News & Articles Articles Garlic | Garlic |
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Far more than just bad breath…
Garlic is the most pungent member of the onion family. It has been incorporated into many traditional diets for its flavour enhancing effects, and is a common ingredient in modern cooking today. Garlic has also made a name for itself due to the ‘garlic breath’ usually associated with a delicious meal of pasta and garlic bread. Perhaps less well known are the many and varied health benefits associated with garlic consumption. You will soon be including this super food in every meal you eat!
The preparation of garlic is very important for its medicinal use. The main active ingredient appears to be an organo-sulfur compound called allicin. This allicin is produced by the crushing or chewing of garlic, and is degraded by heating, cooking and light exposure. Therefore, to get the best health benefits from your garlic it needs to be crushed and raw. You may also be interested to know that fresh organic garlic is in fact a brown colour, and it is bleaching of the bulbs that turns them white before we buy them in the supermarket. So choosing organic garlic bulbs may also be a more preferred option. See below for some recipe ideas.
Medicinal Uses:
Antibacterial/Antifungal/Antiparasitic Garlic has been shown to directly reduce pathogens in the body by having an antibiotic type effect, and is useful even against multi-antibiotic resistant strains1. Garlic has also been shown to increase the natural immunity of humans be increasing white blood cells that kill invading organisms2. It can therefore be used in both the prevention and treatment of infection.
Reduces clot formation and is blood thinning Garlic can reduce platelet formation and reduce the development of clots. Results from a 2001 double blind human trial using aged garlic found significant effects in reducing platelet aggregation3. This means garlic may be used in high doses, and perhaps in conjunction with other herbs and nutrients to support cardiovascular health
Useful for the following conditions:
Reduces Cholesterol Levels
Garlic has been shown to reduce cholesterol synthesis in the body and therefore is beneficial in reducing total cholesterol levels in the body5. Garlic has also been shown to reduce the formation of atherosclerosis and is therefore used to protect against high blood pressure6.
Useful for the following conditions:
Anti-inflammatory
Garlic reduces inflammatory processes in the body by reducing the production of inflammatory mediators.
Useful for the following conditions:
Protects the Liver and enhances detoxification
Garlic is a potent antioxidant and therefore is able to enhance the liver metabolism of chemicals, toxins, drugs and hormones.
Useful for the following conditions:
Enhances Circulation
Garlic has been used traditionally for its warming and pungent activity. This increases peripheral circulation to enhance blood flow to all extremities4.
Useful for the following conditions:
Reduces Cancer Risk
Garlic derivatives have been shown to inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in lung, colon, skin, breast, prostate and endometrial cancers7. The garlic may increase the cancer cell death, reduce the growth and proliferation of cancer cells as well as reducing carcinogens in the body.
Useful for the following conditions:
Recipe Ideas: Garlic is great and can be used in just about any dish but is best added fresh just before serving as cooking the garlic too much destroy's the active compound, allicin.
Cautions:
Garlic is not a ‘cure all’ remedy, but it comes very close to being so. It combines effectively with other herbs and nutrients for the overall well being of the patient. To gain therapeutic benefits from the garlic eaten in your diet, you need to consume more than just a few slices of garlic bread a week. To discuss further supplementation and dosage requirements please ask your naturopath.
By: Emma Petschack
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