Eating Laba garlic is a custom in Northern China. In fact, the Chinese favor Laba garlic not just for the custom, but more for its health-preserving effects.
“Garlic can clear arteries and open veins.” Garlic contains a pungent substance called “allicin,” which can lower the level of “bad” cholesterol—low-density lipoprotein—in the body. It has a significant effect on lowering blood lipids, preventing thrombosis, promoting blood circulation, and preventing coronary heart disease, atherosclerotic heart disease, and stroke.
During the coldest days of winter, when the weather is unpredictable, it is the easiest season for colds to strike. Both garlic and vinegar are excellent at killing and inhibiting various bacteria and viruses, and boosting the body's resistance. If you chew garlic in your mouth for 3 to 5 minutes, it can kill all the bacteria in the mouth. It can also prevent colds, prevent wound infections, and treat infectious diseases, earning it the nickname “penicillin grown from the ground.”
The sulfur compounds in garlic can eliminate potent carcinogens.
However, although Laba garlic is beneficial, it is not suitable for everyone and should not be consumed in large quantities over a long period. Laba garlic stimulates gastric acid secretion, so it is not recommended for those with gastric ulcers or excessive gastric acid. Furthermore, although garlic can prevent intestinal infectious diseases, people with severe diarrhea should avoid it. Garlic can irritate the intestinal lining, which can worsen the symptoms of diarrhea.
Sweet and Sour Laba Garlic