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Garlic for Weight Loss: Benefits, Nutritional Profile, and Recipes

Dr. Debatri Datta
Reviewed by Dr. Debatri Datta
MBBS, MD in Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy
Written by : Dr. Debatri Datta
Updated on: January 5, 2025

Garlic is one of the most loved foods around the world. The flavour that it lends complements Indian and global cuisines alike. Garlic is power-packed with nutrients and offers an impressive list of benefits. It helps enhance immunity, controls blood pressure, protects blood vessels from damage, cures inflammation, and lowers the risk of heart disease. One of the most loved benefits of garlic is that it helps in weight loss. It is arguably the tastiest appetite suppressant and detoxifying agent. Enriched with fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin C, calcium and manganese, garlic can be a promising addition to your weight loss diet. In this article, let us explore the health benefits of garlic, its nutritional composition, the varieties of garlic and recipes that can help you use garlic for weight loss.Read More

Nutritional Profile of Garlic (Per 100 Grams)

Garlic and weight loss are strongly connected. Garlic is low in calories and high in nutritional value. Below is the nutritional value of garlic per one hundred grams:

Nutrient Amount (Per 100g) [1]
Protein 6.36 g
Fat 0.5 g
Carbohydrate 33 g
Energy 149 kcal
Sugar 1 g
Fibre 2.1 g
Calcium 181 mg
Iron 1.7 mg
Magnesium  25 mg
Phosphorus 153 mg
Potassium 401 mg
Sodium 17 mg
Zinc 1.16 mg
Copper 0.3 mg
Manganese 1.7 mg
Thiamin 0.2 mg
Vitamin C 31 mg
Riboflavin 0.11 mg
Niacin 0.7 mg
Pantothenic Acid 0.6 mg
Vitamin B6 1.2 mg
Folate 3 µg
Saturated Fatty Acids 0.1 g

Benefits of Garlic for Weight Loss:

Can garlic help in weight loss? The answer to this question is a resounding yes. Garlic offers holistic health benefits that help manage weight while maintaining good health. Let us learn more about the health benefits of garlic.

1. Appetite Control:

Garlic is rich in the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is known as a building block for serotonin. It has been proposed that increased serotonin levels help people attain satiety and as a result, prevent them from overeating. Thus a garlic-rich diet prevents you from overeating and keeps weight in check. [2]

2. Boosts Metabolism:

Garlic has a thermogenic property which means that it can increase the body’s heat production. This in turn leads to higher metabolic activity and faster burning of calories. Both of these factors help in weight management. [3]

3. Fat Burning:

Garlic is rich in enzymes that can stimulate the fat-burning process. There are energy reserves in the body in the form of fats which are utilized as and when the body requires them. Garlic enhances this process called fat lipolysis which results in the depletion of the total fat stored in the body.

4. Lowers Blood Sugar Levels:

Garlic is beneficial in controlling insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when your body cannot properly use insulin. A garlic-rich diet counters this irregularity and allows the body to make optimum and efficient use of insulin. This helps in maintaining blood sugar levels. Furthermore, stable levels of blood sugar are also beneficial in regulating your appetite, thereby assisting in a healthy lifestyle. [4]

5. Reduces Fat Storage:

Research indicates that daily consumption of raw garlic extract can help in effective weight loss by reducing adipose tissue mass. In simple terms, Adipose tissue mass means the distribution of fat cells throughout the body. Consumption of garlic also helps improve plasma lipid profile which measures the amount of fat molecules called lipids in your blood. [5]

6. Improves Digestive Health:

Garlic stimulates digestion and thus helps in the effective absorption of nutrients from the diet. This results in appetite control and also addresses issues like bloating or cravings due to deficiencies.

7. Detoxification:

Garlic has antimicrobial properties that help purify the blood and keep the intestines free from bacteria and viruses. The organo-sulphur compounds present in garlic help maintain liver health. Garlic increases the effective excretion of toxic compounds by up to 50%. All these factors help in effective weight management by keeping bodily functions in check. [6]

Different Types of Garlic Used for Weight Loss

So now that we have established that Garlic for weight loss is a good idea, let us discuss the different varieties of this wonder vegetable. Each variety has its benefits and your weight loss depends on the variety of garlic used. Let’s elaborate on the varieties of garlic and their effect on weight management.

1. Softneck Garlic:

This kind of garlic is the most widespread and is used in many recipes. Its mild flavour is its greatest asset, as it is easily masked by other food components. Softneck garlic is dense in nutrients and even helps suppress hunger because of enhanced fat-solubilizing BMR. Softneck garlic is the most promising garlic for weight loss.

