Garlic pearls are widely available and provide a range of supplemental benefits associated with the sulfur compounds in the plant. Garlic pearls contain a wide variety of chemical compounds, including allicin and alliin, s-allylcysteine, diallyl sulfide and allyl methyl trisulfide, according to Jack Challem, editor of the Nutrition Reporter. Together, these compounds provide a range of benefits.
Anti-Fungal
Garlic remains a popular supplement to combat fungal infections. The sulfur compounds it contains have a potent effect on a wide variety of microbes, which include many bacterial species. Garlic has gathered attention in the medical community for several decades, and Challem documents the fact that garlic extracts completely eliminated a fungal infection in rats in just two days. Aside from this direct effect on fungal populations in the body, garlic also strengthens the immune system on a more general level by promoting a process called phagocytosis. Phagocytosis refers to a procedure in which the white blood cells engulf and then digest any potential invaders.
Cardiovascular Support
Garlic has been featured in the protocols of many physicians to lower risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, garlic acts quickly inside the body to lower blood pressure, states Ray Sahelian, a family doctor, author and authority on natural supplements and nutrition. Sahelian says the sulfur compounds undergo conversion by red blood cells into a substance called hydrogen sulfide, which causes vasodilation. Relaxation of blood vessels occurs in vasodilation. This action can reduce the diastolic blood pressure by an average of nine points, according to Sahelian.
Anti-Carcinogenic
In the treatment and prevention of cancer, garlic has a long history. Records exist showing the use of garlic against tumors around 3500 years ago, notes Challem. Since then, scientific examination has revealed how garlic inhibits cancer in three ways: it directly interferes with the metabolism of tumor cells, prevents the reproduction of cancer cells and boosts the function of white blood cells that deal with cancer cells. Garlic consumption also increases the levels of antioxidant enzymes that can help the liver detoxify the body.
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