Garlic - Bad For Your Breath
but Good For You
Now, everybody knows
that garlic is delicious. We throw it in virtually everything (or at least do),
and one of my favorite smells ever is chopped garlic cooking in olive oil.
Crackling and sizzling, going from pale white to a rich, golden yellow. But did
you know that garlic is also one of the most popular herbal supplements in the
US? It sells by the truckloads, and that's because there's a strong belief that
garlic is not only scrumptious, but also has very powerful heath benefits. Is
this true? What are those health benefits, and what can you do to maximize
them? Read on, fearless reader, read on!
Okay, the basics: the
name of the game is organosulfur compounds, which are thought to be responsible
for not only smell and taste of garlic, but also its health benefits. Crushing
or chopping garlic releases an enzyme called alliinase which catalyzes the
formation of allicin, which in turn breaks down to form the organosulfur
compounds we're all excited about. (Side note: cooking can inactivate
alliinase, so scientists recommend you let your garlic sit for ten minutes
after chopping before cooking it to get the max health benefits.)
Now, time for the
disclaimers: the absorption and metabolism of allicin and organosulfur
compounds are only partially understood. Research is ongoing. Neither allicin
or the compounds have ever been found in human blood, urine, or stools, even
after the consumption of 25g of pure garlic. This means they are metabolized
very quickly in the human body, and consequently it's hard to track whether
they actually reach their target tissues. There's a lot of positive indicators,
but nothing really 100% solid yet. Just keep that in mind.
What are some of these
supposed benefits? One of the most exciting is that garlic-derived organosulfur
compounds have been found to decrease the synthesis of cholesterol by liver
cells. They've also been shown to inhibit the activity of inflammatory enzymes,
and to decrease the production of inflammatory signaling molecules in cultured
macrophages and human whole blood. Since inflammation appears to play a huge
role in the development of cardiovascular disease, this is very exciting.
Organosulfur compounds have also been found to have strong antioxidant
activity.
In the realm of
cancer, garlic seems to do a host of complex things that are good for us. They
seem to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, which is when damaged or unnecessary
cells self-destruct, something cancer cells do not do. They also slow cancer
cells from rapidly replicating themselves, and interfere with complex processes
that turn chemical carcinogens into active carcinogens in the body. It is
believed that high intakes of garlic may help protect against gastric and
colorectal cancer, and may possibly inhibit the development of other cancers.
So there you have it.
Cut and crush your garlic, and then let it stand for ten minutes so the allicin
can form out of the alliinase, and become organosulfur compounds in your body.
The benefits are wide ranging, from helping lower cholesterol to preventing the
formation of blood clots, and can be of serious help with preventing the
development of different cancers. Is garlic therefore a miracle supplement that
everybody should take to ensure long life, joy and prosperity? No, not really;
these benefits can be subtle or mild. But everything helps, so enjoy your
garlic, and reap what benefits come your way!
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Phil_Tucker/416613
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