Besides tasting delicious in a variety of dishes, garlic has properties that can make you feel happier by increasing a good mood and reducing a bad mood. According to researchers at Edinburgh University, garlic has been used medicinally for centuries for a variety of issues.
Garlic has been linked to positive outcomes for acne, the common cold, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and to prevent cancer. In addition, garlic has been found to have a positive effect on your mood, and it can help combat the blues and leave you in a jollier frame of mind. There are several ways to incorporate garlic into your daily routine so that you can get the most out of it without compromising your health. Of course, you should talk to your doctor before trying some of these methods.
How Does Garlic Effect Mood
The experts say that garlic contains a good amount of vitamin B6, which plays a role in happiness by helping regulate your mood and preventing mood swings. In general, adequate amounts of vitamin B6 are associated with a sunnier disposition. Participants in research studies conducted at the University of Hanover reported a higher sense of well-being after undergoing the garlic therapy.
In addition, lower rates of insomnia, anxiety and irritability were reported when using garlic for a better mood. There are several ways to incorporate garlic into your routine so that you can benefit from it in all aspects of your health and mood. One of the following methods may work well for you, but you can also try combining them for an enhanced effect. No matter how you do it, you’re bound to see some benefits pretty quickly after getting started.
Eat More Garlic In Your Food
One of the easiest ways to reap the rewards that garlic has to offer is to use it in your meal preparation. Some experts say that raw garlic offers more benefits and you can use it in sauces, marinades, salad dressings or salsas without having to cook it first. If you prefer a more muted garlic taste, you can still benefit from eating it cooked.
Fresh garlic is your best bet because you release the feel-good compounds just before preparing it, helping preserve as many of them as you possibly can. Jarred garlic is a good second choice if you have trouble finding fresh garlic. To ensure that you get as much benefit from the garlic as possible, experts recommend adding it at the end of cooking. You can toss chopped garlic into pasta sauce, stir-fry, sautéed vegetables, soup, stew or mashed potatoes. The more garlic you eat, the more you benefit. However, it can leave you with less than fresh breath, so experts recommend chewing on a bit of parsley after eating garlic to counteract the scent and leave your breath smelling healthy and fresh.
Drink Garlic Tea
If you want to further the benefits of garlic or prefer not to add it to your meals, you can try drinking garlic tea instead. It’s easy to make and you will enjoy the fresh flavor and the benefits it offers in terms of your mood and sense of well-being. Simply simmer a couple of cloves of garlic in hot water for several minutes. Add honey and fresh lemon juice to the garlic tea mixture and sip it several times per day. You can make a large batch of the tea and simply reheat it when needed.
This quick and easy tea is a fast way to improve your mood anytime the need arises. For the best benefit, experts suggest sipping the tea slowly rather than chugging it down too quickly. If the taste of the garlic is too strong, you can simmer a bit of ginger with the garlic in the water to help minimize the intensity of the flavor. Saffron can also be used in the same way that ginger is. Experiment with the different methods of making garlic tea until you find the one that works best for you.
Other Ways Of Taking Garlic For Your Mood
If garlic is too much for you, consider taking it in supplement form. According to experts, up to 300 milligrams of dehydrated garlic has been found to be beneficial, although there aren’t any current recommendations as to the right amount for mood. Some people can take up to 900 milligrams of garlic each day. You can find supplement forms of garlic at health foods stores in pill or capsule form. You’ll want to divide your dose throughout the day rather than taking it all at once. This allows your body to absorb the optimum amount in intervals rather than overloading your system with all of it at one time.
A garlic tincture is another option. This involves taking two to four milliliters of garlic in an alcohol extract. This method is not recommended for alcoholics or people recovering from alcoholism. This is a good choice if you don’t like garlic in your food, but it’s important to keep in mind that the amount of allicin, which is the compound in garlic thought to improve mood, is not as concentrated and the effects might not be as noticeable as they are with other methods of ingesting garlic.
In addition to its benefits for your mood, taking garlic can have positive effects on other aspects of your health. Often, suffering from a chronic or recurring health condition can interfere with your good mood and lead to stress and depression. Because garlic has been linked to a positive effect on acne, digestive issues, arthritis, weight loss, anemia and blood sugar levels, among other things, it makes sense that the garlic might also improve mood. Anyone will feel better after finding a way to relieve the symptoms of a health problem that they deal with on a daily basis.
It’s important to note that garlic should never replace any prescribed forms of treatment for mood. For example, if you are taking antidepressants for your mood, never replace them with garlic without your doctor’s consent. In addition, garlic can interfere with certain medications, so use caution if you take medications for blood pressure, oral contraceptives, blood thinners 
When you begin garlic therapy, consider keeping a journal in which you record the amount of garlic you ingested and how you felt soon afterward. This will help you see a pattern regarding how much garlic makes a difference for you and the best delivery method for cheering you up quickly. If you don’t notice an improvement in your mood, speak to your doctor because you may have a condition that requires more aggressive treatment.
