Characteristics and functions of garlic. Garlic is a condiment, which is generally only used for cooking. But it has many health care functions, such as sterilization, cancer prevention, cough relief and so on. It is a pure natural health food. Let's take a look at the characteristics and functions of garlic.
Characteristics and functions of garlic 1 nutritional characteristics of garlic
"Garlic is a treasure, and eating it often is good for your health" is an old saying. Garlic has a good health care effect on our human body. Garlic is a common condiment in our daily life, in which sulfur-containing organic substances are very important bioactive substances, mainly existing in leaf bases and leaves, and the main forms are S- alkyl (alkenyl) cysteine sulfoxide and γ -glutamylglycine.
They account for more than 70% of sulfur-containing organic compounds in garlic, and they have different chemical structures with different alkyl groups (alkenyl groups). The highest content is S- allyl -L- cysteine sulfoxide (alliin), while the lower content is S- propenyl -L- cysteine sulfoxide (isolalliin) and S- methyl -L- cysteine sulfoxide (methyl alliin). Among them, the content of alliin accounts for more than 85% of alliin, and they are all precursors of thiosulfinate (allicin).
Other nutritional components of garlic
Glycosides
Garlic contains many kinds of glycosides, mainly glucosinolates, flavonoid glycosides, steroid glycosides and a small amount of amino acid glycosides. Saponins may be another active ingredient in garlic except organic sulfide, which has antibacterial, antioxidant damage, cholesterol lowering, platelet aggregation preventing and fibrinolytic activity improving effects.
carbohydrate
Sugar in garlic accounts for about 76.7% of dry weight, mainly fructan, which has many biological activities such as enhancing immunity, antivirus, lowering blood sugar and antioxidation.
amino acid
Garlic contains two kinds of amino acids. One amino acid can form protein, which is a common amino acid, including many amino acids needed by human body, such as cysteine, histidine, lysine, alanine, threonine, glutamic acid, arginine and so on. The other is protein, also known as non-protein amino acid, which mainly contains alliin, which is a sulfur-containing amino acid peculiar to garlic and a precursor of allicin. After garlic is crushed, alliinase can produce a series of sulfur compounds such as allicin. The specific reaction process has been introduced before.
The chemical name of alliin is S- allyl -L- cysteine sulfoxide, which is soluble in water and insoluble in anhydrous ethanol, chloroform, acetone, ether and benzene. Crystallizing with dilute acetone or ethanol to obtain white crystals; It has optical activity, and its optical activity in water is [α] d =+63.5; Isoelectric point pI = 4.86；; The molecular weight is 177.22.
Compared with other Allium plants, the alliin content in garlic is the highest, and the alliin content in garlic in different regions is different, ranging from 0.5% to 2%. Allicin has the following physiological functions: 1. Reduce blood lipid and blood sugar; 2. Immune function; 3. Anti-platelet aggregation; 4. Bacteriostasis; 5. Anti-tumor.
enzyme
Alliinase (alliinase for short) is the most important enzyme in garlic, which consists of six pyridoxal phosphates and two subunits. Alliinase can hydrolyze allicin into allicin, and its optimum temperature is 37℃, and its optimum pH value is 5 ~ 8. It exists in the vacuoles of cells. After garlic tissue is broken, through many complicated reactions, a series of sulfur-containing compounds are generated, which are the main active components in garlic.
In addition, there are hydrolase, invertase, polyfructosidase and superoxide dismutase in garlic. Garlic is one of natural plants rich in superoxide dismutase (SOD). The SOD content in garlic is as high as 17.6 mg/ 100g, which has anti-radiation and anti-oxidation functions and has important application value.
microelement
Garlic contains a lot of trace elements such as iron, phosphorus, zinc, germanium and selenium. Among them, organic germanium has attracted much attention as one of the anticancer substances. The so-called "edible oxygen" organic germanium can quickly absorb oxygen and transport it to the liver, heart, bone marrow and other places through blood. The content of organic germanium in garlic is as high as 75.4 mg/ 100g, which is three times that of ginseng. Therefore, garlic is a low-cost source of organic germanium, which can supplement trace elements germanium and various amino acids in human body if eaten regularly.
As a rare element and an essential trace element for human body, organic selenium is another functional component of garlic. The selenium content of fresh garlic is as high as 27.6 μg/ 100g, which is the highest among vegetables and is a natural selenium-enriched plant. Therefore, selenium-enriched garlic has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-lipid, anti-atherosclerosis and other functions, and has strong anti-aging, anti-tumor and anti-tumor effects.
How to eat garlic?
Garlic can be eaten raw or cooked, but according to the particularity of its ingredients, it is generally recommended to eat raw, but it is not suitable for getting up in the morning or eating on an empty stomach. It is ok to eat two or three cloves a day or every other day. It's best to pound it into mud and expose it to the air indoors for about a quarter of an hour.
