The chemical composition of garlic: description, properties and calories

For several centuries, people have been believed that if you regularly eat garlic, you can forget about colds, as this vegetable “scares away” all infections and viruses, and also helps strengthen the immune system. Perhaps it was the beneficial properties that made this culture very popular with almost all the peoples of the world. In addition to the specific smell and pungent taste, which become an excellent "decoration" of the dish, the chemical composition of garlic is important. It is represented by macro- and microelements, vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and other substances useful to the body. Garlic has a low calorie content, which is why it is also popular in diet food. It is used not only in cooking, but also in alternative medicine, due to its healing properties. People from around the world use cloves of garlic, as well as young stalks (arrows) and leaves of culture.

Since this product is one of the most popular vegetables in the world, it would be logical to get to know it better. The article will talk about the chemical composition, nutritional value and calorie content of garlic, as well as its properties. After all, this vegetable can have both favorable and negative effects on the human body.

What is garlic? Brief description of the plant

This vegetable crop belongs to the genus Onion and the Amaryllis family. In the original Latin language, the name sounds like Allium sativum. This is a perennial herb with a sharp taste and a specific smell, which is endowed with its thioethers (organic sulfides) contained in the composition. Garlic has high antiseptic properties, due to which it is successfully used in traditional and unofficial medicine and clinical nutrition. In cooking, “teeth”, young stems and leaves are used.

The chemical composition of garlic: information that is useful to everyone

This vegetable culture contains in its composition a huge number of various useful elements that have a beneficial effect on the activity of the body. Below is a table from which you can find out about the content of vitamins and minerals in garlic. The quantity is indicated in milligrams, the percentage is also presented relative to the daily norm. The content of substances is determined per 100 g of product.

In addition, garlic contains an essential oil in which allicin and other organic compounds of the phytoncide group (sulfide group) were discovered.

Nutritional value of fruits

The chemical composition of garlic has been described in detail above. The nutritional value of the product plays an equally important role. Garlic contains not only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, which are the "basis", but also other significant substances. The amount is presented in grams and is determined per 100 g of product.

Calorie Garlic

The nutritional value of the product is also determined by the amount of kcal per 100 g. It should be said that garlic is a low-calorie product, since it has only 149 kcal.

All data presented above may vary slightly. All these indicators depend on growing conditions, in particular, on the region and the climatic zone in which it grew, as well as on the variety of vegetable culture.

Powdered garlic, or dried vegetable

Seasoning is sold at many grocery stores. It is prepared from dried and grated cloves. The chemical composition of garlic powder is represented by the same substances, only their amount per 100 g of product can vary. Nutritional value is 331 kcal. These are 16.55 g of proteins, 0.73 g of fat and 72.73 g of carbohydrates.

Garlic seasoning in the form of a powder has a pronounced aroma, but, unlike a raw vegetable, leaves your breath fresh. This form of product is an excellent alternative precisely because of its qualities.

On the chemical composition of dried garlic

• Minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium.
• Vitamins: ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic and pantothenic acids, pyridoxine, folic acid, choline, betaine, alpha-tocopherol, phylloquinone.
• Lipids: saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols.
• Amino acids: tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, cystine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, valine, arginine, histidine, alanine, aspartic and glutamic acids, glycine, proline, serine.

What is rich in young green garlic?

Many people cut the leaves of a vegetable crop and throw it either in a bin or in a compost pit. Few people know that the green part of young garlic has no less benefit than “cloves”. There are even recipes from which you can learn how to make leaves, and in which cases they are best used.

We have already examined the chemical composition of garlic (in the table above). In principle, the same information could be transferred to this section, but we will not repeat it. Young green leaves, as well as fresh and dried fruits, are rich in B vitamins, as well as C, E, K and PP. They contain interchangeable and irreplaceable amino acids, macro- and microelements, which make the young fruit and leaves no less useful. It should be noted that the content of some substances in this case is even greater than in the "old" garlic. Nutritional value is 149 kcal. Young garlic contains 0.5 g of fat, 2.1 g of dietary fiber, 6.36 g of protein, 33.06 g of carbohydrates, 1.5 g of ash and 58.58 g of water.

On the positive qualities of a vegetable crop

Now the most interesting is the beneficial properties of garlic. The composition of garlic is such that the vegetable has a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body. It is important to know that the normal daily amount is not more than 15 g.

Many different useful substances in the composition, of course, is of great importance when considering the beneficial properties of this product. And all this will be discussed in the article. But it’s worth starting with garlic essential oil. Its content in vegetable culture can be from 0.23 to 0.74%. How is it remarkable? It is in essential oil that contains allicin - the main component in the biochemical composition of garlic. It is a powerful antioxidant, the action of which is aimed at binding dangerous substances - free radicals. This process is important, because if they have no one to “attach” to, the most terrible thing will happen - the destruction of the genetic apparatus of the cell. This threatens uncontrolled cell division and, as a consequence, the formation of a malignant neoplasm. A cell with a damaged genetic apparatus produces “alien” proteins for the body that cause toxic poisoning. In the course of research, it was found that garlic is an effective therapeutic tool in the fight against cancer at any stage.

