Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic

OCTOBER 15, 2007, 5:03 PM

October 15, 2007, 5:03 pm

Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic

What makes garlic good for you? (Chris Ramirez for The New York Times)

Garlic has long been touted as a health booster, but its never been clear why the herb might be good for you. Now new research is beginning to unlock the secrets of the odoriferous bulb.

In a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers show that eating garlic appears to boost our natural supply of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is actually poisonous at high concentrations its the same noxious byproduct of oil refining that smells like rotten eggs. But the body makes its own supply of the stuff, which acts as an antioxidant and transmits cellular signals that relax blood vessels and increase blood flow.

In the latest study, performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, researchers extracted juice from supermarket garlic and added small amounts to human red blood cells. The cells immediately began emitting hydrogen sulfide, the scientists found.

The power to boost hydrogen sulfide production may help explain why a garlic-rich diet appears to protect against various cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancer, say the study authors. Higher hydrogen sulfide might also protect the heart, according to other experts. Although garlic has not consistently been shown to lower cholesterol levels, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine earlier this year found that injecting hydrogen sulfide into mice almost completely prevented the damage to heart muscle caused by a heart attack.

People have known garlic was important and has health benefits for centuries,' said Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama. Even the Greeks would feed garlic to their athletes before they competed in the Olympic games.'

Now, the downside. The concentration of garlic extract used in the latest study was equivalent to an adult eating about two medium-sized cloves per day. In such countries as Italy, Korea and China, where a garlic-rich diet seems to be protective against disease, per capita consumption is as high as eight to 12 cloves per day.

While that may sound like a lot of garlic, Dr. Kraus noted that increasing your consumption to five or more cloves a day isnt hard if you use it every time you cook. Dr. Kraus also makes a habit of snacking on garlicky dishes like hummus with vegetables.

Many home chefs mistakenly cook garlic immediately after crushing or chopping it, added Dr. Kraus. To maximize the health benefits, you should crush the garlic at room temperature and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. That triggers an enzyme reaction that boosts the healthy compounds in garlic.

Garlic can cause indigestion, but for many, the bigger concern is that it can make your breath and sweat smell likegarlic. While individual reactions to garlic vary, eating fennel seeds like those served at Indian restaurants helps to neutralize the smell. Garlic-powder pills claim to solve the problem, but the data on these supplements has been mixed. Its still not clear if the beneficial compounds found in garlic remain potent once its been processed into a pill.

1.

October 15th,200710:21 pm

Didnt I read here in the Time recently that there is no proof that garlic is beneficial?Ill see if I can find that and post.

Are these sorts of medical articles a waste of time?

Posted by Tom Fitzsimmnons

2.

October 16th,20071:43 am

I drink garlic water every day and it is delicioustaste colder and quenches my thirst. Dont know what if any health benefits but is satisfies my taste buds. Also, at the very beginning of a cold, I chop fresh garlic into pieces small enough to swallow without chewing (about the size of a baby aspirin) and take approximately 5 to seven cloves daily. I find that the cold doesnt take hold and the symptoms of the cold go away with a day or two. Before I started doing this colds would last for two to three weeks. Now I seldom get a cold and when I do, I am fine within three days.

Posted by Joi Hays

3.


Of course these articles arent a waste of time! There are people out there who actually want to know/verify their knowledge about alternative remedies. If you dont, I would suggest you not read the articles under alternative remedies in the first place.

Posted by Tina Marie

4.


Have been having raw for years with early morning tea and had no artery blockages though had to undergo heart Surgery four years back for leaky aortic valve and aortic root had to be replaced by Bentall procedure!Garlic is wonderful!

Posted by HGOBHRAI

5.


thank you for this article. the thing is i really love garlic. i have hey fever and once i started eating garlic i felt so much better. and i am the kind of person who wants to go natural and minimise the drugs i take. the only problem was that everyone around me seemed to mind the garlic smell. i finally gave in and stopped taking it. i guess i will have to try the fennel seeds and see if it works. or rather just go to the pill. thanks for the article.

Posted by cherish

6.


I have found that consuming one large garlic, chopped into tiny pieces and spread on toast with something tasty (like mayonnaise or butter) three times a day will combat colds. The symptoms are practically gone 24 hours after eating three-four such sandwiches.Ive read that eating fresh parsley is an antidote for garlic-y breath but have never tried it.

Posted by frimet roth

7.


I have to ask the skeptics why *wouldnt* garlic have some beneficial effect? Lots of foods are being shown to be helpful. Theyre not curealls, but important pieces to the overall puzzle of health. Garlic is no magic bullet, unless youre a vampire hunter, but with its strong chemical profile, its bound to have some beneficial effects. Remember, most of the early miracle drugs were plant based.

Posted by Janet V

8.


I love garlic! Nevermind the health benefits - its so tasty!

Posted by Caroline

9.


Garlic have been used for over centuries in India & Eastern countries for many health benefits.If you decide to use garlic for personal health benefits one of the easy & most tasty way is via using a clay garlic roaster ( $ 5 to 10 )- Take a whole or portion of garlic bulb- tske away the outer skins but not the lastskin covering the cloves- cut the top tip of the cloves- add olive oil few drops or 1/4 spoon only- add salt & pepper ( oregano etc if you like- put the garlic roaster in the microwave for 1min to 1.15 min for the whole bulb.Cooking it this way also does not give heavy garlic oder, smell & breath.Try it it may help.BC

Posted by BC

10.


