Top 5 Garlic Supplements: Essential Gut Health Nutrients
Garlic is one of the healthiest foods out there. Not only does it taste good and can change every recipe, but it also has numerous benefits over your health. It is also rich in prebiotics, which basically feed the gut bacteria. Whether you suffer from an imbalance or your gut needs some support, garlic is an excellent antibiotic and a prebiotic. All in all, here are some of the best garlic supplements out there.
Garlic and honey
Both garlic and honey are considered superfoods. Get some chopped or crushed garlic (do it yourself) over readymade garlic or garlic oil. Sure, these supplements are not to be overlooked either, but fresh garlic has more nutrients than other alternatives. Plus, such things may also contain preservatives and other undesired ingredients.
Mix the crushed garlic with raw, pure honey. Honey comes in more varieties, but the eucalyptus and citrus options are the most nutritive ones. You need a tablespoon of honey. Mix them up and while the taste may not be extraordinary, a few spoons a day will help. You can also use them individually – garlic for your foods and honey for your tea.
Garlic guacamole
Ideally, garlic should be eaten raw for maximum efficiency. There are more ways to ensure a raw ingestion and the green garlic guacamole is probably the best one. If you are not such a big fan of the garlic flavor, come up with this recipe in early summer. Obviously, you can dilute the garlic flavor by adding more of everything else.
You need a couple of avocados (good source of healthy fats), some salt, garlic (as much as you want), onions, tomatoes and small bits for flavor and aroma – such as a lemon, salt, pepper or even some green chilies. Everyone has their own recipe for guacamole and the good news is there are no set rules – your preferences come first.
Garlic salads
Garlic goes in any salad. It is that extra bit of aroma and flavor you need. Sure, different people have different preferences when it comes to the potential combinations. What works for some will not work for everyone else. The good news is when used in salad, garlic is normally raw and healthy, so you keep all the nutrients intact. Simply slice garlic cloves into any type of salad.
If you want a more Italian approach or you want a bit of flavor on your bread, get some garlic cloves, crush them a little and spread the result on toasted bread. Take it even further and mix crushed garlic into any type of stew or soup. You can cook it, but you can also leave it raw – either way, it tastes great and adds to the flavor.
Fermented foods and garlic
Fermented foods are a must for your gut health. No matter what the problem is, fermented foods are rich in prebiotics, which will help out. You have a wide variety of options out there, since you can pickle pretty much any food. They are safe, healthy, taste good and can make good sides to any type of dish out there. Now, how do you bring garlic in?
Pickled garlic may seem difficult, but the process is simple. You will need the cloves from three garlic bulbs, vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, chili or flakes, fresh basil and a few spice berries. Pickled cloves make a good alternative if you dislike the taste of fresh garlic. You can take this venture even further and stuff pitted olives with pickled garlic.
Garlic kimchi
Garlic kimchi represents another good way to implement garlic into your diet and help your gut. Garlic kimchi also implies using fermentation. The paste will work wonders with other fermented vegetables. It tends to be a bit spicier than other fermented foods, but it can be delicious when mixed with the right foods. It is also rich in nutrients and allows a deep level of customization.
As a short final conclusion, there are a bunch of different ways to implement garlic into your diet and help your gut. There are numerous garlic based supplements, as well as homemade remedies – such as the above mentioned ideas – to grab some of the nutritious characteristic of this superfood.