Should you eat garlic if you have stomach disease?

Ask your doctor, does garlic cause acid reflux, stomach pain and flatulence. How much garlic should be eaten per day is good for health?

Garlic is rich in protein and nutrients such as B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6), iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. However, garlic can reduce the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter - the muscle that prevents food from staying in the stomach when it contracts and is pushed back up the esophagus. When this muscle is weak, the top of the stomach does not close tightly, leading to reflux of food and acid up the esophagus, causing burning sensation, heartburn, nausea.

Garlic is high in fructose, which can cause bloating and stomach pain in people with fructose intolerance. This is because fructose is not digested in the small intestine, travels straight down to the colon, where it ferments causing bloating and other digestive problems. People with pre-existing diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, stomach, and colon should be cautious when using garlic.

Garlic has the effect of thinning the blood, preventing the formation of blood clots, inhibiting platelet aggregation, increasing the risk of bleeding and blood loss. People who eat more than 12 g of garlic per day (about 4 cloves) have a higher risk of bleeding during surgery. Garlic is rich in sulfur compounds, which can cause bad breath, especially when eaten in large quantities and eaten raw. When garlic is cooked, the sulfur content is reduced, which is less likely to cause this condition.

People with inflammatory bowel disease should not eat garlic, because garlic stimulates the intestines, leading to increased uric acid in the intestinal mucosa, causing edema, making the disease worse.

However, garlic has many effective antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Daily use of garlic helps to prevent colds and diseases caused by bacteria and viruses. Vitamins and antioxidants also improve bone and joint function, beautify the skin, and improve physical strength for men.

In many studies, garlic has the effect of reducing the risk of cancer, especially intestinal cancer. Cancer patients can still eat garlic normally but should not eat too much.

For the best health, you should only use one to two cloves of garlic per day (3-6 g).