Garlic has antibacterial properties and is effective for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, and tumors. However, the following five groups of people should not eat raw garlic.
1. Patients with eye diseases
Ji Kang said in "On Nurturing Life" that "pungent and spicy foods harm the eyes." Garlic is the most pungent, it clears the orifices and affects the eyes, and can easily damage them. Therefore, one should not eat too much garlic, especially those with eye diseases, who must avoid spicy foods during treatment.
2. Those who are weak and have heat
"The New Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "Garlic is pungent, hot, and toxic. It produces phlegm, stirs up fire, dissipates qi, and consumes blood. Those who are weak and have heat should not touch it." Therefore, people who are in poor health with weak qi and blood should be cautious and eat less or no garlic.
3. Patients with liver diseases
"Compendium of Materia Medica" records that garlic "harms the liver and damages the eyes when eaten." Garlic is hot in nature and can exacerbate fire, and its pungent and strong stimulating nature can make liver fire more intense and cause greater damage if consumed.
4. Patients with spleen deficiency and diarrhea
If one has non-bacterial enteritis and eats garlic during diarrhea, the strong stimulation will cause congestion and edema of the intestinal mucosa to worsen, promote exudation, and aggravate the condition.
5. Those with serious illnesses should consume it with caution
Garlic is considered a "trigger food" that can easily induce certain diseases or aggravate existing ones. For people with serious illnesses or those on medication, it is likely to cause significant side effects, trigger old illnesses, render medications ineffective, or cause chain reactions with drugs, affecting overall health.