Apart from being an important ingredient in many recipes, this plant also has a great number of well-documented health-related properties.
It lowers the blood pressure and can be useful in the treatment of arteriosclerosis, asthma, rheumatism, cancer, circulatory disturbances, colds, the flu, digestive problems, cardiac diseases, imsomnia, problems with liver function, sinusitis, infected wounds, and yeast fungal infections. Good for all infections, both fungal- and bacterial ones.
In recent years, garlic has been thouroughly tested in order to find its active substances and to find out why it is so effective.
Garlic contains the substance alliin and the enzyme allinase. When these two substances react with each other, the substance allicin is formed and this substance gives the garlic its health promoting qualities. In the body, allicin is transformed into other active substances such as ajoene.
Much scientific research documents that garlic is an effective drug for both prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, since garlic has a beneficial effect on the risk factors that increase the risk of arteriosclarosis and blood clots in the heart and the brain.
Apart from the protective effect against arteriosclerosis and blood clots, garlic, from time immemorial, has been known to have a protective effect against infections. A series of recent lab tests show that the cells and signal substances of the immune system are fortified by the active substances in the garlic.
Garlic stimulates several different mechanisms in the immune system which can all together improve the power of resistance. It also contains minerals such as selenium and zinc that are useful to the immune system.
One of the latest discoveries concerning garlic is that it inhibits the damaging effect of the so-called free radicals - that is, it functions like an antioxidant.
The part of the cholesterol which is harmful to the circulation is called LDL. It becomes really dangerous if it is oxidized (becomes oxidized LDL). Oxidized LDL penetrates the wall of the blood vessel more easily and creates arteriosclerosis. Much research indicates that the antioxidants in garlic can prevent the blood cholesterol from oxidizing and becoming oxidized LDL. Some of the beneficial effects of garlic are due to its antioxidant ability to neutralize free radicals in the sick tissue.
"Garlic breath" can be counteracted with a cleansing of the intestinal system or by consuming chlorophyll, either in the form of parsley or as tablets.
Also see "Garlic, sources of" - under "Research".
