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Nutrition News Garlic Fresh or in supplement form, garlic offers many notable health benefits. Unfortunately, studies do show that high temperatures destroy allicin, the active ingredient in garlic. So, my suggestion is to enjoy fresh garlic in dressings or lightly sautéed in your favorite dishes. Of course, there are great garlic supplements available in our Healthy Living Department. What are the health benefits of garlic? Garlic isn’t just good for warding off vampires anymore. It contains several components that may have health benefits, including allicin. Many studies have shown, for instance that the allicin in garlic may help reduce total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by small amounts. Although more evidence is needed to link garlic to cancer prevention, some studies have shown that garlic may reduce the risk of developing certain types of stomach and colon cancers. Eating garlic may also help cause small reductions in blood pressure. As noted earlier, in order to get the most benefits from garlic, choose fresh uncooked garlic—high cooking temperatures make it less potent. And note that garlic must be crushed, chopped or chewed in order to release the allicin. What about garlic supplements? If you don’t like the taste of garlic, or you don’t want the bad breath that it can impart, supplements may be what you are looking for. Garlic supplements have been shown to have the same health benefits as fresh garlic. Before you start including supplements in your diet check with your doctor to see if garlic supplements are right for you— garlic supplements can adversely react with certain other drugs and/or supplements and, therefore, may not be appropriate for everyone. How much garlic do I need to eat to reap the health benefits? The World Health Organization suggests 2–5 grams fresh garlic, 0.4–1.2 grams of dried powder, 2–5mg of oil, 300–1,000mg of extract, or other formulations that are equal to 2–5mg of allicin daily. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt to add more fresh garlic to your diet. |
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