Beware: Eating Garlic May Harm Your Eyes
Garlic has preventive effects on many diseases and moderate consumption is beneficial. However, long-term excessive garlic intake, especially for eye disease patients and those suffering from fever, night sweats, and other signs of internal heat, may have adverse effects.
Some people who consume large amounts of garlic over long periods begin to notice blurred vision, significant decline in eyesight, tinnitus, dry mouth, heavy-headedness, and noticeable memory decline—these are consequences of chronic garlic overconsumption. Hence, there is a folk saying: “Garlic brings a hundred benefits but harms the eyes alone.”
Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes dietary restrictions, stating that eye disease patients must avoid garlic, scallions, onions, ginger, chili peppers, and other pungent and stimulating foods during treatment, otherwise treatment efficacy will be compromised. For example, some eye patients undergoing herbal medicine, acupuncture, or magnetic therapy fail to see results because they did not avoid garlic and other spicy foods.