get pills down.

Another delicious tip is to use a garlic press to crush 2 cloves of garlic in guacamole, made with 2 avocados, lime juice and salt to taste. It’s my favorite snack and an easy way to eat a lot of garlic when I feel something coming on.

If you start to feel under the weather, a quick, tasty and easy way to get a load of nutrients alongside your garlic is to add spinach. Mince 2-3 large cloves and add to a pan. Add a good glug of olive oil and wilt down a whole bag of spinach. Even if you have previousy decided that you hate spinach, try making it this way if you’re a garlic lover and I guarantee you’ll be able to stomach it. This way you not only get all of the nutrients from the garlic but you also get a good dose of Vitamin K, A and C, as well as folate, manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium. It’s also a good source of niacin, zinc, protein, fiber, vitamin E, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorus and copper.

Another favourite of a friend of mine is what she calls ‘garlic tea’. She was fighting the beginnings of a sinus infection and really didn’t want to go through the hassle of having an antibiotic. So, she placed one stock cube in a cup of hot water and added one clove of crushed garlic. While it was too hot to drink at first she just breathed in the steam. As it cooled she sipped the tea and ate the garlic (which was cooked by this time and not too strong). Within an hour or two the pain in her face left. She continued drinking this about every four hours during the day for three days. The infection cleared up and she wasn’t even sick the rest of the winter!

Do you have any garlic superpower stories? We’d love to hear them, please share them below!

Welcome to Vivre Le Rêve, an online lifestyle magazine for all those who are or who want to be living the dream! I’m Rose, the lifestyle editor here at Vivre Le Rêve.