Since the days of the Egyptians, people have used garlic as a medication for a number of ailments, from gangrene to pneumonia. Although many associate garlic with weight loss, no strong evidence is available for making such a claim. Conflicting studies have shown that garlic helps to lower cholesterol and triglicerides, but there is nothing conclusive in that respect, either. Even so, garlic has many other health benefits. Although cooking garlic may not necessarily destroy those other benefits, it definitely diminishes their effects.
Benefits of Garlic
Garlic is high in anti-oxidants, which may make it effective for preventing different types of cancer, in particular, stomach, colon, rectal and possibly prostrate cancer. Garlic seems to boost the immune system, which may help to prevent contracting diseases during cancer treatment. That increased immunity may also help to prevent the common cold. Garlic may have a number of cardiovascular benefits as well, including lowering high blood pressure, preventing cardiovascular disease and thinning the blood. Studies have shown that it may also have anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties.
Side Effects
Perhaps the most obvious side effect of garlic is bad breath and body odor. However, it can also have adverse effects with other supplements or medications. Never use food supplements as a substitute for medical care without consulting your physician. Although, in some cases thinning the blood is beneficial, garlic's inhibition of coagulation also presents bleeding risks, especially in the case of pregnancy or surgery. Fish oil and many other supplements slow down blood clotting as well, so in combination with garlic, they can increase the risk of bleeding. Garlic may also cause skin irritation with excessive handling.
Allicin
Researchers attribute most of the benefits of garlic to a chemical called allicin. Allicin breaks down to form a number of sulfur-containing organic compounds believed to prevent cancer and other diseases. Garlic contains an enzyme called alliinase, which is like a molecular-sized chemical factory that produces allicin. Cooking destroys the enzymatic activity of alliinase, thus shutting off allicin's production.
Preparation of Garlic
Crushing garlic stimulates the enzymatic activity. After crushing, allow the garlic to sit for at least 10 minutes. That will allow time for the enzyme to create as much allicin as possible before cooking. Although eating it raw is better, you can retain many of garlic's healthy benefits in that way. Garlic is also available dried or as garlic oil. The process of drying garlic is often done in such a way to preserve the enzymatic activity, but the effectiveness of those methods is limited. Even though bottles of garlic tablets may report possible quantities of allicin release, the actual yields often fall short of those numbers. Garlic oil capsules usually provide a fair amount allicin-derived compounds.
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