I buy the chopped stuff in the big jar at the supermarket. Every now and then I shovel down a small bowl full. Its FAR from the most pleasant way to enjoy garlic, but my cholesterol has gone from Danger Will Robinson to not even remotely an issue over the last couple of years. Direct corelation? Hard to say, as Ive made other changes to my diet as well (almost no meat) but the garlic sure hasnt hurt.

Other times I splurge and buy the pre-roasted stuff from the cold counter at the supermarket deli. I put a TON on a lightly toasted sandwich with a blob of cottage cheeze to help hold it all together and *WHOOHOO!* tasty fun.

The chopped stuff is raw, though, and so I think has a great health benefit.

Posted by skipkent

11.


They forget to mention one of the primary benefits of garlic consumption.

Its tasty. Eating tasty things is important.

Posted by Rowan

12.


Eating 1-2 cloves of raw garlic when you feel a cold coming on is a good way to prevent it. This really works. One method is to crush or slice the garlic, let it sit for 15 minutes, then add it to some salsa, making it more palatable.

Posted by Alan

13.


Does anyone know if cooking garlic reduces its health benefits?

Posted by willis

14.


From my understanding about the use of Garlic, It is good in lowering blood pressure, help reduce gas pain and kill some toxic out of certain food that you cook and many more. If our ancestors were using garlic for centuries and they benefit from it there is no way for me to see why there would be doubts about the usage.

Posted by Lynnette

15.


Simple scientific facts should be known or checked. Hydrogen sulfide can not be an organic substance since it contains no carbon. Words have meaning; Scientific words have very specific meaning.

Eds note: Andy : Thanks for your post. You are correct. I agree with you on the importance of being precise, particularly when writing about science and health. Thanks for catching this one. tpp

Posted by Andy P

16.


Does the garlic have to be consumed rawto help with colds? Would it work if cooked into a dish

Posted by Curious

17.


I always use garlic when I cook vegetables. If I dont use it, I feel like not that much tastier. I have already known some benefits of garlic though this article made me more clear. Ofcourse, cooked garlic or uncooked they have some benefits but which one is more I have no idea.

Posted by minu

18.


Roman soldiers put slices of garlic between their toes to combat athletes foot

Posted by Jacques Ren Gigure

19.


Hydrogen sulfide is actually poisonous at high concentrations

How much is too much garlic for humans? What happens if one eats too much? What is too much in one session, and what is too much over decades? Has anyone studied that?

A study showed that garlic fed to animals (horses) kills red blood cells. However, I know many supplelment pet food with garlic. Are those processed pills a placebo for the owner ?

Posted by still dreaming

20.


Have heard that chewing garlic is good for the gums. If tomato juice will get rid of skunk smell it might work on garlic.

Posted by Peggy

21.


Garlic is extremely easy to grow. It does reasonably well even in Oregons mixed weather. Just stick some individual cloves in the ground anywhere on your property this fall and dig them up next summer when their foliage has turned mostly brown.

Posted by Karen Berry

22.


Believe it or not, raw garlic can be made palatible by slicing the cloves thin and putting them on bread with peanut butter

Posted by Ross

23.


Garlic, onions, red wine and sparkling wines give me a violent sick headache. Trace amounts in soup simply give me stomach cramps. Is these symptoms due to the hydrogen sulfide?

Posted by Janice Wood Williams

24.


Thank you. Now I understand why people crush garlic at room temperature and let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking. I still believe garlic is useful to ones health.

Posted by Kevin Shum

25.


Parsley DEFINITELY kills the sulphuric odor of garlic. I eat garlic and chew parsley after it. Voila! No smell. Cinnamon or clove (chewed) will also have the same odor-killing effect.

Posted by Indga

26.


Garlic makes me very sick when I eat it. It may be good for your health but it is not good for my health. I protest the intrusion of garlic in public food.

It makes me crazy to hear all of this. It can only mean that there will be even more garlic out there.

I hate the stuff.

Posted by Ernie

27.


Like Ms. Williams I also get sick when I eat garlic. It gives me a migraine headache if consumed in quantity and severely upset stomach/intestines in lesser quantities. Since I am so sensitive I cant eat out much. I pretty much have to stick with sushi or burgers. Garlic and onions are in almost all savory dishes and also hides in things like ketchup as a spice. The FDA does not require garlic or onions to be specifically listed as an ingredient but allows them to be included under generic reference to natural flavorings and spices. It took me years to find out why I was always so sick and losing weight; I am naturally thin and so losing weight was not a good thing for me. I was also having migraine headaches about 25% of the time. I like the taste of garlic and onions but avoid them at all costs and now I have amazing energy and no headaches. I wonder how many others are also affected by garlic/onions in this way?

Posted by Stephanie

28.


i love garlic! i put it in almost all of my homecooked dishes. i have read that to get the most benefit (and flavor) from garlic, it should be added after a dish is cooked and just before serving.

one needs a garlic press, which costs just a few dollars, to make the best use of garlic. with such a press, regular garlic eaters will find that adding a few cloves (not to be confused with the whole flower, from which the cloves are separated) is almost always a tasty and zesty augmentation to almost any dish.

when i have a cold, i press quite a few cloves of garlic into a cup of hot water and miso, making a delicious and healthful tea/soup. it clears the sinuses and (i have read) has antibiotic properties as well.

garlic is great!

Posted by anonymous

29.


Additionally, garlic cloves are an excellent way to cure a yeast infection. Consuming is one way to help, but simply nicking a clove to get the juices running and inserting the clove as a suppository can clear the yeast right out.

Posted by Nicole

30.


Looking at some comments above- it seems that garlic spurs the natural release of hydrogen sulfide - not that it actually contains the chemical.

Posted by Sandya

31.


