Garlic and parsley oils might help you beat cancer and heart disease, as well as several other conditions, according to the University Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). Garlic use goes back to the time of the ancient pyramids, and parsley -- considered the world's most popular herb -- was used as a garnish by the ancient Romans, according to WhFoods.com. Garlic and parsley oils may benefit your health in several ways.
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Cancer Benefits
Garlic oil and parsley oil are considered rich antioxidants, which help destroy cell-damaging free-radicals in the blood that have been linked to cancer. When garlic bulbs and cloves are crushed to make garlic oil, the sulfur-containing chemical alliin is converted to allicin---giving garlic is distinctive odor, and possibly its many healing antioxidant properties, according to the UMMC. Laboratory studies suggest that garlic oil strengthens the immune system to lower your risk of cancer. An investigation cited by UMMC observed the effects of a diet, consisting of garlic, fruits and vegetables, on 41,000 middle-aged women to determine its ability to prevent cancer. Women who consistently consumed these foods were discovered to have a 35 percent lower chance of developing colon cancer.
Components of parsley oil such as flavonoids, or plant pigments, are thought to be powerful antioxidants to also fight cancer, according to WhFoods.com.One of parsley oil's components, myristicin, is thought to activate an enzyme that neutralizes carcinogens. An investigation examining the effects of myristicin on cancer reduction was published in the June 26, 1992 edition of the Oxford Journal "Carcinogens." Myristicin reduced mice lung tumor growth by 65 percent and inhibited stomach tumors by 31 percent. Though research appears positive, further studies are needed for scientific proof of the effectiveness of parsley and garlic oils in the prevention of cancer.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Garlic and parsley oils may benefit your heart. The UMMC reports that garlic oil can decrease levels of bad cholesterol -- low-density lipoproteins, or LDL---and increase the amount of good cholesterol--high-density lipoproteins, or HDL. An exploratory study led by A.J. Adler of the Department of Human Biology at Canada's University of Guelph appears to concur. Investigators examined the effects of garlic and fish oils on men with moderate to high levels of cholesterol. Fifty male subjects were divided into four groups and given different combinations of garlic oil, fish oil, and a placebo oil over a 12-week period. Groups receiving the garlic oil---with or without fish oil---had significantly lower total cholesterol levels.
Parsley and garlic oils could help regulate your blood pressure. Garlic oil decreases platelet aggregation---or thins the blood---for smoother blood flow and lower blood pressure. OrganicsFacts.net claims that parsley oil may lower your blood pressure. Though research seems promising, insufficient scientific evidence exists to prove the effectiveness of garlic and parsley oils for cardiovascular treatment.
Infection Benefits
Garlic and parsley oil components are believed to be helpful in treating viruses and destroying microbes. Louis Pasteur reportedly used garlic as an anti-bacterial treatment back in 1865, according to OrganicFacts.net. In addition, NutritionAndYou.com claims the essential oil eugenol in parsley acts as an antiseptic for the teeth and gums.
Garlic oil may benefit sufferers of the common cold. The UMMC cites a 12-week study of 150 subjects during the cold season. Participants received either a garlic supplement or a placebo. Those who took the garlic supplement suffered many fewer colds than those who received the placebo. Moreover, the subjects who did get colds recovered faster than the participants who took the placebo.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
- WhFoods.com: Parsley
- Oxford Journal "Carcinogenisis"; Inhibition of Benzol Pyrene-Induced Tumorigenesis by Myristicin; Guo-Qiang Zheng et al. ; June 26, 1992
- "The American Jounal of Clinical Nutrition" ; Effect of Garlic and Fish-Oil Supplementation on Serum Lipid and Lipoprotein Concentrations in Hyperchloesterolemic Men; AJ Adler et al. ; VOL 65
- OrganicFacts.net: Health Benefits of Parsley Essential Oil
- OrganicFacts.net: Health Benefits of Garlic
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