Garlic protects against cancer

While garlic (a member of the same allium family as the onion, leek, and chive) can spice up our food, it can spice up our lives, too. Preliminary studies show that garlic can protect against several types of cancer like colon cancer and cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also a heart-friendly herb — but make sure it’s fresh to keep the hydrogen sulfide intact for a good blood flow in the aorta.

In folk medicine, garlic has been used to treat almost everything — from a simple common cold to the dreaded plague.  The old folks used it to ward off vampires. Of course, now, nobody hangs garlands of garlic on the front door or by the bedroom window anymore to scare away those blood-sucking creatures. Today, we use it to keep disease at bay.

So, how does garlic lick disease? If you’ve been munching on garlic (forget about garlic breath, I sure love peanuts with lots of crisp roasted garlic bits and toasted bread covered in garlic butter), the following data gathered by Green Med Info from a list of studies should be of consuming interest to you.

First, note that a list of studies has demonstrated garlic’s “positive effects for more than 150 different diseases.” These can be divided into four major functions:

1. It reduces inflammation (thus, reducing the risk of osteoarthritis).

2. It can boost the immune function (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties).

3. It can improve cardiovascular health and circulation (protecting against clotting, retarding plaque, improving lipids, and reducing blood pressure).

4. It is toxic to 14 kinds of cancer cells (including brain, lung, breast, and pancreatic).

Why garlic is big in fighting the Big C (several types of cancer, in fact) is due to its potent antioxidant component. Garlic contains allicin, one of the most potent antioxidants from the plant kingdom.

(Technically, garlic does not contain allicin, but rather, it contains two agents in separate compartments of the clove that react to form the sulfur-rich compound allicin when the plant needs it.)

Here’s what researchers found about allicin: Sulfenic acid, produced during the rapid decomposition of allicin, reacts with and neutralizes free radicals faster than any other known compound. “As an anti-infective, garlic has been demonstrated to kill everything, from candida to herpes, MRSA, drug-resistant tuberculosis, and even HIV.”

As discovered by researchers, allicin is “an effective natural antibiotic that can eradicate even antibiotic-resistant bugs” (garlic appears to have a robust defense system against insects and fungi, it’s nature’s “insecticide”). In addition, the bacteria do not develop resistance to the compound. Again, the garlic must be fresh as its active agent is destroyed in less than an hour after the garlic clove is crushed or smashed.

Here’s more from mercola.com: “Like so many other complex plant foods, garlic contains a wide range of phytocompounds that act together to produce a wide variety of responses in your body. Garlic is rich in manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins B6 and C, so it’s beneficial for your bones as well as your thyroid ... Garlic also helps your body cleanse itself of heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.”

Studies have unearthed more than 100 different compounds in garlic, some of which come from the rapid breakdown of allicin itself. Thus, while garlic is known for its wealth of health benefits, we can’t pinpoint which benefits come from which compounds.

And now, to spice up this issue even more, there’s black garlic developed in Korea. It’s captured the palate of Western foodies and stirred the interest of health buffs because of studies revealing its potent nutritional properties.

What’s black garlic? It’s pure garlic (no additives, no preservatives) produced by fermenting whole bulbs of fresh garlic in a humidity-controlled environment (about 140 to 170°F for 30 days). After that, the bulbs are left to oxidize in a clean room for 45 days. According to mercola.com, “This lengthy process causes the garlic cloves to turn black and develop a soft, chewy texture with flavors reminiscent of balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, with a sweet prune-like taste. Aficionados claim the flavor will impress even the most avid garlic-hater, as the pungency and spiciness is gone.”

A mouse study done in Japan in 2009 and published in the journal Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Science and Technology found black garlic to be much more effective than fresh garlic in reducing the size of tumors. Another study found black garlic to have twice the antioxidant found in white garlic.

If you have the space (and maybe a green thumb), you might want to sprout your own garlic and start your own green pharmacy at home.  Or enjoy an exhilarating whiff of hot off-the-pan garlic shrimp or garlic chicken adobo.