Let allicin be fully produced, that is, allicin and alliinase are fully oxidized and interacted in the air to make it have the best sterilization and detoxification effect. However, raw garlic should not be eaten in excess. Excessive garlic will strongly stimulate the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing discomfort such as stomach pain and heartburn, and even cause other diseases in severe cases.
Although garlic has many benefits to human body, we should pay attention to some details when eating it.
(1) Garlic should not be eaten too much. The more garlic, the better, because allicin has a considerable stimulating effect on gastric mucosa, and it is advisable to eat about 3 cloves a day. Excessive consumption can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Especially for people with weak spleen and stomach and poor gastrointestinal function, try to avoid eating raw, and you can mash it and eat it with vinegar.
(2) Eating garlic should adapt to the season. Eating garlic depends on the season. The weather is hot and humid in summer, so eating garlic in moderation can eliminate dampness, yin and evil. The climate is dry in autumn and winter. Eat garlic in moderation to avoid getting angry.
(3) Eating garlic varies from person to person. People with weak spleen and stomach should try to eat cooked garlic to avoid the stimulation of raw garlic to the human body. You can eat cooked garlic, vinegar garlic or sugar garlic when cooking. Don't drink tea immediately after eating garlic, otherwise it will easily cause stomach cramps, indigestion and other discomfort.
Characteristics and functions of garlic. Health care function of garlic
1, prevention and treatment of tumor and cancer
The sulfur-containing compounds in garlic can promote the intestinal tract to produce an enzyme or a substance called allicin, and eliminate the risk of intestinal tumor caused by intestinal substances by enhancing the body's immune ability, blocking the formation of lipid peroxidation and resisting mutation.
Elements such as germanium and selenium in garlic can inhibit the growth of tumor cells and cancer cells. Garlic ranks first among the plants with the most anticancer potential in the world.
2. Anti-aging effect
Some components in garlic have antioxidant and anti-aging properties similar to those of vitamin E and vitamin C.
3. Anti-fatigue effect
Some people have found that pork is one of the foods rich in vitamin B 1, and the combination of vitamin B 1 and allicin contained in garlic can play a very good role in eliminating fatigue and restoring physical strength.
4. Prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
Garlic can prevent fat deposition in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, induce fat metabolism in tissues, significantly increase fibrinolytic activity, lower cholesterol, inhibit platelet aggregation, reduce plasma concentration, increase arteriole dilation, promote vasodilation, regulate blood pressure, and increase vascular permeability, thus inhibiting thrombosis and preventing arteriosclerosis.
Eating 2~3 cloves of garlic every day is the best and simplest way to lower blood pressure. Garlic can help maintain the right amount of enzymes in the body and avoid high blood pressure.
5, strong sterilization
Garlic has the strongest antibacterial effect among the natural plants found at present. After it enters the human body, it can react with cystine of bacteria to produce crystal precipitation, which destroys sulfhydryl groups in thioamino organisms necessary for bacteria, making bacteria metabolize disorder and unable to reproduce and grow.
In addition, it can kill hookworm, pinworm, trichomonas and other pathogenic fungi and parasites. However, it should be noted that allicin is easily destroyed at high temperature and loses its bactericidal effect.
6. Improve sugar metabolism.
Studies have confirmed that eating raw garlic can improve the glucose tolerance of normal people, at the same time, it can also promote the secretion of insulin, increase the utilization of glucose by tissues and cells, and thus reduce the blood sugar level.
7. Anti-allergic effect
Eating garlic raw every day can reduce the degree of allergic reactions, especially those caused by temperature changes. The best way is to start eating garlic raw a few weeks before the allergy season.
8, detoxification, prevention of gastrointestinal diseases.
Garlic can effectively inhibit and kill helicobacter pylori and other bacterial viruses that cause gastrointestinal diseases, remove toxic substances in the stomach, stimulate gastrointestinal mucosa, promote appetite and accelerate digestion.
9. Reduce blood sugar and prevent diabetes.
Garlic can promote the secretion of insulin, increase the absorption of glucose by tissues and cells, improve the glucose tolerance of the human body, rapidly reduce the blood sugar level in the body, and kill various germs that induce diabetes due to infection, thus effectively preventing and treating diabetes.
10, protecting liver function.
Selenium, a trace element in garlic, plays a role in protecting the liver by participating in the aerobic metabolism of blood, eliminating toxins, reducing the detoxification burden of the liver.
1 1, to prevent colds
Garlic contains a capsaicin called "propylene sulfide", which has a good killing effect on pathogenic bacteria and parasites, and can prevent colds and relieve cold symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and stuffy nose.
Nutritional value of garlic
Garlic contains about 0.2% volatile oil, and allicin is the main component in the oil, which has bactericidal effect and is produced by the hydrolysis of alliin contained in garlic by alliinase. It also contains a variety of sulfides composed of allyl, propyl and methyl.
Edible method of garlic
Eat sth raw
Because garlic quickly loses its magical effect when it is hot. After garlic is crushed, it is best to leave it for 10~ 15 minutes, and the best effect is to eat it after allicin is completely produced.
