Since I posted the “garlic cough medicine” recipe, I’ve gotten some feedback from patients that have prompted this update. Some have reported that too much garlic gave them gas. Karen also suggested that I had over-estimated how much garlic I had given her. It turns out that what I was giving her (I just eyeballed it) was more like 1/4 to 1/2 of a tsp with a TBS of yogurt, not a full tsp of garlic!
I have also done some research and found that more is not necessarily better. Long term use of large amounts of raw garlic can be irritating to the GI tract and can even cause temporary hemolytic anemia. It turns out that raw onions, once again in large amounts, are even higher in the compounds that cause this. Taking 1/8 to 1/2 tsp with yogurt (yogurt makes it less irritating) 3-4 times/day for a week or so should be fine but I suggest that raw garlic be saved for when you’re actually sick.
