Garlic originates in Central Asia, and is one of the world’s oldest cultivated plants. It has been documented in Sanskrit writings 5,000 years ago.

There are numerous citations concerning the therapeutic uses of garlic by Hippocrates and Aristotle. The Ebers Codex, an Egyptian medical papyrus dating back to about 1550 BCE, mentions garlic as an effective remedy for a variety of ailments. Folklore has alleged its ability to ward off vampires, and has featured thus in many a literary work.

The famous microbiologist Louis Pasteur performed some of the original work showing that garlic could kill bacteria.

Garlic was named Russian penicillin during World War II, and after the war, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals developed a garlic compound for stomach cramps.

Cooking stops the process in which the “active” compounds in garlic are generated, but plenty are formed if you chop the garlic and allow it to stand for about 10 or 15 minutes before cooking it. The only time cooking keeps us from getting garlic’s health benefits is when we roast whole garlic, since the active compounds have not had time to form.

Studies have shown that it takes 10 to 15 minutes after raw garlic is chopped or chewed for garlic’s inactive compounds to convert into the active, protective forms. People who cook garlic immediately after chopping it probably don’t get the same benefits as those eating the same amount of garlic raw or cooked after a 10- to 15-minute wait.

Nutrients in Garlic

Garlic is an excellent source of vitamin B6. It is a very good source of manganese, selenium, and vitamin C. It’s a good source of phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iron, and copper.

A comprehensive breakdown of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin and mineral content presented in an easy to read pie chart can be found in our Nutrition Database where this food can also be added to a meal planner. 

In a 3-year study of 432 people who had suffered a heart attack, the participants who were given garlic oil extract showed a significant reduction of second heart attacks and about a 50% reduction in death rate as opposed to those who consumed no extract.

One study concluded that benefits from garlic preparations might lead to the reduction of cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients.

Studies have shown that garlic decreases total serum cholesterol levels while increasing serum HDL-cholesterol levels.

In a 4-year trial involving a group of 41,837 women, results showed that women whose diets included significant quantities of garlic were approximately 30% less likely to develop colon cancer.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) 2007 expert report on diet and cancer risk, which includes analysis of human studies, concluded that garlic probably protects against colorectal cancer. Also, garlic is part of the allium family (along with onions and related vegetables) and allium foods probably protect against stomach cancer.

In a 4-year double blind, placebo-controlled study involving 152 participants, a daily 900mg dose of garlic powder significantly slowed the development of atherosclerosis.
Participants in an observational study who took garlic showed more flexibility of the aorta, indicating less atherosclerosis.

In a 12-week, double blind, placebo-controlled trial, 146 people received either placebo or a garlic extract. The results showed that participants receiving garlic were almost two-thirds less likely to catch cold than those receiving placebo, and the participants who did catch cold recovered faster in the garlic group.

Antimicrobial

Raw garlic has the ability to kill a wide variety of microorganisms by direct contact, including fungi, bacteria, viruses and protozoa. A double-blind study has found that a cream made from the garlic constituent ajoene was just as effective for fungal skin infections such as athlete's foot as the standard drug terbinafine.
Allicin is the compound in garlic that gives it its antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties and its distinctive odour. In a promising preliminary study allicin showed significant antibacterial activity against drug-resistant shigella dysenteriae, the bacteria that causes the most severe dysentery. Further research is required to determine the effectiveness of garlic and its allicin in the treatment of dysentery.

Glycemic Index of Garlic

In a study to determine the glycemic index of various foods, it was concluded that garlic has a low GI of 10.

1. Raw garlic taken in excessive doses can cause stomach upset, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, facial flushing, rapid pulse and insomnia.
2. Garlic is a blood thinner, so it’s not advisable to take high-potency garlic pills immediately prior to or after surgery or labor and delivery.
3. Garlic should not be combined with blood-thinning drugs.Related Articles


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References:
1. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno.
2. Benders' Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology.
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
4. Sobenin IA, Nedosugova LV, Filatova LV, Balabolkin MI, Gorchakova TV, Orekhov AN. Metabolic effects of time-released garlic powder tablets in type 2 diabetes mellitus: the results of double-blinded placebo-controlled study. Acta Diabetol. 2008 Mar;45(1):1-6. PMID: 17823766.
5. Chowdhury AK, Ahsan M, Islam SN, Ahmed ZU. Efficacy of aqueous extract of garlic & allicin in experimental shigellosis in rabbits. Indian J Med Res. 1991 Jan;93:33-6. PubMed. PMID: 2022399.
6. American Institute for Cancer Research

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