2. Hardneck Garlic:

Allicin, present in garlic, has many health benefits and is more common in hardneck garlic with a stronger flavour; therefore, Hardneck garlic is preferable for these two factors—burning fat and driving metabolism. For those who wish to use garlic to help them lose weight, this type may be the most useful.

3. Black Garlic:

Black garlic is the end product of garlic cloves that have been allowed to ferment over a few weeks. Yes, the process of fermentation is what makes black garlic sweet, but most importantly, it enhances the antioxidants in it. These antioxidants help control inflammation and improve the body’s metabolism, resulting in effective weight loss.

4. Elephant Garlic:

Elephant garlic has nearly the same benefits as softneck garlic, only with a gentler flavor. Due to its broader cloves, it is easier to take in larger quantities of it. Thus, it retains metabolic benefits similar to those of normal garlic. In case normal garlic seems too potent, this could be the ideal alternative as it provides weight loss assistance.

Simple Garlic Roasted Salmon Recipe for Weight Loss

Who says that your weight loss journey has to be boring and tasteless? Here’s a quick and tasty recipe to use garlic for weight loss. Enjoy the delectable essence of garlic in this simple salmon dish. Just follow the steps and enjoy your weight loss journey.

Ingredients:

  • 4 salmon fillets
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  • Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Spread the garlic mixture evenly over the salmon fillets.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Preparation Time:

  • 20 minutes

How to Consume Garlic for Weight Loss?

Garlic is a versatile ingredient and can be used in varied recipes. Here are some flavorful ways to include this superfood in your diet.

1. Raw Garlic:

Chewing or swallowing a fresh garlic clove is one of the most effective and beneficial ways of preserving health and losing weight. Chewing a clove of garlic on an empty stomach in the morning will give the perfect kickstart to your body for improved metabolism and better digestion throughout the day. This can facilitate fat-burning even when your body is practically at rest.

2. Garlic Tea:

Garlic tea is another easy recipe that can help with weight loss. The procedure includes boiling some water in a teapot. While the water is boiling cut 1/8th slices of ginger and garlic and pour into a tea cup. Add a few drops of honey for sweetness and a slice of lemon for citrus flavour. On this pour the just boiled water and let the flavors blend into the tea for a while. Your hot tea is ready.

3. Garlic with Honey:

Mixing garlic and honey is a great option if you struggle to swallow raw garlic. Of course, honey also has some health properties, and as a bonus, it takes the edge off the strong taste of garlic. Such a combination can be taken regularly to boost metabolism and control weight.

4. Garlic with Lime Juice:

For added benefits, one may add garlic to lime juice. Lime is a good source of vitamin C, which is well-reputed for boosting immunity and assisting digestion for weight loss.

Best Time to Consume Garlic for Weight Loss

The best results can be achieved when you consume garlic on an empty stomach preferably early in the morning. This allows your body to effectively absorb garlic’s active ingredients which assist in digestion, controlling appetite, and improving the body’s metabolism throughout the day.

Takeaway

Garlic is a remarkable natural ingredient that can help you lose weight by managing your appetite, increasing metabolism, and facilitating fat burning. There are several different types of garlic, each with its benefits and can be incorporated into several recipes. Whether consuming raw garlic or savouring it as an ingredient in your tea or some dish, garlic can help you achieve the desired weight loss.

If you wish to lose weight and are looking for a planned diet that contains garlic along with many other wholesome balanced nutrients tailored to your needs, please give us a call at 82978 82978 or Book an appointment with us right now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Garlic can be included in your diet to promote appetite control and facilitate fat loss. To maximize its effectiveness, a strict eating regime is recommended.

1-2 cloves of garlic each day is deemed adequate for weight management goals.

Yes, you can consume garlic daily since it promotes fat loss and healthy metabolism.

It is best to consume garlic on an empty stomach in the morning, but it’s nevertheless permissible to take it at night.

Yes, raw garlic is great for weight loss.

Yes, raw garlic is great for weight loss.

For weight loss, it is advisable to consume 1-2 cloves of garlic a day.

One clove of garlic contains around 4 calories, making it a low-calorie addition to your diet.

Garlic helps enhance immunity, controls blood pressure, protects blood vessels from damage, cures inflammation, and lowers the risk of heart disease. It also improves metabolism and helps keep weight in check.

Overconsumption of garlic may lead to several digestive reactions, heartburn, or foul smell from the mouth.

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