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.
00:36 / 00:36
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!
I usually sprinkle a little apple cider vinegar on it...Now, I think I'll try adding a little garlic powder too.
+1
Thanks bump!
; -)
I'm not aware of any fruits containing only fructose. It looks to me like some fruits, like plums and bananas, have a slightly higher percentage of glucose than fructose.
Does that make her happy?
I’m just getting over covid. My wife, who’s a big believer in medicinal garlic is mad because she didn’t get covid from me.
And the smell from your skin keeps people at a distance so you don’t get their germs.
I go through so much garlic it’s ridiculous. I even cut up 3-4 large bulbs and boil it with my potatoes when I make mashed potatoes. lol
I love broccoli. Yesterday I made orzo and broccoli with a cheesy sauce.
What I meant is that the so-called fruit sugar is simply fructose, with no glucose at all, but there are other sugars in fruit juice.
I tried to find exactly which sugars are dominant, and what I found actually makes me think there ma BE something to this... Apple juice and prune juice always made me feel a little “oversugared,” but grape juice not as much, and orange juice, not really much at all.
Turns out apple juice is mostly fructose, grape juice varies by variety, and orange juice is mostly glucose and sucrose (with a decent amount of fructose, but, like sucrose, at least as much glucose as fructose).
FURTHER... there’s a 2019 article that’s new to me that suggests that to the body, “moderate” amounts of fructose means almost ZERO fructose in the blood stream and liver... but higher levels mean huge amounts of “spillover” from the intestine to the blood stream, liver, and intestinal fauna.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6032988/
If you’re eating broccoli for health reasons, I recommend that you start growing your own broccoli sprouts.
If you smell like Listerine and anti-bacteria toothpaste, stay away from me.
If you smell of garlic and onions, we’re pals.
I love kim chee but my faborite place to get it closed. Do you make it yoyrself or buy a good brand?
Much better since the women run from my garlic breath....
Went to a standing room only concert back in the day. The young couple in front of me must’ve stopped by the Garlic Shack before attending. I almost had to leave.
My friend who was in the military said kimchi is why you never March behind the S. Korean army.
What I have in the fridge right now is from these guys in New Jersey.
https://bingrekimchi.com/
I figure if I can get it in NH it can be had anywhere.
BTW, the pickled radish is fantastic.
It keeps EVERYONE away from me. Blue fog syndrome.
The gender issue is about what’s between people’s ears, not what’s between their legs.
I’m wearing it anytime I have to be near a Biden supporter!
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