Allicin is a powerful antiseptic that inhibits the activity of pathogenic microorganisms. In this case, beneficial bacteria remain in the body. How allicin manages to separate the "good" from the "bad", because even antibiotics destroy everything, scientists have not yet been able to find out. Nevertheless, this fact deserves attention.

Considering all the beneficial properties of garlic is very difficult. It will probably take a whole volume. But to learn briefly about its positive qualities is quite real. In addition to resisting free radicals, garlic also prevents the development of dysbiosis, fungal infections of the body both inside and outside, as well as intestinal infections and helminthic invasions. In addition, vegetable culture is famous for such healing properties:

• maintaining the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• lowering blood pressure;
• normalization of blood composition;
• lowering the level of bad cholesterol in the blood;
• obstruction of thrombosis;
• facilitating the absorption of glucose;
• strengthening the body's defenses;
• normalization of the gastrointestinal tract.

The chemical composition of garlic includes vitamin B1, which stabilizes the nervous system. Therefore, vegetable culture is able to calm and relieve stress. Vitamin B1 is also involved in energy processes in cells. Phytoncides make garlic an excellent prophylactic against acute respiratory viral infections.

As for nutrition itself, vegetable culture “disinfects” the intestines, preventing the development of various pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract. Garlic is recommended to be added to fatty foods to stimulate digestion, starting the process of bile production and simplifying digestion. The vegetable is especially useful in the autumn-spring period, as it is rich in vitamins and various elements. It is also recommended to eat a little garlic daily to prevent the occurrence of various pathologies in all systems.

The harm that a vegetable can cause to the body, and some recommendations

The chemical composition of garlic can not only benefit, but also worsen well-being in some conditions. So, you can not use it in large quantities. There are cases when an excessive "dose" led to spasm of the coronary vessels and cerebral vessels. So it should be remembered that everything is good in moderation.

Recently, on the Internet, you can see information that garlic is an almost poisonous vegetable, and its use in food is extremely harmful to humans. Allegedly, this is fraught with a slowdown in reactions and the process of thinking. However, there is no scientific confirmation of this data.

Some parents force their children to eat this vegetable crop, because "it’s so good for health." Do not force-feed your child garlic. After all, adults themselves do not eat the product that he does not like? So you don’t need to torture children.

Although rich in a wide variety of useful substances, the properties of garlic can be negative. For example, individual intolerance to a product. If such a condition has been identified, it is impossible to consume a vegetable crop in any case. By the way, garlic should only be eaten raw, or added to dishes at the very end of cooking, since heat treatment kills all the nutrients.

Garlic can also not be consumed at a body temperature of over 38 degrees and with excess weight. Especially if obesity is diagnosed in a child. If an adult is still able to somehow struggle with increased appetite, then it is more difficult for children to cope with this. Of course, garlic contains vitamins, and its calorie content is low, but the vegetable, as already mentioned, contributes to the production of gastric juice. This process can cause excessive appetite.

It is not recommended to eat garlic before bedtime and with disorders of the nervous system, such as epilepsy. It is contraindicated in serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.

What is garlic famous for in traditional medicine and home cosmetology?

There are many recipes that can be repeated at home to fix various problems. For example, various mixtures and infusions are prepared from garlic, which can relieve insomnia, toothache, runny nose, sore throat, colds, and even bronchitis and whooping cough. There are "medicines" based on this vegetable culture that help with atherosclerosis and chronic fatigue, angina pectoris and shortness of breath. For example, if a sore throat is overcome, it is recommended that 3-4 cloves of garlic be filled with boiling milk and add a tablespoon of honey. And with whooping cough, an excellent auxiliary therapeutic agent is rubbing a mixture of pork ghee and garlic juice into the neck and chest.

Description of garlic, composition and its useful properties give reason to think about how useful the product is in cosmetology. It helps to eliminate various problems associated with hair, skin and nails.

For example, to get rid of inflammatory processes on the skin, the face should be wiped with vegetable oil, and then apply gruel from crushed garlic. In addition, vegetable culture helps to get rid of various growths on the skin, like warts, corns and papillomas.

Garlic is a universal remedy for many pathologies that develop inside the body. This is a unique seasoning, without which many first and second courses, as well as snacks, will not be able to be full. You do not need to use it in large quantities, it is important to simply know that even a small “clove”, if you eat it daily (in the absence of contraindications), can have a positive effect by saturating the body with a variety of useful substances. And for those who have bad breath after eating this product, it is recommended to try the vegetable in powder. And it is better to prepare such a seasoning yourself from homemade garlic, since its useful properties directly depend on the quality of the seed and the growing conditions.