Though raw garlic has antioxidant potential, excess intake can lead to liver toxicity (1). As per rat studies, garlic in high doses (0.5 grams per kg of body weight) may induce liver damage. However, low doses of garlic (0.1 grams to 0.25 grams per kg of body weight) on a daily basis are safe for the liver (2).
Garlic is a staple in many diets, and it may provide benefits for people with fatty liver disease. A 2016 study in Advanced Biomedical Research found that garlic powder supplements appeared to help reduce body weight and body fat mass in people with NAFLD. Read more on the medicinal properties of garlic here.
Garlic: Garlic contains selenium, a mineral that helps to detoxify the liver. It also has the ability to activate liver enzymes that can help your body naturally flush out toxins.
Garlic is a natural blood thinner, so we shouldn't consume large quantities of garlic along with blood-thinning medicines like warfarin, aspirin etc. This is because the combined effect of blood thinning medication and garlic is dangerous, and it may increase the risk of internal bleeding.
Organosulfur component and flavonoid content of black garlic are antiglycation and potent antioxidants which can repair liver and kidney cells by increasing antioxidant enzymes' activity, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase (22, 23).
Garlic: Anti-inflammatory properties of garlic can be beneficial for people with fatty liver disease.
Foods that support liver health include berries, cruciferous vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and fatty fish. Coffee and green tea contain antioxidants that are helpful for liver health.
Side effects include breath and body odor, heartburn, and upset stomach. These side effects can be more noticeable with raw garlic. Some people have allergic reactions to garlic. Taking garlic supplements may increase the risk of bleeding.
Avocados are another example of foods good for liver function. They're high in healthy fats and contain unique chemicals that reduce and slow down liver damage. Avocados are packed with glutathione, which helps get rid of harmful toxins in the body.
According to experts, use at least four cloves of fresh garlic each day in meal preparations for maximum liver function. To keep the enzymes and nutrients in your food, add fresh minced garlic at the end of the cooking process. You can also rely on garlic supplements.
Garlic is an excellent seasoning choice for people with CKD. It can give other foods a more satisfying, full flavor, which may reduce the need for extra salt.
You shouldn't add too much garlic to your diet, too quickly. "One to two cloves a day should be the maximum consumed by anyone," says Tracey Brigman, a food and nutrition expert at the University of Georgia. Eating more than that may cause upset stomach, diarrhea, bloating, or bad breath.
Obviously, you don't want to eat moldy or mushy garlic, but sprouts cloves or even those that have browned or yellowed spots can still be used. Their taste might be slightly off, but removing the green sprout or trimming browned spots will make older cloves usable and keep them out of the trash.
As if wasn't already super nutritious and low in calories, garlic also offers anti-inflammatory benefits. Garlic contains diallyl disulfide an anti-inflammatory compound that limits the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Raw garlic contains a component called Allicin, which helps in thinning the blood and reduces the cholesterol levels. Thus, the best way to consume garlic is by eating raw garlic on an empty stomach as the fresh garlic contains Allicin and this component gets diluted during the process of cooking.