Perhaps those who have adverse reactions to garlic are simply too Celtic or too English as is Queen Elizabeth. Im mostly Celtic by birth but decided to become Italian when I was very young. I have loved garlic ever since.

Posted by steve

32.


Thanks 4 this inf

Posted by Pratik

33.


About Garlic this is helpful information.We will eat garlic everyday

Posted by Jaga

34.


Eating a generous handful of parsley after eating raw garlic does prevent dragon breath. I learned this from a friend who liked it raw but whose husband objected to the smell. After she started using parsley, he never knew.

Also, pickled garlic is a delicious snack - crunchy and not as strong as raw garlic. Yum! If you find you like it, you wont want to buy it in the teeny expensive bottles. If you can find them, DeLallo brands larger bottles are very good.

Posted by Maria C.

35.


I was diagnosed with high cholesterol, triglycerides and low good cholesterol HDL. I was prescribed a cholesterol lowering prescription drug. This did lower the bad cholesterol LDL but, not to the level of accepted medical values. I decided to begin taking garlic capsules/tablets/gelcaps at about 600mg per. My cholesterol, triglycerides are all within normal lab limits. I therefor believe it works, at least for me. I do not have garlic breath or garlic perspiration.-Posted by Tom

Posted by Thomas E. Mangus

36.


I never had a problem with my own childs ears but my sisters kids had persistent ear infections. After many doctor visits and much medicine that didnt work, the only thing that cleared up her kids infections were cut cloves of garlic stuck in the ears!

Posted by Janine

37.


I also chop cloves of raw garlic into small pieces and swallow with water, as soon as I feel as if Im coming down with something. I may do this up to three times during the day. Im usually fine by the next morning, or the following day.

Posted by Grace

38.


Instead of Peanut butter, butter or mayonnaise on your garlic sandwich try Olive oil, which also lower your bad Cholesterol.

Posted by Tony

39.


Is PICKLED garlic just as healthful as raw garlic?? Whole cloves are sold by the pound in the deli section of my supermarket-Surprisingly it does not have a strong garlic taste but seems almost like eating a water chestnutHowever Im a little concerned about what the salt content might be. Is it actually raw or has it been boiledDoes anybody know? Thanks!

Posted by Brigid

40.


My grandmother has been eating garlic for many years and it seem to be very part of her diet.Since she had started her blood perssure has been at reasonable standard.This article worth reading.

Posted by pat

41.


I am also very interested in hearing about scientific evidence of garlics efficacy in various forms of preparation and preservation. Intuitively, it seems obvious that fresh and raw is best. This is certainly borne out in the sensual realm. I eat lots of garlic regardless, as it is so Tasty.

Posted by Stephen

42.


Comment #15 contains a supposed editorial response, thanking the poster for catching an error. However, the article itself contains no assertion that hydrogen sulfide is an organic substance , so unless the article has been subsequently edited, the comment is pointless, even though true. Therefore the editor has nothing to answer for.By the way, HS2 is emitted as a gas during organic decomposition, so it is involved in organic processes.

Eds note: Yes I removed the word organic which had appeared in an earlier version of the article. Reader 15 was correct. But you are also correct about H2S being emitted during organic decomposition. Who would have thought that a little article on garlic would turn into a chemistry lesson?! Thanks to all for keeping us on our toes. tpp

Posted by Stephen

43.


Dear,Thanks for searching the benefits of pld remedies.We wisdom filled people totally ignored what our ancestors discovered in centuries and followed the path of pain and wasting money and resources by depending totally on modern drugs.Time has told that health is now more a business than cure.May God grant us the courage to get out of the tentacles of this trading snake

Grateful

jalees

Posted by jaleeskhan

44.


For those of you using it as a cold remedy: It cant hurt, but colds almost always last 2-3 days. Saying garlic is shortening the symptoms is nonsense. If you are having symptoms for two weeks you arent having a cold - or at least not just one cold. Anecdotal evidence has been shown over and over again in medicine to be worse than useless - it distorts peoples minds, it lead to wasteful spending on pointless cures (including Western medicines) and I believe generally undermines a society which supposedly prides itself on reason. Imagine the same language used regardign garlics benefits but now in the context of race - in my experience, . or those people (of a certain nationality, color, etc) always do this or that Or what if I just say that by carefully avoiding all garlic, my cold symptoms are shorter. Also, I dont get chest pains, now that I dont eat garlic. I am more productive at work, ever since I fastidiously avoided all contact with garlic. What? You dont believe me?

Posted by Joshua

45.


Interesting that at last someone can study garlic without the Pharmaceutical industry putting presure on the people doing the research.

Garlic is probably the best natural product and is on par with vitamin C especiall when it comes to colds. At the first sign of getting a cold or flu take three garlic raw, crushed and and chopped, do not cook as the Alicin and aliin will be killed or at least the best part of it. this will kill the flu or cold in its tracks. my friends and I have been trying it and it works every time. and in combination with vitamin C about 3000mg straight away, it will get rid of the flu. If you leave the flu or cold to get hold by leaving it a few hours, it is very difficult to get rid of it. The more vitamin C you take the better, on one occasion I didnt get rid of it quick enough and I took 27,000 mg of vitamin C in one day and didnt get the squitters.

Kind Regards,

Brian

Posted by Brian Jones

46.


I love garlic, have eaten it all my adult life for great taste and appreciate the health benefits. BUT 99 per cent of garlic sold in USA, especially all processed garlic (granulated, minced in oil, etc.)is imported from CHINA, where it is often heavily laden with outlawed pesticides. I am buying all my garlic online from organic, grown and processed in USA sources. Plan to grow it also, thanks to tip from Karen Berry, #21.

