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Is Garlic Acidic? And Bad For Acid Reflux?

Garlic is mildly acidic, with a pH of 5.3. Compared to water, which has a pH of 7, garlic is just a little bit more acidic. However, when the acidity of garlic is compared to that of lemons, the difference is significant.

This article will discuss the acidity of garlic. We’ll also cover other information, such as garlic’s benefits and side effects, so read on.

What Is Garlic?

Garlic Acidic

Garlic is a pungent, aromatic bulb. It is used as a spice and herb in cooking, as well as for its alleged health benefits. 

Garlic’s use in cooking is primarily for flavor, with the exception of garlic salt, which is produced by combining dried garlic powder with table salt.

It is used in traditional medicine for its antibiotic and antifungal properties. However, there does not appear to be any scientific evidence supporting this use.

Benefits Of Garlic

Garlic is a wonder food. It’s packed with antioxidants and has been used to help treat everything from the common cold to cancer. Here are some of garlic’s health benefits:

Boosts Immunity

Allicin, found in large amounts in garlic, helps boost the immune system by making the body make more white blood cells.

Garlic can also stop bacteria and viruses from multiplying, which helps keep your body from getting sick. Also, garlic has a lot of antioxidants that keep your cells from getting hurt by free radicals.

Finally, garlic also helps your immune system by making your blood flow better all over your body. This lets more oxygen and nutrients get to your organs and tissues.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Garlic may help lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels by up to 11.2 mm Hg. In some cases, garlic supplements may work as well as regular blood-pressure-lowering drugs, but with fewer side effects.

Relieves Pain

Garlic is a great option for treating pain. It is an anti-inflammatory, which means it can reduce the swelling and inflammation of your joints.

It also helps kill bacteria in your joints and the tissue around them because it is antibacterial. This will help keep infections from happening and reduce swelling even more.

Improves Blood Sugar Levels

Garlic is a great way to improve and stabilize blood sugar levels. It has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but it will also help to reduce blood sugar levels in people who do not have diabetes.

Help Prevent And Treat The Common Cold

Garlic Acidic

Garlic has antiviral properties, meaning it could help reduce the duration of a cold or flu. In addition, consuming raw garlic can significantly reduce the duration and severity of your cold symptoms.

It can boost your immune system as well as fight bacteria associated with sinus infections and bronchitis.

RELATED: Are Lemons Acidic? And Bad For Acid Reflux?

Side Effects Of Garlic

Though garlic has plenty of benefits, it also has its own drawbacks, which include:

  • Garlic can cause bad breath. Garlic is an aromatic food, so it’s not surprising that it may leave a lingering odor on your breath. 
  • Garlic can cause stomach aches. The powdery substance in garlic can irritate the lining of your stomach when consumed.
  • Garlic can cause gas. Eating fresh garlic can lead to flatulence because of allicin’s ability to break down protein structures inside your digestive tract.

Measuring The Acidity Of Garlic

Even though it has a strong flavor, garlic is a low-acid vegetable. The acidity of garlic is important to measure because it can affect how you store and prepare the vegetable.

How you cook with garlic and how long it takes for your body to break it down also depend on how acidic it is.

The pH level scale runs from 0 to 14. 0 is the most acidic, 7 neutral, and 14 alkalines. We use this scale because humans are made up of mostly water, and the pH level of our bodies is important for keeping us healthy.

Our blood needs to be slightly alkaline at about 7.35 in order to function properly. So if our blood becomes too acidic, which is below about 6.8, it can cause all sorts of problems for us down the road.

Why Is Garlic Acidic?

Garlic Acidic

Garlic is acidic because it contains allicin, a sulfur-containing compound that gives garlic its bitter flavor and the ability to fight bacteria. This compound is also what makes garlic smell so strong.

Allicin is found in all parts of the garlic plant. However, only about 2 percent of allicin is present in the bulb itself. Garlic powder has been shown to contain up to eight times more allicin than fresh garlic.

What Is Allicin?

Allicin is found in garlic. It is a compound that’s produced when alliin, an amino acid, is exposed to water and is then broken down by enzymes. Allicin has a pungent odor and can cause tears, coughing, and redness in the eyes.

It has been shown to have several potential benefits for your health, including:

Reduces Blood Pressure: Allicin helps lower blood pressure by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for constricting blood vessels. This makes your heart work less hard and makes your blood flow better.

Combats Inflammation: Allicin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that has been shown to decrease swelling, redness, and pain associated with arthritis, tendonitis, and other inflammatory conditions.

Fights Bacteria and Viruses: Allicin is an antioxidant that can kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus while keeping your immune system strong enough to fight off viral infections like the flu or common colds without needing any over-the-counter medicines!

Antioxidant Properties: Allicin contains sulfur compounds which are powerful antioxidants that help prevent damage caused by free radicals in your body’s cells while also boosting their ability to repair themselves more efficiently than ever before!

Side effects of allicin are few, but they include:

  • Allergic reactions to the garlic. If you have allergies to garlic or onions, you should avoid taking allicin.
  • Increased bleeding time due to the blood thinning effects of allicin.

