Garlic and its benefits Being brought up in a typical chinese family, the garlic flavoring has always been a must in every meal. And because I eat garlic so often, that it is about time that I learn about this wonderful food and what it is that I have subjected my body through all these years. Garlic not only tastes wonderful, it is supposed to be very good for your body. Garlic has sometimes been called the Stinking Rose. Garlic is a cousin to onions, leeks, chives, and shallots. A bulb or head of garlic is composed of smaller cloves. It is a root vegetable, with the bulb growing underground. The garlic crop is harvested in mid-July and hung in sheds to dry before reaching their prime in late-July/early-August. But due to commercial demands, fresh and dried garlic are available year-round in most markets. There are over 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide. It has been in used since 6,000 years ago. It is a native crop to to Central Asia and also a staple food in the Mediterranean region. It is now more often used as a seasoning in Asia, Africa and Europe. The Egyptians used to worship garlic and models of garlic bulbs had been found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Once it was even used as a form of currency. Folk superstition use garlic to repel vampires (our favourite Drakula) and had also been revered as an aphrodisiac. You store unpeeled garlic in an open container in a cool, dry place away from other foods. You don't refrigerate or freeze unpeeled garlic. Peeled garlic cloves may be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It is important that garlic in oil be stored under refrigeration to avoid potentially-deadly bacteria growth. Garlic powder, on the other hand, should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. The smaller you chop garlic, the more pungent it becomes. Chopping finely and/or pressing a clove exposes more surfaces to the air, causing a chemical reaction to produce that strong aroma. This pungent smell comes from an enzyme which contains sulphur molecules. These sulphur molecules are absorbed into the bloodstream and lungs, and escape through exhaled air and perspiration. Thus, the garlic breath. Whole cooked garlic cloves are quite mild, with a nutty flavor. Studies have shown garlic can suppress the growth of tumors, and is a potent antioxidant good for cardiovascular health. During the Middle Ages, garlic was used by monks to protect against plagues. Hippocrates used garlic vapors to treat cervical cancer, and garlic pieces were placed on wounds during World War II as an inexpensive, and effective replacement for antibiotics, which were scarce during wartime. Other studies have also shown that garlic can reduce LDL or "bad" cholesterol and is a good blood-thinning agent to avoid blood clots that could lead to heart attack or stroke. In 2003, scientists reported that garlic could provide the cure for cancer.
Scientists say, "Garlic which is already renowned for its antioxidant properties, produces a chemical that gives it its flavour, that could be used in a "smart bomb" to fight cancer." This chemical, allicin, comes from garlic. Israeli researchers recreated the reaction between this garlic chemical allicin at the site of a cancer tumour. It then penetrates and kills the tumour cells but healthy cells nearby were left intact. The researchers from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovet successfully used the same technique to block the growth of stomach tumours in mice. Again in 2002, researchers in US said that garlic could help prevent men from developing prostate cancer. It was found that men who ate the vegetable had a 50% lower risk of having prostate cancer than those who ate the least. Two hundred and thirty-eight men with prostate cancer and 471 men without were asked about what they ate. It was found men who ate more than a third of an ounce (10 grammes) a day of onions, garlic, chives or scallions were much less likely to be in the group with cancer. Also people who take a garlic supplement each day are far less likely to fall victim to the common cold than those who do not. No wonder garlic had been traditionally used to fight off and treat the symptoms of the common cold. However, a word of caution. Some health professionals warned that the high sulphur content in garlic can cause colitis and dermatitis by destroying the natural flora in the gut. They say excessive high doses of garlic may even prevent blood clotting and interfere with proper thyroid function. (I guess, excessive doses of anything is bad for our health!) Well, how not to be excessive and how much should we consume? Doctors have suggested that - half a clove - is the amount that they think a person would have to eat each day to gain from its anti-cancer properties. It should be served raw to have maximum effect, they said. If it is cooked, it should be about four and a half cloves. So there you are, shall we head on to the nearest Chinese restaurant for some Raw Garlic? |
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