Garlic – health benefits
We just harvested our garlic crop. It is always great to pull up their heads after their six month gestation period over the cooler months. Organic garlic is a wonderful addition to both the kitchen and the medicine cabinet!
Garlic is rich in a range of sulphur compounds, which are thought to be responsible for its flavor and aroma. One of its main medicinal agents is the substance known as allicin. But interestingly, allicin is not found in its natural state in garlic. Allicin is actually formed from the coming together of two compounds that it contains, called alliinase and alliin. When the enzyme allinase reacts with the compound alliin — which happens when it is chopped, minced or crushed — they form the special compound known as allicin. The reaction happens very quickly and the allicin that is produced is what gives it it’s distinctive smell and flavour.
Allicin is a great therapeutic agent and has been found to be effective as a natural antibiotic and anticancer agent and it can also help cardiovascular health – in particular will help to lower cholesterol, reduce blood sugar and high blood pressure. I often prescribe garlic as an antimicrobial agent in my treatment of digestive issues, particularly SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and it is also great for colds, sinus and chest infections and as a natural antiseptic.
Unfortunately when it is cooked, the allicin is destroyed, so it is best to eat it raw, freshly crushed and left to sit for 10 mins or so to get the best medicine. The best way to simultaneously peel and crush it is to use a heavy knife blade and bash it hard. The shell will easily come free and the it can be chopped or smashed with the back of the knife.
Of course it still tastes great in cooking when it is roasted or braised, we just don’t get the medicinal benefit. You can crush some it and mix with herbs and butter to make a nice final addition to everything from steamed veggies to soups, pastas or served on top of a steak. It can be added to pine nuts or cashew nuts and blended with basil and olive oil to make a delicious super food pesto dip.
For sore throats or cough crushed garlic can be mixed with honey and taken as a sweet syrup medicine.
Make sure you source organic when buying it as much of the imported comes from China and it is treated with bleaching agents, antifungals and other chemicals that prevent sprouting. Methyl bromide is one such chemical routinely used in harvesting and production and this is a highly toxic agent that can impact on the respiratory and nervous systems. Imported tends to have much less flavour as well!
Parsley is a great cure for garlic breath!
Lastly, what’s an article on garlic if you don’t mention garlic breath!? There are many folk cures to help with its odour and garlic breath. I find using a lemon and bicarb soda is a good way to take the smell off the hands. Some good cures for it include chewing on parsley or sucking a lemon wedge. However eating an apple or drinking green or peppermint tea can also be a good idea. These all contain substances called polyphenols which can inactivate the sulphur compounds that contribute to garlic’s odour.