Ways To Use Garlic When Cooking

It’s easy to see why garlic is a staple in so many dishes. Garlic’s strong smell and taste have been shown to be good for your health. It’s also a great way to make food taste better without adding fat or calories.

Garlic is a powerful ingredient that can bring out the best in your food. Here are some ways to use garlic when cooking:

  • Fry garlic to add a crispy texture and an intense garlic flavor to your dishes. It’s a great addition to salads, pasta dishes, and even popcorn!
  • Most recipes can be made with garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. It’s also easier to use than fresh garlic because it doesn’t need to be peeled or chopped.
  • Garlic salt is perfect for seasoning meats like chicken and fish or for sprinkling over popcorn.
  • Use it in aioli sauce. It’s delicious on sandwiches or as an appetizer dip.
  • Add it to your favorite soup or stew for a delicious, heart-healthy kick.
  • Use minced garlic as a rub for meat or poultry before cooking it. It’ll flavor the meat and make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan.
  • Add roasted garlic to marinades or dressings, or use it in place of butter when making mashed potatoes or potato salad.

Delicious Garlic Recipes For You!

Do you love the aroma of garlic? Here is another reason you will love garlic: the dishes you can make with it. Of course, garlic can give you bad breath, but the flavors it adds to your food are what all are willing to have a bad breath.

Moreover, garlic has abundant health benefits, from curing colds to cancer. Other effects it can have on the body are keeping your blood pressure level regular and helping relieve pain.

Whether a non-veg lover or a vegetarian, garlic can add great flavors to both. Let us look at some recipes with garlic.

3 Best Garlic Recipes

RecipeCaloriesPreparation Time

Wingstop Garlic Parmesan Wings
31222 Minutes
Skillet Potatoes With Red Pepper And Whole Garlic Cloves13135 Minutes
Garlic Grilled Steaks37315 Minutes

1. Wingstop Garlic Parmesan Wings

When we talk about chicken wings, spicy flavors come to your mind. But all people do not like spicy flavors. So here is an exotic garlic flavor that you can try. 

You can have all the flavors in one dish and enjoy your juicy meat. You need 10-12 wings, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, salt, flour, and Creole seasoning.

To make the parmesan sauce, you need unsalted butter, minced garlic, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. If you want to make the chicken extra crunchy, you can use flour to coat it.

Calories Per Serving: 312

Preparation Time: 22 Minutes

RELATED: Is Mango an Acidic Food? The Truth About Mangoes and Health

2. Skillet Potatoes With Red Pepper And Whole Garlic Cloves

Here is one dish for all potato lovers with a mix of garlic. Of course, it would help if you had some peeled garlic cloves, olive oil, red pepper, potatoes, and salt.

Take a saucepan to heat the oil on low heat and add garlic cloves until they become tender. Put the potatoes in it and stir with salt and pepper for 15 minutes.

Add red pepper to this mixture and cook for 10 minutes uncovered. It is a great healthy meal option for you and does not take much time.

Calories Per Serving: 131

Preparation Time: 35 Minutes

3. Garlic Grilled Steaks

All people who eat non-veg love steak. The secret of a good steak is that one should cook them properly. Here is a recipe to cook steak with mesmerizing flavors

Some lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce will add great flavor to your steak. Also, garlic cloves add great flavor to any dish, so we will use those for making this.

Take a saucepan and put the steak to cook for 5-7 minutes. Take a brush to apply garlic mixture to the steak while you toss it.

Calories Per Serving: 373

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Garlic Cause Acid Reflux?

Garlic can cause acid reflux. In addition, it can make acid reflux worse. This is why it’s best to avoid eating garlic if you have a history of acid reflux.

For people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), garlic can cause the symptoms of GERD to get worse for a few hours after eating.

This is because both foods and medications that help reduce stomach acid are hard for your body to break down and digest properly when they contain garlic or other spices. 

Can You Eat Raw Garlic?

Raw garlic is just as healthy as cooked garlic and has many of the same health benefits. Some people even say it’s healthier because it contains allicin, a compound that helps fight off infections and boost immunity. 

Raw garlic is perfectly safe to eat, but others choose not to because of the following:

  • Raw garlic can be harsh on your breath and cause bad breath if you eat too much of it. To avoid this problem, try chewing gum after eating raw garlic or even brushing your teeth.
  • Some people believe that eating too much raw garlic can cause heartburn or indigestion. 
  • People who aren’t big fans of garlic may find it too pungent and spicy.

Is Raw Garlic Healthier Than Cooked Garlic?

Allicin from garlic is only released when it is crushed or cut. So, eating it raw will give you more of this beneficial compound than if you were to cook it.

Therefore, if you can handle the flavor and smell of garlic, you should eat garlic raw.

Will Cooking Remove Garlic’s Acidity?

Although the flavor and appearance of garlic change once it is cooked, its acidity does not change. Cooked garlic will have the same acidity as raw garlic.

Is Garlic Acidic? And Bad For Acid Reflux?

Garlic is a food that is often enjoyed by people all over the world. Though it is not acidic in nature, some people believe that it can aggravate acid reflux.

Directions

  • Pick a recipe from the list above
  • Click the recipe name and visit the website
  • Collect the ingredients and cook the food
  • Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

Jess Smith
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