Posted by Diana

47.


Marinate garlic cloves in a bottle of apple cider vinegar.Add tablespoon of the vinegar to a cup of hot water and raw honey.Drink of it daily. Lessens arthritis pain, also will banish infections. I believe its called Vermont Medicine

Posted by vesta

48.


Wow! I love garlic so much. It is so delicious!! ahhh!

Posted by Aaron Beasley

49.


A note about bulk peeled garlic: the peeling process uses fermentation, which may degrade the healthful components. Note also: most cheap garlic is imported from China, at such low prices as to prompt speculation that it couldnt be produced without massive doses of heavy-metal fungicides.Third note: the more processing goes into a food product, the less of your food dollar reaches the farmer, the one indispensable participant in the suppply. Whether for health reasons or enjoyment, your best bet is to buy whole fresh bulbs of garlic from a local organic or sustainable grower.

Posted by Nancy

50.


For the BEST quality garlic, dont buy the MADE IN CHINA garlic which is overpowering. Try buying Italian garlic - or the red/purple skinned garlic. It is so much more flavorful and delicate - you will never want another kind after using this quality of garlic.

Posted by greatgarlic

51.


I heard that garlic used daily can prevent mosquito bites. Has anyone else heard this?

Posted by Susan

52.


Ive been taking garlic pills daily for several years and find that my colds dont last as long now. After taking garlic pills, colds last 2-3 days, compared to at least 1-2 weeks before !

Posted by Susan

53.


Thanks for these great articles!How are the University of Alberta tests of dichloroacetate as a cancer fighter going, please?Kevin

Posted by Kevin L. Simms

54.


I have heard of garlic powder pills for genital herpes- any news about this..i.e. how much to take? one writer says 4000.i.u.(?) i dont know what it means- garlic is our friend.

Posted by Curious

55.


Susan, garlic doesnt prevent mosquitoes from biting me. What works for me is taking a B1 (thiamine) supplement daily and using a dab of catnip oil (diluted in fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil) on my skin on bad days.

Posted by speedwell

56.


silly and educational information for rainy-day reading!

Posted by Jasmin

57.


There is a lot of confusion and contradictory statements about garlic. The Garlic Seed Foundation (www.garlicseedfoundation.info) has been working with garlic growers and consumers to educate all of us on the importance of including both raw and cooked garlic in our diets. Please3 visit our website for links and much information!

Posted by bob dunkel

58.


A fried rice(1-cup) with 3-5 cloves of crushed garlic, sauteed in 1-tsp vegetable oil has been my main staple daily and carb source ever since I was diagnosed as type-2 diabetec. Aside from being flavorful, it is also very delicious and with my pills it helps maintain my blood sugar readings. For whatever its worth, garlic I think has benefit to be derived!

Posted by Pol Villanueva

59.


i have been using Garlic for long time sinces about 1980s and i have gain lots benefits is not a new things..that garlic help to reduce of coronary heart disease..i islam..our holy prophet has mention in his saying that garlic is good for your health 1400s year ago. And even lots muslim scientitis has wrote articles in garlic througout the islamic world so it not new thing, why is not mention about muslim side of the story. i have been using for many other reason it help to recyle the blood and clear the blood and help to circulate the blood from head to toe and help the blood to travel quick. and keep healthy my self healthy as possible.

many thanks

muhammad ruhani-London, U.K

Posted by Muhammad Ruhani

60.


Eating even raw tomatoes with garlic helps with the bad breath aspect

Posted by Crystal

61.


At first sign of a cold, I cut up or crush 1-3 cloves of garlic and add it to whatever food I am eating. Sometimes I will saute it with onions and add it to chicken broth.By the next day, the symptoms are gone and do not return!

Posted by Linda

62.


Sounds like everybody is a believer, including my daughter, who has consumed raw garlic daily for years. Heres the problem thoughdespite daily showers, she really stinks. Garlic oozing from the pores can really be offensive. Sometimes it can even be embarassing to be with her. Dont get me wrong, we love her, but raw garlic consumption really has a downside.

Posted by TElmer

63.


Bam! Another notch!

Posted by Sean

64.


Tina:

You need to chill out, your bossyness is showing.

Posted by Jon

65.


Raw vs. cooked garlicsomeone asked if raw is more beneficial than cooked. YES! And that goes for all vegetables: Enzymes are heat sensitive and destroyed at temperatures above 118 degrees. When you cook food, nutrients and enzymes are destroyed. The higher the temp and the longer the cooking time, the less nutrients and enzymes youre consuming. Empty foods fill you up less temporarily than raw, and your body must do more work to digest the cooked food you just ate. This speeds up the aging process and causes you to feel more lethargic. The bottom line: the more raw the better.

Posted by Michelle

66.


Susan asked about garlic preventing mosquito bites. All I have is anecdotal evidence, but when I was a cook at a Yukon research camp for several summer seasons, I and my assistants found that when we had chopped a lot of garlic, so the oil was on our hands, all we had to do to repel mosquitoes was wave our hands around. I think youd have to eat a lot of garlic for it to come out your pores enough to repel them for any length of time, but it would probably be effective.

Posted by Claudette

67.


RE #15, #42, & chemistry lesson: If I recall correctly from my Organic Chem class in 65, H2S was used as a catalytic agent in our experimentswhich meshes nicely in its role with red blood cells.

Re tomato & garlic: My moms French sauce recipe:crush plum tomatoes, basil, Italian parsley, & tons of garlic (min 1/2 bulb) together (either in food processor or with mortar & pestle). Place in bowl. Add salt, pepper, & a little olive oil to cover. (If made ahead of time, put sauce in fridge.) Cook spaghetti, drain it, then toss in some of the cold sauce. Add additional sauce to individual plates.