One thing to note is that garlic should not be eaten on an empty stomach, because garlic is very irritating and corrosive. Can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
It is not advisable to eat more.
It will affect the absorption of vitamin B and irritate the eyes. Causing blepharitis and conjunctivitis.
So it is best to eat garlic once a day or once every other day, with 3 cloves each time.
If you are afraid that your mouth will smell bad after eating garlic. After eating garlic, you can have a cup of coffee, milk or green tea to clear your breath.
Five kinds of people should not eat garlic raw.
1, patients with eye diseases
The ancients said, "All garlic diseases need only one look." Eating garlic in large quantities for a long time is harmful to the eyes.
Ji Kang said in "On Health Preservation" that "spicy meat hurts the eyes", while garlic is the most spicy, clear and easy to hurt the eyes.
So be careful not to eat too much garlic, especially people with eye diseases, and avoid spicy food during treatment.
2. Weak heat
The ancients thought that eating more garlic would dissipate people's qi and blood, and Materia Medica from the New recorded that "garlic is pungent and toxic, causing phlegm burning, dispersing qi and consuming blood, and it is not suitable for those who are weak and hot to touch their lips". Therefore, people with poor health and weak qi and blood should pay attention.
3. Patients with liver disease
Many people use garlic to prevent hepatitis, and even some people still eat garlic every day after suffering from hepatitis. This is all wrong.
"Compendium of Materia Medica" records that garlic "hurts the liver and eyes for a long time". Garlic is hot and can help fire. It's pungent. If people with liver fire eat it, it will be more prosperous, and it will definitely hurt after a long time.
4. Patients with diarrhea due to spleen deficiency
Raw garlic is very exciting. Eating less in peacetime can promote digestion. However, if you eat garlic when suffering from non-bacterial enteritis or diarrhea, strong stimulation will aggravate the congestion and edema of intestinal mucosa, promote exudation and aggravate the condition.
5, seriously ill patients eat carefully.
Garlic hair, so-called hair, refers to foods that are particularly prone to induce certain diseases or aggravate diseases that have already occurred.
Eating spicy food such as garlic and pepper is likely to have obvious side effects for people who are seriously ill or taking drugs, which will not only cause old diseases, but also make drugs ineffective or have a chain reaction with drugs, affecting their health.
Characteristics and functions of garlic. Matters needing attention in eating garlic
(1) How to eat garlic?
Garlic should be eaten raw.
It is best to mash garlic instead of cutting it into pieces with a knife. And leave it for 10 ~ 15 minutes, and let alliin and alliinase combine in the air to produce allicin before eating.
Pay attention to the amount of garlic
The more garlic you eat, the better. Eating too much garlic will affect the absorption of vitamin B, and eating a lot of garlic will also irritate the eyes, which is easy to cause blepharitis and conjunctivitis. Besides, garlic should not be eaten on an empty stomach. Patients with gastric ulcer and those with headache, cough and toothache should not eat garlic. Take 1 time every day or 1 time every other day, and take 2-3 capsules each time.
(2) What are the adverse effects of eating garlic?
Although there are so many research reports that garlic is beneficial to the human body, all substances should be taken in moderation, which is helpful to the body, and excessive consumption will be harmful to the body, so enough is enough.
Studies have reported that long-term consumption of garlic will destroy red blood cells and cause anemia.
People who suffer from night sweats due to yin deficiency and liver hyperactivity had better eat less garlic, otherwise they will easily get angry.
Need to be reminded that never drink tea after eating garlic, it is easy to cause stomach pain.
Those who have yin deficiency and excessive fire and eye and mouth diseases should not eat; Gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, liver disease, and excessive fire due to yin deficiency are contraindicated; Patients with eye diseases should avoid irritating foods such as garlic during treatment, otherwise it will affect the curative effect; At the same time, garlic should not be eaten too much, which is easy to cause hot work, blood consumption and visual impairment.
(3) Can garlic be eaten after germination?
After the garlic is harvested, the dormancy period is generally 2 ~ 3 months. After the dormancy period, at a suitable temperature, garlic will quickly sprout and grow leaves, consuming nutrients in the stem, leading to bulb atrophy, shriveled, greatly reduced edible value, and even rot.
Therefore, although germinated garlic can be eaten, its edible value will be greatly reduced due to nutrient consumption. Garlic is a popular vegetable, and its edible parts include green garlic, garlic moss, garlic cloves and so on. Both green garlic and garlic cloves have a special pungent smell, and its effective component is allicin, which also contains pyruvic acid and ammonia, that is to say,
From garlic germination to garlic regrowth, the nutrients in the body will not produce toxic substances in the transformation process of each growth stage. Germination of garlic is just another form of edible product formed by garlic under suitable external conditions by using its own stored nutrients. Therefore, as long as the garlic is discolored, moldy and rotten, it can be eaten even if it germinates. There is no harm in eating it, but the taste is slightly worse.