Garlic Water: An Ancient Drink That Modern Science Is Taking a Closer Look At

One clove of garlic. Half a glass of water. Twenty-four hours of patience. That is the whole recipe – and yet few kitchen tips stir up as much excitement as this one. Precisely because it is so simple, people are often surprised by how much they end up liking it. Those who try garlic water are usually skeptical at first and then pleasantly surprised. Many nutritionists simply smile and say: "We've known that for a long time."

A Bollywood Star's Four-Week Garlic Experiment

Garlic rituals are not just something our grandmothers swore by. Indian actress and author Soha Ali Khan recently shared on social media how she spent four weeks starting every morning with a raw clove of garlic on an empty stomach, and said the habit helped her feel lighter and less bloated, as reported by India TV. She was also refreshingly honest about the downside: the garlic breath is real, and a good rinse with mouthwash afterwards helps. Supermodel Heidi Klum has also said in interviews that she regularly eats whole garlic cloves for their taste and health benefits.

Garlic water is a gentler version of the same idea. Instead of chewing a raw clove, you let the clove release part of its flavor and aroma into water – which many people find much easier to tolerate, especially first thing in the morning.

What Is It All About?

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used in kitchens and folk medicine for thousands of years. According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, garlic is a particularly rich source of organosulfur compounds, which are responsible for its distinctive flavor and aroma and are also thought to be behind many of its potential health benefits. Interest is so strong that garlic ranks among the best-selling herbal supplements in the United States.

Folk tradition says that garlic water strengthens the immune system, "cleanses" the body, protects against inflammation and helps the body defend itself against viruses, fungi and bacteria. Many people consider garlic one of the most powerful natural remedies there is. Science, however, paints a more nuanced – and more interesting – picture.

What Does the Research Actually Say?

Allicin – garlic's signature compound. A whole, intact clove barely smells. Only when it is cut or crushed does the enzyme alliinase come into contact with alliin, producing allicin – the compound responsible for garlic's sharp smell and many of its studied properties. Researchers led by Claudio Galmarini found that crushing garlic and letting it stand for about 10 minutes before heating helps preserve more of its beneficial compounds, as summarized by Nutrition Insight. That is exactly why the recipe below asks you to cut the clove in half rather than drop it into the water whole.

Immunity and colds. A Cochrane systematic review (Lissiman et al., 2014) found one trial in which people taking a garlic supplement daily for three months reported fewer colds than those taking a placebo. That trial, published by Peter Josling in Advances in Therapy (2001), is promising, but the Cochrane authors stress that the evidence is still limited and more research is needed. A small study in the Journal of Nutrition (Charron et al., 2015) also observed that a single meal containing raw, crushed garlic influenced the expression of immunity-related genes in human blood within hours.

Heart and blood pressure. A meta-analysis by Karin Ried in the Journal of Nutrition (2016) concluded that garlic preparations – mostly aged garlic extract in supplement form – may help modestly lower blood pressure in people with hypertension and may have a favorable effect on cholesterol. It is important to note that these studies used standardized supplements, not homemade garlic water.

Antimicrobial properties. In laboratory conditions, allicin and related compounds have shown activity against various bacteria and fungi, as summarized in a 2023 review of garlic's medicinal and therapeutic properties. Results from a test tube, however, cannot be directly applied to a glass of garlic water.

An honest note from a nutritionist's perspective: allicin is unstable and breaks down over a matter of hours. So garlic water left to stand for 24 hours will contain less allicin than freshly crushed garlic and more of its breakdown products, which are also biologically active. There is no clinical research on garlic water specifically, so it is best viewed as a pleasant, inexpensive habit that complements a healthy diet – not as a treatment. Claims circulating online that garlic water can "detox" the body, cure infections or shrink tumors are not supported by human studies.

How to Make Garlic Water

1. Peel a clove of garlic and cut it in half. For a stronger drink, lightly crush it with the flat side of a knife and let it rest for about 10 minutes.


2. Put both halves into 100 ml (about 3.4 fl oz, roughly half a glass) of water cooled to room temperature.


3. Cover the glass and leave it to stand in a dark place for 24 hours.


4. The next morning, drink half of the water; drink the other half before dinner.


5. The following day, use a fresh clove of garlic and repeat the process.

The traditional recommendation is to repeat this at least 7 times, take a break of a day or two, and then start again. Many people who follow this routine say they simply feel fresher, and some find it a helpful part of their winter routine, when colds and flu are going around.

Tip: Always use fresh, firm garlic. Where your garlic comes from makes a difference too – read more in our article Not All Garlic Is Created Equal: Why That Perfect White Bulb From the Supermarket Might Not Be Your Best Choice.

What Readers Tell Us

A reader in her sixties wrote to us that she started making garlic water one winter after a long series of colds in her family. "The first sip in the morning was a shock," she admitted, "but after a few days I got used to it. I can't say it worked miracles, but that winter I felt better than usual, and now it's simply part of my routine from November to March."

Another reader, a long-distance runner, prefers to add a squeeze of lemon to the evening portion: "It takes the edge off the taste, and I like the ritual of it. It reminds me to drink more water during the day, too."

If you would rather not drink garlic at all, there are other tasty ways to enjoy it. One of our readers' favorites is the classic combination described in The Incredible Healing Properties of Garlic and Yogurt – the yogurt softens garlic's sharp aroma and makes it much more pleasant to eat.

Who Should Be Careful?

For most healthy adults, garlic in normal food amounts is considered safe. However, the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) points out a few things to keep in mind:

• Digestion: raw garlic can cause heartburn, bloating or an upset stomach, especially on an empty stomach. If this happens, drink garlic water with or after a meal.


• Blood thinners: garlic may increase the risk of bleeding, so people taking anticoagulant medication such as warfarin, or preparing for surgery, should talk to their doctor first.


• Medication interactions: garlic may affect how some medicines work, including certain HIV medications.


• Breath and body odor: the most common "side effect" of all. Fresh parsley, an apple or a glass of milk can help.

If you have a chronic health condition, high blood pressure or take medication regularly, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before adding garlic water to your daily routine. It can complement – but never replace – treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Why Not Give It a Try?

Garlic water costs next to nothing, takes a minute to prepare and brings one of the most researched foods in the world into your day in a simple, gentle way. It is not a miracle cure, but as part of a varied diet rich in vegetables, fruit and whole foods, it can be a small, pleasant habit worth exploring. You have very little to lose by trying it – and you may find, like many of our readers, that you actually enjoy it!