Why it’s so good for you and how to prepare and eat it.

Entire books have been written on the health benefits of garlic so we are just going to highlight a few of the major and proven ones. Garlic comes from the lily or Allium family (along with onions). It is rich in powerful sulphur containing compounds which are responsible for giving it its characteristically strong odour. However, it is these compounds which are mainly responsible for the health benefits! It is also a fabulous source of manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and selenium.

The sulphur compounds are powerful liver and lymph detoxifiers (one reason why we cook so much with it on in:spa retreats) and also act as anti-inflammatories. Garlic is often quoted in the effective lowering of blood pressure. It helps to prevent hardening of the arteries as well as increasing HDL cholesterol (the protective form) whilst reducing LDL cholesterol (the potentially dangerous form). The combined result of these effects leads to a reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as a reduction in diabetic heart disease.

Garlic is a good source of the body’s primary anti-oxidant defender – Vitamin C. B6 helps prevent heart disease via a different mechanism from the sulphur compounds. Selenium is a key protector against cancer and heavy metal toxicity. Manganese, present in large quantities in garlic is also a cofactor in a number of important anti-oxidant defence enzymes.

Garlic is also a powerful antibiotic, helping clear bacterial, fungal, worm and amoebic infections in the digestive tract. This property is one reason why garlic is often suggested to ward off coughs and colds.

Studies have shown that garlic can play an important role in the protection against certain cancers including skin and colon cancers. As little as two servings a week can have a beneficial effect. In addition, cooking garlic with meat appears to reduce the production of carcinogenic chemicals in certain cooking methods (grilling and barbecuing).

How to eat garlic…

Yes it matters! Whilst you still get great benefits from whole cloves of garlic (downside being you may lose some friends), it is best to chop or crush the garlic as this stimulates the process of converting the phytochemical alliin into allicin – the compound responsible for most of the benefits. It is also best eaten raw rather than cooked and so try to add it to dishes after cooking. Enjoy!!

Tags: B6, garlic, manganese, selenium, vitamin c

This entry was posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 4:10 pm and is filed under nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.