Make sure everyone present eats or keeps their mouths shut for the next few hours :)

Posted by Vinny

68.


Garlic, garlic, garlic! I am incensed. As an avid, very longtime (emphasis on longtime) reader of the NYT, I cant help being incensed at this article praising garlic. I hate garlic. Its effect on my immune system is devastating. Never mind the bad breath it causes. Healthy blood is an important part of the diet. I dont see you doing any articles on that!!!

Victor, Transylvania, Rumania

Posted by V. Dracuvic

69.


Oh yes, parsley is absolutely the antidote to garlic. It works immediately. Note that a lot of dishes from the Mid-East, Turkey, India, Greece etc add parsley to dishes that contain large amounts of garlic. And to keep the garlic smell from oozing from the pores, make sure to swallow the parsley and not just chew it and spit it out. It neutralizes it in the stomach, too.

Posted by Jill R

70.


Garlic can kill most virus and bacteria bugs!!! I am living proof!!! You can make a garlic slushy by blending together 1 peeled bulb of garlic, with 1 chopped carrot and 1 chopped apple add water and blend - sip slowly throughout the day!!! Also they sell garlic oil for earaches at Wild Oats!!! This works great too!!!

Posted by Carol

71.


i can respect that V. Dracuvic.

Posted by Jagger Maxwell

72.


Garlic dose nothing good at all; just a myth. There is no real study that proves all these claims made about garlic. If, there had been a real credible evidence, it would have been a real medicine and also the FDA would have approved it.It is just any other herb that makes food tastier.

Posted by m. saleem

73.


Mr. Dracuvic, I can appreciate why garlic is not something you would want to sink your teeth into. Me, I like the stuff, though in my mind, onion and garlic run neck and neck.

Posted by Dennis Fairbrother

74.


This is another booster to the cosumption of garlic, thanks so much for the info.

Joe.

Posted by Joe

75.


Parsley. While in Kawai on a pleasure trip,I doused my home prepared risotto with heaps of Hawain parsleyand had frightful hallucinations. Hve been wary of eating more than a pinch ever sinceCan you comment on the recommended daily allowance of parsley ?From Stuart in Rome ITALY

Posted by stuart

76.


Raw garlic helps repel fleas for pets, too. Chop raw garlic and add it to your pets food, along with brewers yeast, and it will help keep the fleas away. There are yeast and garlic tablets available for this purpose from a number of places, including Petguard.

Posted by lee

77.


GREAT ARTICLE AND COMMENTS!!!My family has always used lots of garlic, mostly cooked in various dishes, but Ive learned so much in reading this. #70, Carol, did you mean a whole bulb or a clove of garlic in the slushy? Also, thank you to Vesta, #47, for the Vermont Medicine recipe which I hope will relieve my aching joints. I have been given so many prescribed medicines that Im afraid of walking past an open flame too closely thinking that I may blow up! How much garlic is healthy for human consumption, anyone know? No one believed me when I became really intoxicated (unable to focus, giddy, unsteady on my feet) after eating at a garlic restaurant in California. First came a whole baked bulb of Elephant garlic spread on toast (delicious), followed by a creamy garlic soup, then the entre of lamb baked with garlic. After relaxing for about 15 minutes, the feeling of intoxication came over me and grew stronger with every breath! As I said, no one believed me when I said I couldnt get up, much less drive,(I was the designated driver). The waited brought a pot of coffee and, after drinking most of it strong and black, the symptoms began to dissipate and life contunued. Can anyone explain what happened to me for my benefit and that of other readers?

Posted by Audrey

78.


gee, i feel better!

garlic, while not a cure-all, as said before, is indeed my favorite of the herbal remidies. my moms been feeding me the stuff since i was five, and ever since, ive been an adict. try roasting it in the oven til its soft and smearing it on an english mufin with butter and salt. (particularly during alergy season)

morgan

Posted by morgan

79.


Thanks for the article! Now that I cant get cold medications for my baby, thanks to the ignorant mis-dosing and abusing public at large, Im going to try some liquifying some garlic. If he wont eat it, I can always take a nice small clove and stick it up there as a suppository. If it helps, I might try it, too.

Posted by Jeff

80.


Re: 72

Just because the FDA has not yet approved something to be used as a drug doesnt mean its not beneficial. I think thats the point of this article, that more research is necessary to discover foods that are beneficial to our health. I know there are some (inconclusive) studies about garlics anti-microbial properties, probably thats why people are using it as a cold remedy. I would love to see more studies like this in the Times, to learn about simple preventative health measures such as changing our diets slightly that can have long term health benefits.The modern approach to medicine has been very focused on instant gratification type drugs, like antibiotics, that address illness once it has already manifested. A preventative approach is probably cheaper and safer whenever possible.

Posted by Emilie

81.


Somebody should check the literature!

Might work in a test tube, but apparently not in the body:

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/february28/m ed-garlic-022807.html

Eds note: Thanks for the link. In the study you cited, garlic showed no benefit in lowering cholesterol when used for six months compared to those taking a placebo The researchers noted that while garlic wasnt effective in lowering cholesterol in this study, that doesnt mean it doesnt have other health benefits or that it doesnt offer cardioprotective benefits. It may be that six months wasnt long enough to see an effect. Or it may simply be that the heart effects of garlic seen in observational studies arent the result of cholesterol lowering but some other benefit. In addition, observational studies have also suggested a cancer benefit from a high-garlic diet. The verdict on how or if garlic benefits health is clearly still out. tpp

Posted by Ed Beardsworth

82.


garlic used for centuries to eliminate and prevent intestinal parasites . works for dogs as well as humans. it was first used for thid reason in europe when peasants were forced to eat cheap available foods,which carried parasites. over the years a taste for garlic developed, and is now widely used for its taste in food preparation and the parasites have been forgotteen jerry

Posted by jerry

83.


