Scallions, ginger, and garlic are indispensable seasonings in people's daily lives. Some people even enjoy eating raw garlic with noodles, not only to enhance their meal but also for its excellent antibacterial properties. Nevertheless, there are three categories of people who should not consume garlic.
Patients with liver disease should avoid it:
Many people believe that garlic has antibacterial and antiviral properties and therefore use it to prevent hepatitis. Some even continue to eat garlic daily after contracting the disease. This practice is extremely detrimental to hepatitis patients. Not only is garlic ineffective against the hepatitis virus, but certain components in garlic can irritate the stomach and intestines, inhibit the secretion of digestive fluids, and affect food digestion, thereby worsening symptoms such as nausea in hepatitis patients.
Furthermore, the volatile components in garlic can reduce red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood and may potentially lead to anemia, which is detrimental to the treatment of hepatitis.
It is not advisable for those with non-bacterial diarrhea:
When suffering from non-bacterial enteritis or diarrhea, one should not eat raw garlic. This is because the intestinal mucosa is inflamed, causing the intestinal wall's blood vessels to dilate, become congested, swell, and increase in permeability. As a result, large amounts of protein, electrolytes like potassium, sodium, calcium, and chlorine, and fluids from the body's tissues seep into the intestinal cavity. This fluid stimulates the intestines, accelerating intestinal peristalsis and leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Eating raw garlic in this condition will further irritate the intestines with its pungent allicin, worsening the congestion and edema of the intestinal mucosa, promoting more fluid leakage, and exacerbating the condition. Extra caution should be taken if diarrhea has already occurred.
Patients with eye diseases should avoid it:
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, long-term and excessive consumption of garlic can "damage the liver and harm the eyes." Therefore, patients with eye diseases should try to avoid garlic, especially those who are in poor health or have weak qi and blood. Otherwise, over time, symptoms such as declining vision, tinnitus, a heavy head and light feet, and memory loss may appear. Some people with myopia or other eye diseases require treatment with traditional Chinese medicine. At this time, it is crucial to avoid certain foods, as doing so will directly affect the treatment's efficacy. Eating large amounts of garlic during the summer and autumn has the greatest impact on the eyes.