Garlic is America's best-selling herb. Valued for its culinary diversity and medicinal applications throughout the centuries, its benefits lie in its organosulphur compounds. Scientists are now looking at garlic, including garlic juice, for its application in averting and treating diseases. Adverse effects of ingesting garlic usually hinge around breath and body odor, although heartburn, gastrointestinal upset and uncontrolled bleeding with garlic supplements have been reported. Consult your doctor before taking garlic juice.
Folklore
Garlic's folklore is documented as far back as ancient Egypt. During the Black Plague, those who survived were said to do so because they ate garlic in their diet. During World War I, field surgeons supposedly used garlic juice-soaked moss as wound compresses. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that garlic's renowned clout against infections is twofold: it fights the viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites directly as it stimulates the immune system against the attackers.
Making Garlic Juice
Making garlic juice is a simple process, although some grocery stores and health food shops carry it. Take several cloves of garlic and peel off the skin. Place the peeled cloves in a garlic press and hold over a container to catch the juice. Squeeze the press. Pour the juice through a cheese cloth to remove any bits of garlic pulp. The juice may be used internally, or if appropriate, externally, such as for wound care. Garlic juice may burn. Consult a doctor before using garlic juice or any other herbal remedies, since its effects have not been proved conclusively.
Uses of Garlic Juice
Garlic's primary component is allicin, which gives the cloves their characteristic odor and properties. Garlic juice may decrease cardiovascular symptoms, reduce blood pressure and treat and prevent coughs, colds and sore throats. It also can strengthen the immune system, act as an antiparasitic, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal and possibly combat fatigue, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you buy garlic juice, read the label to ensure you are getting standardized product, and follow your doctor's advise.
Scientific Studies on Garlic
Garlic juice and other garlic preparations have been the focus of numerous studies. A 2006 review in "The Journal of Nutrition" states that garlic shows to reduce cholesterol and platelet aggregation, has a positive effect on hypertension and may boost immunity. A 1987 study in "Nutrition Research" also claimed that garlic played a significant role in lowering triglycerides and cholesterol.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Garlic and Organosulfur Compounds
- Creighton University and Medical Center: Garlic: History; Monica Oldenburg; Updated 2007
- Folk Remedies Natural Health: Garlic Folk Remedies
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; Garlic and Cardiovascular Disease: A Critical Review; Khalid Rahman, et al.; March 2006
- "Nutrition Research"; Effect of an Odor-modified Garlic Preparation on Blood Lipids; Benjamin H.S. Lau, et al.; February 1987
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