Garlic (or onions)is NOT good for Dogs or Cats The Same Component that is Good for People (Alium/Aliicin) Will Do Damage to the Red blood Cells And Cause Lethargy, anemia, Even Liver Damage and DEATH the Animals Body Chemistry is not the Same as Humans Google or Yahoo Garlic And DOGs for Vetrinary info.!The Garlic Flavor used By Dog Treats is Processed to remove the Alium/aliicin component. Specialty pet stores or internet providers may Carry it make Sure They Know what you are asking for as some people that Care about thier animals Still are uninformed.!.The Symptoms may not Show up immediately But the long term Damage Would Be Similar to Carbon monoxide Poisening They Keep Getting Weaker Cause The Arent Getting The oxygen and other Nutrients Carried in the Red Blood Cells.!I lovegarlic and Eat masive Amounts But After reading about this on a Dogs Forum; I Did My own Research Please if you Doubt me Do Your own LOOK IT UP SAVE Your Pets From Slow Poisening.!.

Posted by Rod G

84.


re comment # 77 and After relaxing for about 15 minutes, the feeling of intoxication came over me and grew stronger with every breath! As I said, no one believed me when I said I couldnt get up, much less drive

Every so often a friend of mine holds a garlic party, which puts SanFrans Stinking Rose to shame. Everything from meatballs that seem to be around 1/3 garlic to garlic buttercreams. Havent noticed any intoxicating effects with anyone.

That said, there does seem to be an interesting effect with the dark chocolate covered raw garlic. Dip raw garlic cloves in melted dark chocolate, then let cool on a cookie sheet. Bite into one, and you taste the dark chocolate, and then it feels like the garlic hits you across the face and theres a few minutes of lightheadedness. I quite enjoyed the candies, and also was quite amused by everyone elses visible reactions to them.

Ive not had the same feeling biting into, say, olives stuffed with garlic - possibly cause thats pickled.

Re someone elses comment musing about garlic as suppository, some folk do put peeled cloves as pessary for yeast infections.

Posted by marcia

85.


I started taking garlic & horseradish pills a couple of years ago to ease hay fever. I continued taking them because I discovered the many colds I was getting all but disappeared. My colds inevitably went to the chest & bronchitis set in.

Posted by Jill

86.

October 22nd,200711:19 pm

Garlic can prevent all types of transmittable diseases. This is a fact. When I eat large amounts of garlic, people stay far enough away from me to keep me healthy!

Posted by Tony

87.

October 23rd,200712:44 pm

I love garlic and in my country (Colombia) garlic is used as a medicine to prevent high cholesterol and to fend off colds. i agree with all the medicinal properties of natural foods that is why i created a web page to put all this information where people can read it and benefit from it.

angela boterowww.athousandtips.com tips on everything to make your life easier and more fun.

Posted by Angela Botero

88.

October 23rd,20075:51 pm

Dear Victor, (#68)Dont hate it. People who eat lots of garlic will have healthier and more healthful blood, nest pas? votre sant!Diana

Posted by Diana

89.

October 31st,200710:50 pm

pickling it or roasting it does take away many of the beneficial properties of garlic. The clove has to be crushed in order to expose the inactive component alliin to oxygen and convert it to the active component allicin - which is the chemical responsible for most of the heart protective benefits of garlic. I would recommend using a garlic press for maximum crushing. Also, if cooked, it can only be cooked lightly (5 min. or less) in order to not denature allicin, and microwaving garlic completely destroys it. If prepared or cooked improperly, there are still beneficial nutrients in garlic, such a manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and some other nutrients, but for maximum health benefits, specific guidelines must be followed (crush, wait > 10 min., and cook lightly if at all).

Posted by Randie

90.

October 31st,200711:50 pm

I enjoyed the article. Garlic is wonderful and I had heard it was good for your health but now I know more specifically what it can do.

Posted by karin

91.

November 1st,20074:18 am

Your picture garlic is too old. Young garlic tastes much better and does not stink.

Posted by Fritz Goergen

92.

November 1st,20071:15 pm

http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/17/garlic_infections.ht mIt is important to note that the garlic MUST be fresh. The active ingredient is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic. Garlic pills are virtually worthless and should not be used. When you use the garlic it will be important to compress the garlic with a spoon prior to swallowing it if you are not going to juice it. If you swallow the clove intact you will not convert the allicin to its active ingredient.

This comes down to the fact that if you take a garlic clove and you peel it very carefully and you smell it. There is very little smell. But as soon as you crush itboom! You get an instantaneous smell. This is a clean smell, that is allicin that is produced.

And the reason is that in garlic itself you dont find allicin but what you do find is a precursor molecule called alliin. And alliin is found within the garlic clove within the mesophyl cells and also in the garlic clove you then find around the phloem in the cells around the vascular bundle you find an enzyme called alliinase.

And these two are physically separated within the cell. When you crush it these two come into contact and immediately the combination of the two produce allicin, and the other thiosulphonates.

Posted by Michael Shamblin

93.


And then there are those of us who have allergic reactions to even the smell of garlic, who are more and more limited in our social interaction by the plethora of this noxious weed.

Posted by Loea Jean Campbell

94.


