Garlic contains fructans which can cause digestive distress.
However, it is unlikely to be consumed in high enough amounts to cause extreme issues.
For those who are very sensitive to fructans, they might consider an elimination diet to test their intolerance to garlic as this will vary from person to person.
Garlic contains juices that, when broken down in the stomach, can release gases and irritate the bowels.
Garlic is a fructan, a carb that the body finds difficult to digest.
Some people may suffer from fructan intolerance and consuming garlic can make you poop.
People who struggle to digest fructans can experience bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea.
It depends on the person and consuming garlic could actually prevent you from pooping.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or symptoms similar to IBS such as stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, you may feel better if you reduce or cut out fructan foods.
Generally, people with these kinds of symptoms are recommended to follow a low-FODMAP diet.
FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
Try saying that 3 times.
Fructans come under the oligosaccharides category and therefore should be avoided where possible if you suffer from IBS or some other digestive problem.
Of course, everyone’s body and digestive system are different and some people find that garlic has no negative effect on their digestive system.
Low-FODMAP diets are incredibly restrictive and are not meant to be followed long-term.
Instead, it gives the digestive system a break to recover and allows you to figure out which foods are causing you digestive distress.
A low-FODMAP diet tends to avoid foods high in the sugars and fibers stated above.
This is because these foods can easily be fermented in the intestine, which can lead to IBS symptoms.
If you suspect you may have fructan intolerance, it’s best to avoid fructan for around 2-4 weeks.
If your symptoms improve in that time, you’ll know that your body has issues digesting fructans.
You can gradually add fructan foods back into your diet to assess how much of the fructan you can eat if any.
Garlic is used to add flavor to a dish and does not make up the bulk of a meal.
Although it contains fructans, if consumed in high amounts it can cause digestive distress for those with IBS symptoms or fructan intolerance, it is usually only consumed in small amounts.
Is Garlic A Laxative?
Garlic is not a laxative however it contains insoluble fiber, which can make foods move through the digestive system faster.
This means that if you consume garlic you might end up inducing a bowel movement.
Garlic can also induce a bowel movement for those who have IBS or fructan intolerance.
The fructans in garlic can irritate the digestive system causing diarrhea.
People suffering from fructan intolerance should avoid consuming garlic if it appears to be affecting their bowel movements.
Insoluble fiber attracts water into your poop, making it softer.
This means it can leave your body much more easily, without straining your bowels.
Insoluble fiber is important for bowel health and promotes regular bowel movements.
Consuming insoluble fiber can also help to reduce risk of diabetes and support insulin sensitivity.
Consuming dietary fiber is important for gut health, in recent times researchers have come to understand how important gut health is for overall health and wellbeing.
https://youtu.be/Yeduwn2Htog
Dietary fiber is made up of soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber can be found in foods such as beans, apples, or carrots.
For people with IBS, soluble fiber is a better choice than insoluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber can actually worsen symptoms and increase pain and bloating.
This will vary as everyone has different fiber tolerance, some may find that insoluble fiber worsens their symptoms whilst others could have no issue.
Garlic is often used to provide flavor to food and can be found in tons of dishes so it can be hard to avoid.
As only a small amount is used you might find that you do not react too badly however each person’s sensitives are different.
Does Garlic Clean Your Stomach?
The insoluble fiber in garlic can help promote bowel movements, cleaning out your stomach.
It can also cause diarrhea if you are intolerant to fructans as garlic is a high-fructan food.
A study in 2018, carried out at King’s College London found that prebiotic fibers found in garlic are beneficial for the gut.
This is because garlic is naturally high in inulin, which is a non-digestible carb that feeds good bacteria.
Inulin helps the other bacteria to carry out their functions better, which increases your gut health overall.
Garlic has also been shown to help promote the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut as well as prevent bacteria growth that could lead to disease.
Garlic can begin to lose much of its prebiotic benefit as it is cooked, which is why raw garlic is best for gut health.
You can consume garlic with some olive oil and salt, or add it to your avocado toast.
Eating too much garlic could have some negative effects so if you’re including it for health benefits, avoid eating too much.
Negative side effects could include bad breath, flatulence, and digestive distress.
Garlic can have negative effects on the digestive system for those with fructan intolerance and IBS symptoms.
For those who don’t have a reaction to eating garlic, consuming it regularly can actually help promote gut health.
The insoluble fiber helps to promote healthy bowel movement, as insoluble fiber helps waste to pass through the body quicker and easier.
If you struggle with constipation or irregular bowel movements, eating garlic may help to promote bowel movements due to the gut health benefits and insoluble fiber content
( In this article I cover the health benefits of pickled onions, and are pickled onions good for you?).
What Happens When You Eat Garlic Everyday?
Garlic can provide benefits such as boosting the immune system, aiding in recovery of the common cold, reducing blood pressure, and improving bone health in women.
Garlic has tons of health benefits and has been used for centuries to treat various illnesses.
Garlic contains tons of nutrients including manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium.
Garlic is low in calories and contains trace amounts of several nutrients.
One of the main reasons garlic is taken is to help fight the common cold.
Garlic is known to help boost the immune system, one study found that taking garlic daily reduced the number of colds by 63% and the length of the symptoms was reduced by 70%.
There is tons of anecdotal evidence that taking garlic regularly helps with preventing illness, reducing symptom duration, and recovery.
Garlic can also help reduce blood pressure, with studies showing that garlic is highly effective at this.
Although the dose needs to be fairly high to accomplish this.
Garlic supplements were taken in the studies that equate to around 4 raw cloves a day.
Garlic can also help improve bone health in women.
Although no human studies have been carried out, a rodent study showed that taking garlic can reduce bone loss due to the fact that it increases estrogen in females.
Further human studies will be needed to research this further and study the full effects.
Garlic is best taken in supplement form to prevent having to deal with bad breath as it can be especially potent.
Many garlic supplements are made odorless or tasteless to make them easier to consume daily.
Raw garlic will have more potency as it is the allicin in garlic that contains all the benefits.
At least, it is this compound that has been researched and studied the most.
Much of the active compound can be destroyed or removed when cooked or during the manufacturing process.
Is It Good To Eat Raw Garlic At Night?
Eating raw garlic can help you sleep due to its magnesium content and high-amounts of allicin.
However, you don’t need to consume it before bed to receive these benefits, you can consume it at any point in the day.
Magnesium helps the nervous system to relax.
When your nervous system is not relaxed, it will usually be stuck in the sympathetic nervous system and you could find yourself struggling with racing thoughts, restlessness, and anxiety.
When the body relaxes, it can enter the parasympathetic nervous system also known as “rest and digest”.
The parasympathetic nervous system allows your mind and body to relax, allowing you to fall asleep more easily.
Garlic contains high amounts of the compound, allicin.
A sulfurous compound that can help the mind relax, which helps you fall asleep quicker.
However, consuming garlic before bed can cause negative side effects including bad odor and potential digestive distress. If you are sensitive to garlic, it could actually have the opposite effect.
If you choose to consume garlic supplements ensure it has the necessary amount of allicin to provide you with actual benefit.
Many people consider eating garlic in the morning on an empty stomach as the best time to consume garlic.
This is because the stomach can absorb the nutrients better.
I’m Chris Watson & the Founder of EatForLonger.com. I’m a food and wellbeing enthusiast researching and sharing foodstuffs and simple food-based concepts, such as fasting and clean eating.
I hope it inspires you to make tiny changes to what you eat and when you eat while optimizing your healthspan and all-around well-being.
Read more About Me here.