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Garlic Earns Grrrrrrreat Grade! Garlic has been used throughout history as both a food and medicine in many cultures for millennia. The Egyptian pyramid construction workers were supposedly given huge rations of garlic to sustain their resistance against fever. Military physicians gave garlic to their patients as a preventive against gangrene. Leo Buscaglio, the late University of Southern California professor said he never got sick as a young lad because his mother made him wear a ring of garlic around his neck. Whatever the story, garlic still remains an effective medicinal therapy for most modern ills. The primary active compound in garlic is alliin, an odorless substance derived from the sulfur-containing amino acid, cysteine. When garlic bulbs are crushed, the cell walls are broken, and an enzyme, allinase, converts alliin into a product called allicin. Allicin is what gives garlic its pungent odor. Although there are several commercial products that are considered more socially acceptable, extensive research concludes that the best garlic products are those which most resemble fresh garlic or fresh garlic itself. There are always questions about aged garlic. Aged garlic does NOT produce anywhere near the same benefits as fresh garlic preparations nor does it meet the standards set by the German Commission E to allow any beneficial claims to be made. Research on garlic shows unequivocally that it can help prevent coronary heart disease, lower blood pressure, lower LDL and increase HDL values. In population studies in Asia, the incidence of stomach cancer deaths was lower in people who ate large quantities of garlic. The active principles in garlic may exert anti-cancer effects by stimulating the immune system to inhibit carcinogens. Garlic is a very valuable herb which is native to Central Asia, however, it now grows worldwide as a cultivated plant. Make no mistake, eating garlic or using commercial garlic products is a bonus for good health. Don’t leave home without it!!
Sources: Journal
of the American Medical Association. 1998:279 Health Disclaimer: The information provided on this site should not be considered as personal medical advice. Readers should research and consult with appropriate healthcare practitioners on matters related to their personal health and well-being. The information and opinions on this site are believed to be accurate and scientifically sound, based upon the best judgment available to the author. References are noted where appropriate. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.Copyright © 2007, Preservion, Inc. All rights reserved Last Updated: August - 2004
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