The garlic I buy on Long Island is almost tasteles. Recently,peeled garlic I bought from a large Asian market in Maryland was so strong it smelled up my car even though the plastic container was triple wrapped and was stored in the trunk during the trip home.

Peeled garlic loses its flavor pretty soon Where can I buy strong flavored fresh garlic?

Posted by Erna Newman

95.

November 2nd,20076:22 am

Garlic is a fantastic antibiotic. It has been an excellent cure for bacterial infections of the mouth, sinus and throat. I also use it as a cold prevention remedy and take some after eating sushi, to kill parasites.

Posted by Jacqui Anderson

96.

November 2nd,20075:09 pm

Garlic undoubtedly holds many preventive secrets and health benefits.Heres how I treat myself to garlic-based hot sauce. I peel about 10 cloves,cut through them without splitting them and dip them into a mid-size jam bottle about full with olive oil. Add salt, fresh small red hot peppers that need to be pierced gently so that the oil would merge in.Close bottle and make sure oil covers the peppers.Leave out in kitche stand/cupboard;treat yourself after 15 to 20 days.To remove unpleasant garlic lingering smell f garlic,use fresh mint-leaves.Chew them,rince and of course use your regular tooth-paste.Enjoy garlicholic!

Posted by Karsane

97.

November 2nd,200711:19 pm

My father like garlic and always forces me to take it.He always say it is good for our health,but i really mind the garlic smell because it is odoriferous and suspect his assestment of garlic.Because of this artical,i think i may accept it though it takes like a poision.But if one day it can turn to good smell i may accept it actively.

Posted by liu

98.

November 3rd,200712:37 am

I knew a woman named Peggy Garlick. She did, in fact, have a somewhat sour, spicy dispostition.

Posted by Tom

99.

November 3rd,20076:40 pm

A peeled clove of garlic rubbed over freshly toasted bread - it melts - is a great way to take your medicine

Posted by LesleyB

100.

November 3rd,20077:13 pm

FYI, garlic isnt an herb. In cooking, the word herb is used to describe the leafy part of a plant that is used for flavoring. Basil, parsley, cilantro, oregano, and so on, are all herbs.

Dried barks, seeds, roots, berries basically anything BUT the leaf, are considered spices. So cinnamon (a bark), pepper (a berry), and any type of seed (whole or ground) such as mustard seed, anise seed, coriander seed, etc) are examples of spices.

Garlic is a somewhat unusual case, because it is a root, which would seem to put it in the spice category. So its not inaccurate to think of its dried forms (like the garlic powder, garlic flakes, and minced garlic available in supermarket spice sections) as spices. This goes for medicinal forms of garlic, like tablets, too.

But in its fresh form, garlic very much resembles its relative the onion, and is used in much the same way. So fresh garlic is probably best described as a vegetable.

Posted by Frank

101.

November 4th,20075:47 am

Chop 5 or 6 cloves of garlic into fine pieces that can be easily swallowed & drop them into almost full glass of water.Then cut a lemon into two halves & squeeze the juice into that glass, takingcare that pips if any do not get in.Let this mixture stand for a couple of hours and drink it with your meal taking a gulp at a time between morsels until the entire glass is fihished.You will have the all the goodness of garlic as well as improved digestion & no smell.

Posted by amar

102.


Great article and good responses.I hope you will continue to show the benefits of saying NO to drugs and Yes to basic good sense to good health ideas.I hope to read more of your thoughts. I am writing a cookbook along these lines for a Healthier America.Thanks

Posted by dee

103.


I really miss living near Stonington, CT, where I used to go to the annual Garlic Festival held at a farm there. Great fun and garlic varieties. If they still hold that annual event then I really recommend it.

I will say, though, that one time the day after that I went to the movies with friends and when I mentioned the festival afterwards, they said so that is what we smelled!

Posted by mary-leggett browning

104.

November 5th,200712:07 pm

To add to my post -#70- You will need to use a whole bulb of peeled garlic - not just a clove-in the slushy to make it potent enough to fight off a viral or bacterial infection. This drink will make you smell like garlic but it may save your life someday!!! Carol in Kansas

Posted by Carol

105.


Ive grown garlic for many years and I eat a lot of garlic. I havent had a cold that amounts to much for many years also. If I feel a cold coming on I heat a can of soup and before eating the soup I chop many cloves of raw garlic into the soup. Then I eat it with crackers to sooth the strong sensation that garlic can give. The cold doesnt stand a chance to bloom. I also havent had the flu for many years. I really believe that garlic can fill many viruses that attack us humans.

Posted by Nick

106.


I am 65 and restarted on garlic so to say. I was on garlic in the 3 and 4th decades regularly and enjoyed being so. Ate 5 cloves every day after some meal, by chopping it with my teeth and then downed along with a gul pf plain water. Truly my friends used to comment that i was a moving bundle of garlic.

Anyway it helped me a lot in digetion of my meals, no flatulence, and excellent bowel movements.By and large those days too garlic was treated as an aphrodisiac. So i enjoyed that too.Now I am again on garlic regularly 5 cloves every day after a meal.

Posted by thrivikramji

107.


I lived in Manhattan (West End Ave. for most of adult life), until moving back West (PNW) to an island north of Seattle and have learned to grow many things, including garlic. If this former Zabar tote-ing urbanite can learn to grow varieties of organic garlic, anyone can! Its incredibly simple, reliable and rewarding as a first garden (organic veggie) experiment.

Buy your first cloves from reliable US organic growers (plenty online like Territorial Seed Co. in Oregon), and plant in well-drained fertile soil 4-6 inches apart, 1-2 inches deep. Plant in Oct. or Nov.

