Posted on 09/25/2021 2:45:42 PM PDT by be-baw
is arguably one of the most important things to pay attention to when it comes to your overall health, as it can impact your risk of things like excessive weight gain, gastrointestinal disease, and even cancer.
As more and more research is being done, experts are finding that food and diet play a large role in the care of your gut health. In fact, foods like yogurt, sprouted grains, salmon, and garlic have all been found to contribute in a positive way.
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One food that stands out, in particular, is garlic. Not only because it's delicious, but also because it's been used medicinally for thousands of years. One major effect garlic has on your gut that researchers have recently discovered is its ability to act as a prebiotic for your gut microbiome.
But why is this so important? Well, maintaining a balanced gut microbiome is crucial because this is the group of bacteria, fungi, and other components that live in your digestive tract, which directly impact things like your digestion, immune system, and even your mental health!
Keep reading to learn why exactly prebiotic foods like garlic are necessary for maintaining a healthy gut, and for more healthy eating tips, make sure to check out The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
First, what is garlic made up of? Garlic may be small, but it is actually a complex food with many different types of nutrients and compounds that make it a common medicinal addition to meals.
According to Nutrients, garlic cloves are made mostly of carbohydrates but also contain protein, fiber, amino acids, water, and organosulfur compounds (which are also found in broccoli, onions, and cabbage).
The majority of carbohydrates found in garlic are fructose polymers known as fructans. Although more research is continually being done on the health benefits of fructans, many experts do consider them to be "health-promoting food ingredients."
For example, a report published in The Scientific World Journal states that fructans have been known to promote better immune health, act as antioxidants in the body, and potentially act as prebiotics in the gut.
How garlic helps your gut
It's important to note that much of the current research on garlic and gut health is done through animal studies, so more needs to be discovered specifically related to human health.
However, the current findings that do exist on garlic and human health are positive, showing many specific benefits to the human gut microbiome.
According to Food Science & Human Wellness, the fructans found in garlic act as "prebiotics" in the gut microbiome and help promote the production of "good" gut bacteria (also known as Bifidobacteria).
Prebiotics are able to do this by passing through your digestive tract without actually being digested, which allows them to be used as food for the good bacteria in your gut, therefore helping to keep the other bacteria in your gut at bay.
Not only that, but according to the Encyclopedia of Food and Health, prebiotics have been known to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer and other serious diseases.
So, it's easy to see that garlic really does have some amazing benefits to your gut health, and although more research still needs to be done, the current results are promising!
It also keeps vampires away.
“The majority of carbohydrates found in garlic are fructose polymers known as fructans.”
So, where is the High Fructose Garlic Syrup?
Reduces the risk of social diseases, as well.
All things I have to be careful with or I end up spending way to much time in the littlest room.
It is sad because I love them so but there it is.
High-fructose corn syrup (HCFS) seems like an unlikely villain, since HCFS is 55% fructose, 45% glucose, whereas cane sugar is 50% fructose and 50% glucose (molecularly bound, but separated before it even hits your stomach), and fruit sugar is 100% fructose.
But fructans are NOT digested into fructose from what this article seems to say. Some polymers are easily digested (starch), others are not (chitin, the exoskeleton of lobsters; or cellulose, also known as insoluble plant fiber.)
Can you eat my broccoli?
So the JAN 6 Patriots should have had it on-hand while visiting the District of Corruption?
Not so harmless, are you? ;)
John Belushi: “It’s not supposed to smell like roses!”
This right here, sounds like clickbait...
I eat kim chee everyday.
“Science”?! The same “science” that doesn’t recognize the chromosome thingy?
Fructose is converted to glucose before it is utilized by your body. Therein lies the problem.
It keeps everyone away. That smell on people is nasty. I’d rather smell cigarette smoke. I have a friend that eats garlic every night. I can’t be around them at all!!!!!
ROFL!
When I was a kid, my Grandparents always smelled funny. I thought that was because they were old. (They did eat TONS of garlic.)
When I was in college I literally dated the guy next door. We cooked a lot of meals together. I discovered the garlic press back then and we put tons of beloved garlic in our food. After a couple months we started to smell like just like my Grands!
True. But if 55% fructose corn syrup were so much deadlier than 50% cane sugar, people who drink 100% fructose fruit juice should be dropping like flies. Fruit flies.
It is totally off limits and I make a really good one even if I do say so myself but the price of eating it is high.
It doesn't. :^/
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