Did you know that garlic can do a lot more for you than make food extra tasty, or ward off stray vampires? Before you go stuffing your face with garlic bread, there’s a far more convenient — and healthier — option for getting in all the health benefits that garlic has to offer; it’s called odourless garlic.
Odourless garlic is an easy way to get the health benefits of garlic without the questionable breath. Garlic has been investigated thoroughly over the last decade resulting in over 1000 scientific studies alone. So, should you be supplementing with odourless garlic in your daily routine?
This article will go over the health benefits and potential side effects of garlic, and why you should think about adding odourless garlic into your supplement regime.
In this article, you'll find:
What is odourless garlic?
Garlic is an edible plant found in the allium (onion) species. It’s also a fantastic cooking ingredient for adding flavour that’s also associated with many health benefits. One of the main issues with eating a lot of garlic is that it can leave a pretty pungent smell and aftertaste. Thanks to modern-day science, there’s a convenient way to get the health benefits from garlic without the strong taste and smell. Odourless garlic is a concentrated form of garlic that comes in a convenient capsule. It’s released quickly into the bloodstream, but leaves no unwanted tastes or smells.
Health benefits of garlic
Garlic has been used in alternative health circles for many years. To date, there’s a growing body of scientific research that supports some of the uses in a more clinical setting.
Most of the health benefits of odourless garlic are from a compound in raw garlic called allicin. Allicin is destroyed when garlic is heated beyond a certain point. Raw garlic contains the active compounds that are associated with garlic’s health benefits.2
A supplement form of odourless garlic can preserve the health benefits of allicin, but the capsules must have a high allinase activity and disintegrate quickly for the compound to be active. 2 This means that the garlic capsules must break down quickly for you to get the health benefits from the supplement. If the digestion and gastric emptying is too slow then the benefits of the allicin are lost.
Now you might be wondering, what exactly are the health benefits of garlic?
1. Potentially lower blood pressure
Garlic has been shown over the years to have many powerful pharmacological effects on the cardiovascular system. Some studies have shown that having a diet high in garlic has a strong association with lower blood pressure. 4 Other studies have shown garlic to reduce systolic blood pressure and could help to prevent high blood pressure.4
Garlic has also shown some positive effects on blood triglycerides (fats in the blood) as well as overall cholesterol levels. Most of the benefits are seen in animal studies, which don’t always translate well to humans, but the results do look promising, so further investigation is needed. 4
2. Vasodilation
Garlic has been shown to help widen blood vessels which allows more nutrients to pass through them quicker. This is important and beneficial for overall health as it improves circulation and the efficient flow of nutrients transported throughout the body. 4
3. Antioxidant and neuroprotection
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals have strong links to many modern-day diseases such as unwanted inflammation. 3
Free radicals carry an unpaired electron which, when exposed to chemical processes in the body, can become hyper-reactive and cause damage to the body’s cells (known as oxidative stress). 3
Garlic possesses certain compounds which display a strong antioxidant effect and help “mop up” these unwanted free radicals and reduce oxidative stress on the body as a result. 3
Although studies are still limited, there’s a growing body of research on the use of garlic and its benefits to help protect the neural system.3
Potential side effects of raw garlic
To date, there are not many known side effects of having garlic in your diet. The ingestion of 1 or 2 cloves of raw garlic a day is considered safe for most. 3 There have been some reports of flatulence or gastrointestinal distress if garlic is eaten on an empty stomach in high amounts. 3
If garlic is applied topically, there may be issues if you have an allergy. The most common reported side effect of garlic is bad breath and poor body odour. These can both be negated by switching to a form of odourless garlic instead. 3
Take home message
Garlic has been used for centuries for its associated health benefits and it’s modern pharmacological uses have been supported by some scientific studies. By adding odourless garlic to your diet, you can get the best of both worlds. That means all of the potential health benefits, in a controlled amount without the unwanted odours.
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
- Kaye, A. D., Nossaman, B. D., Ibrahim, I. N., Feng, C. J., McNamara, D. B., Agrawal, K. C., & Kadowitz, P. J. (1995). Analysis of responses of allicin, a compound from garlic, in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat and in the rat. European Journal of Pharmacology, 276(1–2), 21–26.
- Lawson, L. D., & Hunsaker, S. M. (2018). Allicin Bioavailability and Bioequivalence from Garlic Supplements and Garlic Foods. Nutrients, 10(7). https://doi.org /10.3390/nu10070812
- Mathew, B., & Biju, R. (2008). Neuroprotective Effects of Garlic A Review. The Libyan Journal of Medicine, 3(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.4176/071110
- Mikaili, P., Maadirad, S., Moloudizargari, M., Aghajanshakeri, S., & Sarahroodi, S. (2013). Therapeutic Uses and Pharmacological Properties of Garlic, Shallot, and Their Biologically Active Compounds. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 16(10), 1031–1048.
- Qidwai, W., & Ashfaq, T. (2013). Role of Garlic Usage in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: An Evidence-Based Approach. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/125649
- Tattelman, E. (2005). Health effects of garlic. American Family Physician, 72(1), 103–106.
