Super-foods Part 1: Garlic (Allium Sativum)
Both Chinese and Egyptian medical texts, dating back almost 5000 years, list garlic as one of the most prescribed remedies for a variety of ailments. Dioscorides, the Ancient Greek physician, discovered that garlic purified the arteries, and Hippocrates used it for treating all intestinal problems. The Cherokee Indians used garlic as a cure for coughs, colds and croup for infants. Louis Pasteur found that garlic could kill bacteria, and in both World War I and II it was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene. Since Russian doctors cured infections using bulbs of garlic, it became known as the “Russian Penicillin”. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, Albert Schweitzer, is said to have even used garlic to cure amoebic dysentery in Gabon, Africa. It is well known today that countries where the populations consume large amounts of garlic suffer lower incidences of cancer. In fact, the National Cancer Institute in the USA have revealed that garlic extract can cause mutated cells to self-destruct, and slow down the progression of cancer cells.
So garlic is one of natures super foods for human beings, but there is a slight catch. You see, the active component in garlic; ‘allicin’, which is garlic’s defense mechanism against attacks by pests, is only active when in RAW garlic. Allicin is amazing, being a powerful antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal agent. It has proven to be even more effective than penicillin in some cases. Yet it is at its most potent when the garlic is at its most raw. Dr. Daniel Reid states why this is so in his book The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity (p.81-2):
“When you cut a clove of raw garlic, a neutral vegetable substance called alliin mixes with a plant extract called alinase to produce the potent allicin factor. The characteristic odor of fresh cut raw garlic is caused by this powerful enzyme reaction. The garlic pills, garlic oil and other odorless garlic extracts sold in health-food stores are devoid of the allicin compound and are therefore therapeutically useless.”
However, if you’re like me, and find raw garlic quite difficult to stomach, there are some other options: Onions, leeks, scallions, shallots and chives. All of these vegetables are from the same genera, and all contain allicin, but it is garlic that is by far the most potent. So if you can’t stand the thought of eating raw garlic, then you can resort to the others just listed, but if you can then here are some more of the benefits of this amazing super-food:
- It is a rich source of sulfur compounds that keep your body chemistry in balance. This aids garlic’s ability to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, atherosclerosis (when an artery wall thickens as the result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol and the aggregation of platelets (basically stops the blood clogging up!). This all contributes to its ability to help prevent heart disease.
- Sulfur compounds are also thought to be responsible for garlic’s cancer fighting abilities.
- In ancient China, fresh raw garlic was applied to the back using hot compression, in order to eliminate tuberculosis (TB). By penetrating the skin, the therapeutic factors of the garlic were able to destroy the bacillus in the lungs that caused the TB.
- Allegedly, garlic can help regulate blood sugar levels and has been shown to prevent some cases of diabetes.
- For many years in traditional Herbalism and today in modern Naturopathy, garlic has been used as a cure for removing worms and other parasites from the alimentary canal. In some cases it has even successfully been used as an anal suppository!
- It has even been reasonably successful in helping to cure certain AIDS suffers!
- From a day-to-day point of view, it will boost your immune system, improve your liver and gallbladder function, and remove any excess of lead and other heavy metals that may have found their way into your body.
- From a workout point of view, garlic supplementation in rats has proven that garlic boosts testosterone levels, when coupled with a high protein diet. So all you body builders out there could save a fortune on HGH solution or Tiberalis Testeris, and just consume lots of garlic instead! It will also give a boost to your libido. Don’t overdo it though as too much raw garlic can cause nausea, indigestion and diarrhea.
- Halitosis is another negative side effect of too much garlic, or is it? In recent clinical trials, 2.5% garlic was mixed into mouthwash. Although the participants reported an unpleasant taste and halitosis, it was discovered that the garlic had good antimicrobial activity within the mouth. A temporary solution to garlic breath is to eat parsley.
10. For all you athlete’s foot suffers out there, try crushing some raw garlic on to your feet. Leave it there for half an hour everyday, before washing with water. Remember that garlic has antifungal properties, so it will work to relieve you of the discomfort.
11. If that wasn’t enough, then there are some spiritual beliefs concerning garlic as well. For centuries, in central Europe, garlic was used to ward of evil spirits, werewolves and vampires. People still use it to ward off real vampires today, such as the mosquito! In Chinese Daoism six black cloves of garlic were used to intensify the flow of chi or energy in those striving to be immortal. In Hinduism and Jainism, garlic is used to warm the body and also stimulate desires. However, in Islam, the odor associated with garlic means that those who have eaten garlic are not welcome into a mosque for the reason of not making others inside uncomfortable with the smell!
Oh well, garlic is amazing, but there is no escaping that stench! If you would like to know more about other great super-foods, then keep checking this blog as I’ll be posting many more.
If you are interested in learning more about what foods you should be eating in order to lose weight then go ahead and check this out:
If you are looking for more information on dieting for your health, then I would recommend you purchase this series of ebooks from Healing Gourmet:
They explain everything in a clear and concise manner, so that you can fully understand what you should be eating in order to stay in good health, or to regain your health when you have let it slide. If the latter is the case, you must not delay. The longer you put it off the worse it will become. Act now. Eat some raw garlic today!
