Garlic - the Miracle Food That Beats High-priced Prescription Drugs

Jack Challem, in his article in The Nutrition Reporter called Garlic the 'Miracle Food' and says, "If garlic had been created in the laboratory instead of by nature, it would probably be a high-priced prescription drug. That's just how good it really is." While most famous for its odor, garlic has much to offer those who can get beyond this negative quality.

Garlic has been used for various cures for millennia. Records from China and India going back 5000 years show they knew garlic's power. Even the Biblical account of the Israelites lamented that, once out of Egypt, they wouldn't be able to enjoy garlic any more! (Numbers 11:5) At the same time in history, garlic was used in the far east to shrink tumors. Later, garlic was part of training for Greek athletes. Even Louis Pasteur, back in 1858, recognized its germ killing properties. During the first World War, surgeons used garlic to clean wounds. Today garlic has been the subject of over 1000 scientific studies. England even has The Garlic Information Centre where enthusiasts can keep track of the latest findings.

An article of this size could not begin to expound all the benefits of this herb. Garlic is known to protect against heart disease, cancer (in at least three ways), and infections. Mothers give it to their children to ward off colds, take it themselves to lower blood pressure or reduce cholesterol, and give it to their mothers to fight heart disease. Garlic can help white blood cells fight infection, decrease the risk of blood clots, and build the immune system. It is a natural anti-coagulant, the opposite of cayenne pepper. Garlic is suspected of reducing certain tumors and bacterial and fungus infections. One German study found garlic even helped the body fight the AIDS virus.

Although many sauté garlic into the frying pan, studies indicate this kills the allicin, one of the most beneficial of garlic's compounds. Instead, dice the garlic bud and then wait five to ten minutes so the allicin can be produced. Some deordorizing techniques also remove this so check the capsule bottle to see be sure the allicin is retained. It can also be found in a gel capsule containing stabilized allicin from the garlic.

Many people dismiss garlic as a smelly repellent! "Sure it keeps you healthy. No one who is sick (or well) wants to be around you!" If you are of that opinion, perhaps this praise of garlic's benefits will change your mind. But to be sure, here are two suggestions to eliminate garlic breath, 1) eat a lemon or drink lemon juice, or 2) eat a crushed clove in olive oil. This way you get the benefits of raw garlic without telling everyone (by the odor) why you are so healthy!