Here’s how garlic may hold the promise of weight control

What the research says about weight control

Garlic was first known to ancient Egyptians who used it as both a food flavoring and traditional medicine. Different cultures use it for different uses like the Chinese use it for digestion and respiratory disorders and in Roman culture, it was used for gastrointestinal disorders and lessen joint diseases. The vital ingredient responsible for garlic’s magical properties is alliin. When you bite into garlic, alliin comes in contact with your body and becomes allicin which has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties. This compound is preserved in garlic when you have it raw. You need to consider that once you add the garlic in preparing your food, you tend to destroy this compound and its other healing properties by heating it. Eating it raw is best. Garlic helps in lowering cholesterol levels, treats the common cold, and strengthens your immune system.

The compounds in garlic are also known to be responsible for reducing body fat. This staple ingredient comes loaded with vitamin B6 and C, fiber, manganese, calcium, et al., all of which play a major role in weight management.

Clinical trials

The beneficial effects of garlic on obesity are also well-documented in clinical trials. A meta-analysis published in The Journal of Nutrition suggests that garlic supplementation seems to reduce waist circumference, but not body weight and body mass index (BMI).  Another study published in 2016 found that garlic powder supplements appeared to help reduce body weight and fat in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

In menopausal women

Garlic, specifically aged garlic extract, may even lead to weight loss in postmenopausal women. The 2012 study, which was published in Nutrition Research and Practice, found that postmenopausal women taking aged garlic extract daily for three months lost more weight (measured in body fat percentage and BMI) than those who did not.

Sulfur-containing compounds

So what is the magic compound in garlic that helps with weight control?  Evidence from animal and human research has shown that it is sulfur-containing compounds in garlic that may help people with weight control. One of the major sulfur-containing compounds in raw garlic is allicin. This has been shown to potentially prevent obesity and associated metabolic disorders by activating brown adipose tissue or brown fat.

How Brown Fat Burns Calories

Our bodies have several types of fat: white adipose tissue (white fat) and brown adipose tissue (brown fat). White fat is what we consider body fat. Unlike white fat, which stores calories and can lead to obesity, brown fat burns calories and has the potential to lead to weight loss. Unfortunately, most adults don’t have a lot of brown fat.

When the body gets cold, brown fat burns calories to produce heat, a process known as thermogenesis. In fact, brown fat burns a lot more calories than white fat does. So how does this relate to garlic?

Calorie burning process

The calorie-burning process can also be kicked into action by the sulfur-containing compounds presented in raw garlic. Many of these studies have published the effects of garlic supplements on animal models of obesity. A 2016 study found that oral administration of fermented garlic extract over eight weeks showed anti-obesity effects by reducing body weight, fat, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels and suppressing the formation of white fat cells in obese mice.

This is how garlic helps with weight-control

Garlic alone will not be sufficient for weight-control. However, when combined with healthy activities,  it will not just be slimming, but also really healthy for you.

1. Garlic is a known appetite suppressant. It helps keep you fuller for longer, further preventing you from overeating.
2. Garlic is highly nutritious but has very few calories.  This goes a long way to explaining why it helps with weight control.

   One clove (3 grams) of raw garlic contains:

   • Manganese: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
   • Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV
   • Vitamin C: 1% of the DV
   • Selenium: 1% of the DV
   • Fiber: 0.06 grams
   • Decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin B1

   This comes with 4.5 calories, 0.2 grams of protein, and 1 gram of carbs.

3. Garlic boosts energy levels which indirectly helps burn calories.
4. It is a great detoxifying agent. It helps flush out toxins that can be a hindrance to your digestive system. So, including garlic in your diet will only help keep your digestive system in check.

How to use garlic to lose weight and burn belly fat:

You could have raw garlic with water first thing in the morning. In fact, you can add lemon juice and garlic in warm water and drink the solution. Lemon juice is also used effectively for weight control and is said to be one of the best ingredients to help you cut the bulge. You can also eat garlic with honey for a tasty super-boost.