Today, Nov. 5, my husband and I (between working) took two hours to plant garlic enough bulbs (5 varieties) for a small Sicilian village. Who needs Fairway?

Dear Editor, excellent post. FYI: Garlic is one of those rare edible species: Antimicrobial. Garlic is both an anti-viral (hence its use in flus, colds, earaches) and an anti-bacterial (germs, infections including yeast but ladies, please wrap the nicked clove in porous cheese-cloth before inserting!) Did you know that one of our foremost American herbalists, Rosemary Gladstar, says if she had only ONE herb/plant to grow it would be garlic?

Note: Stay away from Grown in China garlic (90 percent of our U.S. garlic supply now comes from China and is grown in soils that are, at best, suspicious. We have plenty of good American garlic growers but the price factor undercuts them. Demand your store carry domestic organic garlic!

Plant a seed. Or a clove. Nuture it. And harvest it for dinner. With friends. Not exactly a Broadway show, but close.

Posted by Denise Balle

108.


I seldom get sick and I recover quickly when I do get sick, but regardless, Id rather be sick or even die than spend the rest of my life stinking of garlic. Ive tried the fennel seeds, Ive tried the parsley, Ive tried the tomatoes, and I yet I still know when someones slipped garlic into the food because a few hours later the inside of my mouth is coated with some disgusting tasting mucus. Onions have a similar effect. Nowadays, I refuse to eat anything with sauces (especially italian and chinese food) because I cant be sure there isnt garlic or onions mixed in.

The yogic literature suggests that only tamasic and rajasic people benefit from garlic and onions. Saatvic people naturally detest and are harmed by these foods.

Posted by Jake

109.


The yogic literature suggests that only tamasic and rajasic people benefit from garlic and onions. Saatvic people naturally detest and are harmed by these foods.

Why are there so many fools on this planet?

Posted by Nicholas Robinson

110.


There was a study published back in the early 1980s that showed garlic killed germs at a distance of 21cm. The researchers did air sampling at varying distances from the subjects mouths after ingestion.

Posted by palo

111.


In regard to giving garlic to pets, please see the warning below from entirelypets.com. Some other common foods can be harmful to pets. Raisins/grapes can cause kidney damage and kill them. For info, go to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC)web site

Toxic Foods and Plants for Dogs

Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Onions are more of a danger. While garlic also contains the toxic ingredient thiosulphate, it seems that garlic is less toxic and large amounts would need to be eaten to cause illness.

Cathy

Posted by Cathy

112.


If our ancestors were using garlic for centuries and they benefit from it there is no way for me to see why there would be doubts about the usage.

We should totally go back to replacing water with beer and eating off of lead-based flat ware. Mmm those ancestors knew how it was done!

Also, mixing the juice of a raw onion grown in Miami with a half gallon of non-pasteurized goat milk will cure gall-bladder cancer and grant the imbiber increased awareness of the Doppler affect.

Posted by BB

113.


It should be kept in mind that controlled trials for any drug or other substance cost a lot of money. Just ask the pharmaceutical companies or universities.Further, the FDA is not involved in approving anything that is a natural food.. just things that are used as drugs.Finally, being a natural substance, no drug company would market garlic even if it were shown to be beneficial in some condition. It cant be patented and therefore the profits would be relatively low.As well all know, drug companies are in business mainly to make money.

LP (MD)

Posted by Larry

114.


As an American who has been a resident in Spain for many years, I have read much about the Mediterranean diet, here and there. The diet, which is rich in garlic among other healthy fruits and vegetables, contributes to longer lives.

Americans, however and me included, often want quick fix ideas. Life is a long evolving process. I see no reason to start eating massive amounts of garlic and every reason to add it to meals in an natural way.

Good luck to all and remember the gum or mouthwash!!

Posted by Garrison L. McDavid

115.


Wow..Thats all i can really say about this article.I didnt know in the slightest bit that garlic could be good for you.Maybe i should have my mom invest in buying alot more.Even though its not proven yet it still sounds safe and all so why not.I dont know about garlic water or anything like that yet..well have to see

Posted by SAMMiE..

116.


Pity those of us who have severe allergies to garlic in moderate or large servings. I was always sickened by garlic as a child it was not until I became an adult did I learn to avoid it.

Posted by Dwight Elliston

117.


I am an indian woman. We add garlic to almost all curries we cook especially non-vegetarian dish. I have to say I am more appreciating the taste and effect of garlic after my marriage since my husband adds a lot of garlic to almost every dishes he cooks. I have also read that it boosts the sexual drive.JP

Posted by Jyothi

118.


Warning! Do NOT make garlic in oil with the method described by #96, left at room temperature for 2 weeks. This method creates good conditions for the growth of botulism toxin, which can be harmful or fatal if eaten. See this Canadian government health site for a proper method.

www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/specif/herbsoi le.shtml

Posted by Barbara Johnsen

119.


The bulb has been a health wonder for centuries..we are somewhat self concious of its odiferous characteristic however.I love garlic and indulge quite often. I have found that chopping it together with parsley and a smigeon of salt adding either olive oil, butter or avocado can significantly reduce the odor effects and actually can make a scrumptous sandwich spreadtry it you will like it

Posted by Marge Kopp

120.


Lets not forget the immunological effects of raw garlic. I take a chopped up clove of garlic anytime I feel the onset of a cold. I swallow with water to avoid dragon breath. It works wonders.

Posted by Wai

121.


when i was growing up, my father used to force us to eat garlic,which i hate cos of the smell.My father also used to soak garlic in water to drink for backpain. But i now know with lots of reading that garlic is good.

Posted by kofo

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Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic