garlic

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Garlic

Although garlic may not always bring good luck, protect against evil

or ward off vampires, it is guaranteed to transform any meal into a

bold, aromatic and healthy culinary experience.

Fresh, dried and powdered garlic are available in markets throughout

the year, however, fresh varieties from California are in season from

July through December.

Garlic is arranged in a head, called the " bulb, " averaging about 2

inches in height and diameter consisting of numerous small separate

cloves. Both the cloves and the entire bulb are encased in paper-like

sheathes that can be white, off-white or pinkish. Although garlic

cloves have a firm texture, they can be easily cut or crushed. The

taste of garlic is like no other - it hits the palate with a hot

pungency that is shadowed by a very subtle background sweetness.

While elephant garlic has larger cloves, it is more closely related

to the leek and therefore does not offer the full health benefits of

regular garlic.

Health Benefits

Description

History

How to Select and Store

How to Enjoy

Safety

Nutritional Profile

References

Health Benefits

Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately

called " the stinking rose " in light of its numerous therapeutic

benefits. A member of the lily or Allium family, which also includes

onions, garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing

compounds including thiosulfinates (of which the best known compound

is allicin), sulfoxides (among which the best known compound is

alliin), and dithiins (in which the most researched compound is

ajoene). While these compounds are responsible for garlic's

characteristically pungent odor, they are also the source of many of

its health-promoting effects. In addition, garlic is an excellent

source of manganese, a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C

and a good source of selenium.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Numerous studies have demonstrated that regular consumption of garlic

lowers blood pressure, and decreases platelet aggregation, serum

triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol (the potentially dangerous form)

levels while increasing serum HDL-cholesterol (the protective form)

and fibrinolysis (the process through which the body breaks up blood

clots), and stimulating the production of nitric oxide in the lining

of blood vessel walls, which helps them to relax. As a result of

these beneficial actions, garlic helps prevent atherosclerosis and

diabetic heart disease, and reduces the risk of heart attack or

stroke.

A study published in the November 2004 issue of Preventive Medicine

shows that garlic also inhibits coronary artery calcification, a

process that serves as a marker for plaque formation since the body

lays down calcium in areas that have been damaged. In this year-long

study, patients given aged garlic extract daily showed an average

increase in their calcium score of 7.5%, while those in the placebo

group had an average increase in calcium score of 22.2%.

One reason for garlic's beneficial effects may be its ability to

lessen the amount of free radicals present in the bloodstream.

According to a study published in the September 2004 issue of Life

Sciences, a daily dose of 1 ml/kg body weight of garlic extract for

six months resulted in a significant reduction in oxidant (free

radical) stress in the blood of patients with atherosclerosis.

Since atherosclerotic plaques develop when cholesterol circulating in

the bloodstream is damaged or oxidized, garlic's ability to prevent

these oxidation reactions may explain some of its beneficial effects

in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. A German study published

in November 2004 indicates that garlic also greatly reduces plaque

deposition and size by preventing the formation of the initial

complex that develops into an atherosclerotic plaque.

Called " nanoplaque, " it is formed when calcium binds to proteoheparan

sulfate and then to LDL cholesterol. Garlic prevents the binding of

calcium to proteoheparan sulfate, thus decisively inhibiting plaque

generation.

Research presented at the 6th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis,

Thrombosis and Vascular Biology held by the American Heart

Association April 29, 2005 in Washington, D.C., suggests that garlic

can help prevent and potentially reverse atherosclerotic plaque

formation. The laboratory studies, conducted by well-known German

scientist Professor Güaut;nter Siegel, M.D., from the University of

Medicine in Berlin, Germany, found that powdered garlic (Kwai ®

garlic) reduced the formation of nanoplaque (the first building

blocks of atherosclerotic plaque) by up to 40% and reduced the size

of the nanoplaque that did form by up to 20%.

Dr. Siegel s research shows that garlic acts in a manner similar to

HDL ( " good " ) cholesterol, which prevents the build-up of nanoplaques

by hindering the docking of LDL ( " bad " cholesterol) to its receptor

sites in blood vessels or existing plaques.

Both garlic and HDL were able to reduce plaque formation and size

within 30 minutes of incubation in these experiments. Existing

plaques were dissolved by up to 25% within 15 minutes after the

garlic was introduced, indicating a reversal of existing problems

related to build-up of arterial plaque. In addition, calcification of

the cholesterol docking sites in the arteries was reduced by up to

50% in the presence of the garlic extracts. (Calcium, although a

vital mineral for bone formation and other essential physiological

processes, is also one of the key factors involved in the formation

of plaque.)

Garlic's numerous beneficial cardiovascular effects are due to not

only its sulfur compounds, but its vitamin C, vitamin B6, selenium

and manganese:

Garlic is a very good source of vitamin C, the body's primary

antioxidant defender in all aqueous (water-solouble) areas, such as

the bloodstream, where it protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation.

Since it is the oxidized form of LDL cholesterol that initiates

damage to blood vessel walls, reducing levels of oxidizing free

radicals in the bloodstream can have a profound effect on preventing

cardiovascular disease.

Garlic's vitamin B6 helps prevent heart disease via another

mechanism: lowering levels of homocysteine. An intermediate product

of an important cellular biochemical process called the methylation

cycle, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls.

The selenium in garlic not only helps prevent heart disease, but also

provides protection against cancer and heavy metal toxicity. A

cofactor of glutathione peroxidase (one of the body's most important

internally produced antioxidants), selenium also works with vitmain E

in a number of vital antioxidant systems. Since vitamin E is one of

the body's top defenders in all fat-soluble areas, while vitamin C

protects the water-soluble areas, garlic, which contains both

nutrients, does a good job of covering all the bases.

Garlic is rich not only in selenium, but also in another trace

mineral, manganese, which also functions as a cofactor in a number of

other important antioxidant defense enzymes, for example, superoxide

dismutase. Studies have found that in adults deficient in manganese,

the level of HDL (the " good form " of cholesterol) is decreased.

Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Viral Activity

Garlic, like onions, contains compounds that inhibit lipoxygenase and

cyclooxygenase, (the enzymes that generate inflammatory

prostaglandins and thromboxanes), thus markedly reducing

inflammation. These anti-inflammatory compounds along with the

vitamin C in garlic, especially fresh garlic, make it useful for

helping to protect against severe attacks in some cases of asthma and

may also help reduce the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis and

rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, allicin, one of the sulfur-

compounds responsible for garlic's characteristic odor, is a powerful

antibacterial and antiviral agent that joins forces with vitamin C to

help kill harmful microbes. Allicin has been shown to be effective

not only against common infections like colds, flu, stomach viruses,

and Candida yeast, but also against powerful pathogenic microbes

including tuberculosis and botulism.

Although garlic alone appears unable to prevent infection with

Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for most peptic

ulcers, frequently eating this richly flavored bulb may keep H.

pylori from doing much damage. A study recently conducted at Faith

University in Istanbul, Turkey, compared two groups containing 81

healthy individuals each. One group was selected from individuals who

regularly ate lots of raw and/or cooked garlic, while the other group

was composed of individuals who avoided it. For 19 months, blood

samples were regularly collected from both groups and evaluated for

the presence of H.pylori. While the incidence of H.pylori was pretty

comparable—the bacterium was found in 79% of garlic eaters and 81% of

those who avoided garlic—the garlic consuming group had a clear

advantage in that antibodies to H.pylori were much lower in their

blood compared to those who ate no garlic. (Antibodies are formed

when the immune system reacts to anything it considers a potential

pathogen, so less antibodies to H.pylori means less of the bacterium

was present.) Among those who ate garlic, those who ate both raw and

cooked garlic had even lower levels of antibodies than those who ate

their garlic only raw or only cooked.

Laboratory studies recently conducted at the University of Munich,

Germany, help explain why garlic may be such a potent remedy against

the common cold. In these studies, garlic was found to significantly

reduce the activity a chemical mediator of inflammation called

nuclear transcription factor (NF) kappa-B.

NF kappa-B is itself activated as part of the immune system's

inflammatory response to invading organisms and damaged tissue. So,

anything that sets off an inflammatory response –e.g. allergenic

foods, a cold or other infection, physical trauma, excessive

exercise, excessive consumption of foods containing high levels of

omega 6 fatty acids (e.g., meat, corn or safflower oil) – can trigger

a surge in NF kappa-B, which in turn not only promotes inflammation

but sets up ideal conditions for viruses, including HIV, to

replicate. In the blood samples tested in these just published German

studies, unfertilized garlic caused a 25% drop in NF kappa-B

activity, while sulfur-fertilized garlic lowered NF kappa-B activity

by a very robust 41%!

Potent, Even Against Drug-Resistant Strains

Results of two recently published studies suggest that garlic is a

potent antibiotic, even against strains that have become resistant to

many drugs. One study conducted at the University of California

Irvine Medical Center and published in the December 2003 issue of

Nutrition showed that garlic juice, even when diluted up to 1:128 of

the original juice, demonstrates significant antibacterial activity

against a spectrum of pathogens including antibiotic-resistant

strains such as methicillin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant

staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and ciprofloxacin-

resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A second study found that garlic

was able to inhibit methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

(MSRA) from human patients that was injected into mice.(MSRA is one

of the antibiotic resistant bacteria whose incidence has risen

dramatically in recent years in hospitals.) Sixteen hours after the

mice were infected, garlic extract, diallyl sulphide or diallyl

disulphide (two of the active compounds found in garlic), was given

orally. Twenty-four hours after they were infected, the mice were

sacrificed and examined. Both garlic extract and its compounds were

found to have exerted a number of protective actions against MSRA

that significantly decreased the infection while also providing

antioxidant protection in the blood, liver, kidney and spleen.

Cancer Protection

The organosulfur compound found in garlic called ajoene may also be

useful in the treatment of skin cancer. In a study published in the

July 2003 Archives of Dermatological Research, researchers applied

ajoene topically to the tumors of patients with either nodular or

superficial basal cell carcinoma, and in 17 of the 21 patients, the

tumors shrunk significantly. Lab tests of the tumors before and after

the application of ajoene revealed a significant decrease in Bcl-2,

an apoptosis-suppressing protein. (Apoptosis is the self-destruct

sequence used by the body to eliminate cancerous cells.)

Other studies have shown that as few as two or more servings of

garlic a week may help protect against colon cancer. Substances found

in garlic, such as allicin, have been shown to not only protect colon

cells from the toxic effects of cancer-causing chemicals, but also to

stop the growth of cancer cells once they develop. While more

research is needed to confirm, recent animal research has also

suggested that garlic may confer protection against the development

of stomach cancer through its potential abilty to decrease H.pylori-

induced gastritits. Cooking garlic with meat appears to reduce the

production of carcinogenic chemicals that can occur in meat as a

result of cooking methods, such as grilling, that expose meat to high

temperatures. Good intakes of vitamin C and selenium, with which

fresh garlic is well-endowed, are also associated with a reduced risk

of colon cancer, making garlic a smart addition to any colon cancer

prevention plan.

Diabetes Mellitus

Garlic may be able to help protect against a number of the most

damaging degenerative effects of diabetes—retinopathy disease of the

retina), nephropathy (kidney disease) and neuropathy (nervous system

disease)—all of which are caused by an imbalance between the free

radicals generated when blood sugar levels remain high and the body's

protective antioxidant defenses. A study published August 2003 showed

that when diabetic rats were exposed to the cancer drug,

streptozotocin, which would normally have produced not only a

significant rise in blood sugar levels, but an increase in

triglycerides, cholesterol, damaged fats, and other markers of

increased inflammation, along with a decrease in the antioxidants the

body produces to protect itself, that giving the rats garlic oil both

lowered the drug's negative effects while boosting protective

antioxidant levels. The rats in this study were given 10 mg of garlic

oil per kilogram of body weight daily for 15 days. In humans, a

comparable dose of garlic oil would be .7 grams per day, an amount

that could be easily consumed if using a garlic oil product, but

would take real dedication if consuming cloves. Since a typical

garlic clove weighs 3 grams and contains 15mg of total fat, which we

can treat as basically synonymous with oil, this would translate to

about 46 ½ cloves of garlic!

Protection Against Diabetes-Linked Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is a well-known side-effect of diabetes, but

garlic may provide some protection, according to a study published

December 2003. When diabetic rats were given garlic extract for an 8-

week period, the hyperreactivity of their blood vessels to

noradrenaline (a vasoconstrictive hormone) and acetylcholine (a

compound involved in nerve transmission) was significantly lessened.

According to the researchers, their results suggest that garlic may

help prevent the development of abnormal vascular contraction seen in

diabetics.

Weight Control

The most potent active constituent in garlic, allicin, has been shown

to not only lower blood pressure, insulin and triglycerides in rats

fed a fructose (sugar)-rich diet, but also to prevent weight gain,

according to a study published in the December 2003 issue of the

American Journal of Hypertension. In this study, after 5 weeks of

being fed a high fructose diet consisting of 21% protein, 5% fat, 60%

carbohydrate, 0.49% sodium and 0,49% potassium, male rats had

developed high insulin levels, high blood pressure and high

triglycerides. The rats were then divided into 3 groups for the

remaining 5 weeks of the study: the first group served as a control;

the second was given allicin during the final 2 weeks of the study,

and the third was given allicin during the initial 3 weeks. Despite

the fact that all three groups consumed the same amount of food,

weight rose in the control group and in groups 2 and 3 when not

receiving allicin, but remained stable or declined slightly when

allicin was given. The researchers concluded that allicin may be of

practical value for weight control.

Increased Antioxidant Protection

A study published in the November 2003 E-version of the journal

Carcinogenesis showed that levels of a critically important

internally produced antioxidant enzyme, glutathione-S-transferase,

rose substantially in the stomach and small intestine, and to a

lesser extent in the liver and colon, in rats that were put on a

short-term feeding regimen that featured two compounds from garlic,

diallyl disulfide and diallylthiosulfinate (allicin). Researchers

discovered that these garlic compounds selectively induced two genes

to produce more of the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that encode glutathione-

S-transferase, and the greatest increases were noted in mRNAs that

are normally present only at low levels. The bottom line: eating more

garlic may help increase your body's production of this vitally

important antioxidant enzyme.

Protection against Asbestos

Asbestos, a well known carcinogen, is thought to cause cell mutations

by generating reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and depleting

one of the body's most important internally produced antioxidants,

glutathione. Garlic contains numerous sulfur compounds and

glutathione precursors that act as antioxidants and also demonstrate

anti-carcinogenic properties. In a laboratory study published in the

November 2004 issue of Toxicology Letters, garlic extract, when

administered along with asbestos, so significantly reduced DNA

mutations in human blood lymphocytes (a type of immune cell), that

the researchers concluded: " garlic extract may be an efficient,

physiologically tolerable quencher of asbestos-induced genotoxcity. "

Description

For a small vegetable, garlic (Allium sativum) sure has a big, and

well deserved, reputation. This member of the Lily family, a cousin

to onions, leeks and chives, can transform any meal into a bold,

aromatic and healthy culinary experience.

Garlic is arranged in a head, called the " bulb, " which is made up of

separate cloves. Both the cloves and the entire bulb are encased in

paper-like sheathes that can be white, off-white or pinkish.

Garlic cloves are off-white in color, and although they have a firm

texture, they can be easily cut or crushed. The taste of garlic is

like no other - it hits the palate with a hot pungency that is

shadowed by a very subtle background sweetness.

The teardrop-shaped garlic bulbs range in size; however, they usually

average around two inches in height and two inches in width at their

widest point. While elephant garlic has larger cloves, it is more

closely related to the leek and therefore does not offer the full

health benefits of regular garlic.

History

Native to central Asia, garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants

in the world and has been grown for over 5000 years. Ancient

Egyptians seem to have been the first to cultivate this plant that

played an important role in their culture.

Garlic was not only bestowed with sacred qualities and placed in the

tomb of Pharaohs, but it was given to the slaves that built the

Pyramids to enhance their endurance and strength. This strength-

enhancing quality was also honored by the ancient Greeks and Romans,

civilizations in which athletes ate garlic before sporting events,

and soldiers consumed it before going off to war.

Garlic was introduced into various regions throughout the globe by

migrating cultural tribes and explorers. By the 6th century BC,

garlic was known in both China and India, the latter country using it

for therapeutic purposes.

