Garlic is a ubiquitous vegetable widely used for cooking and medicinal purposes. It is closely related to onions, chives, leeks and scallions, and gets its characteristic odor from an abundance of sulfur-containing compounds. These compounds are also the source of garlic's purported health-promoting effects. Although garlic shows promise in the areas of cancer prevention and heart disease, as of 2010, more research is needed to provide conclusive evidence of any heath benefits.
History
Native to central Asia, garlic is now cultivated worldwide. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, it has been grown for more than 5,000 years. Garlic played an important role in the culture of the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a sacred herb with the ability to enhance strength and endurance. The ancient Greeks and Romans also believed in garlic's strength-enhancing properties. Garlic has spread across the globe to become a staple food in many cultures for both its culinary and medicinal appeal.
Description
Garlic is easily recognized by its compound bulb, which consists of four to 20 cloves. The cloves are wrapped in paper-like sheathes that are frequently off-white in color. Some varieties of garlic have larger cloves than others, but all share the same pungent, unmistakable flavor and aroma. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that garlic and garlic supplements come in a variety of forms such as fresh, dried, extracts, powders, oils, tablets and capsules.
Nutritional Profile
A 1-ounce serving of garlic contains approximately 42 calories, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat. It is rich in manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, and is a good source of thiamin or vitamin B1, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, potassium, iron and copper.
Garlic also contains an abundance of antioxidants and sulfur compounds formed from a substance called allicin. When garlic bulbs are chopped or crushed, this compound changes into other active compounds which give garlic its taste and smell. These compounds are also considered the primary active substances responsible for garlic's supposed health benefits. Note that not all garlic products contain the same amount of active compounds, and a wide variation of these substances occur in both natural garlic and garlic supplements. This is a possible reason that many clinical studies on the health benefits of garlic have been inconclusive. Many experts support the use of aged garlic, which has been shown to contain the highest concentration of sulfur compounds readily absorbed by the body.
Health Benefits
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that the most common uses for garlic as a health supplement are for high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure and the prevention of certain types of cancers, such as stomach and colon cancer. Preliminary studies have shown that garlic has some ability to slightly lower blood pressure and potentially slow the development of atherosclerosis. Other studies have shown mixed outcomes for garlic supplements and their effects on high cholesterol and in preventing cancer. As of 2010, more research and clinical trials are required to investigate the long-term health benefits of garlic.
Cautions
Although garlic is considered to have very low toxicity and be safe for most people, there are some precautions and side effects to be aware of. Garlic can cause gastric upset, breath and body odor, heartburn and bloating. The oils of raw garlic can irritate the skin and cause lesions with excessive handling. Some other less-common, but more-severe, effects of taking garlic supplements are headache, fatigue, dizziness, allergies and loss of appetite. Garlic also contains natural blood thinners, and can increase your risk for bleeding during surgery or other medical procedures.
As with any herbal supplement, you should only take garlic supplements under the supervision of your health-care provider.
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