Throughout the millennia, garlic has been a beloved plant in many

cultures for both its culinary and medicinal properties. Over the

last few years, it has gained unprecedented popularity since

researchers have been scientifically validating its numerous health

benefits.

Currently, China, South Korea, India, Spain and the United States are

among the top commercial producers of garlic.

How to Select and Store

For maximum flavor and nutritional benefits, always purchase fresh

garlic. Although garlic in flake, powder or paste form may be more

convenient, you will derive less culinary and health benefits from

these forms.

Purchase garlic that is plump and has unbroken skin. Gently squeeze

the garlic bulb between your fingers to check that it feels firm and

is not damp.

Avoid garlic that is soft, shriveled, moldy or that has begun to

sprout. These may be indications of decay that will cause inferior

flavor and texture. Size is often not an indication of quality. If

your recipe calls for a large amount of garlic, remember that it is

always easier to peel and chop a few larger cloves than many smaller

ones. Fresh garlic is available in the market throughout the year.

Store fresh garlic in either an uncovered or a loosely covered

container in a cool, dark place away from exposure to heat and

sunlight. This will help maintain its maximum freshness and help

prevent sprouting, which reduces its flavor and causes excess waste.

It is not necessary to refrigerate garlic. Some people freeze peeled

garlic; however, this process reduces its flavor profile and changes

its texture.

Depending upon its age and variety, whole garlic bulbs will keep

fresh from two weeks to two months. Inspect the bulb frequently and

remove any cloves that appear to be dried out or moldy. Once you

break the head of garlic, it greatly reduces its shelf life to just a

few days.

How to Enjoy

Tips for Preparing Garlic:

The first step to using garlic (unless you are roasting the entire

bulb) is to separate the individual cloves. An easy way to do this is

to place the bulb on a cutting board or hard surface and gently, but

firmly, apply pressure with the palm of your hand at an angle. This

will cause the layers of skin that hold the bulb together to

separate.

To separate the skin from the individual cloves, place a clove with

the smooth side down on a cutting board and gently tap it with the

flat side of a wide knife. You can then remove the skin either with

your fingers or with a small knife. If there is a green sprout in the

clove's center, gently remove it since it is difficult to digest.

Chopping or crushing stimulates the enzymatic process that converts

the phytochemical alliin into allicin, a compound to which many of

garlic's health benefits are attributed. In order to allow for

maximal allicin production, wait several minutes before eating or

cooking the garlic.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Marinate pressed garlic in olive oil and use this flavored oil in

dressings and marinades.

Purée fresh garlic, canned garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and

lemon juice to make quick and easy hummus dip.

Healthy sauté steamed spinach, garlic, and fresh lemon juice.

Add garlic to sauces and soups.

Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and olive oil together to make

delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.

Safety

Garlic is not a commonly allergenic food, is not known to contain

measurable amounts of goitrogens, oxalates, or purines, and is also

not included in the Environmental Working Group's 2003

report " Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce " as one of the 12

foods most frequently containing pesticide residues.

Nutritional Profile

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either

an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient name you

will find the following information: the amount of the nutrient that

is included in the noted serving of this food; the %Daily Value (DV)

that that amount represents (similar to other information presented

in the website, this DV is calculated for 25-50 year old healthy

woman); the nutrient density rating; and, the food's World's

Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that

summarizes how the ratings were devised. Read detailed information on

our Food and Recipe Rating System.

Garlic

1.00 oz-wt

42.24 calories

Nutrient Amount DV

(%) Nutrient

Density World's Healthiest

Foods Rating

manganese 0.47 mg 23.5 10.0 excellent

vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.35 mg 17.5 7.5 very good

vitamin C 8.85 mg 14.8 6.3 very good

tryptophan 0.02 g 6.3 2.7 good

selenium 4.03 mcg 5.8 2.5 good

calcium 51.31 mg 5.1 2.2 good

phosphorus 43.38 mg 4.3 1.8 good

vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.06 mg 4.0 1.7 good

copper 0.08 mg 4.0 1.7 good

protein 1.80 g 3.6 1.5 good

World's Healthiest

Foods Rating Rule

excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%

very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%

good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

In Depth Nutritional Profile for Garlic

References