A bulb of garlic a day, keep diseases away

For generation, people are not only using garlic because of its medicinal value, but traditionally, people have rubbed their bodies with it, buried it besides their bodies in coffin, worn it around their necks, draped it on household walls and even prayed to it. This great bulb has a lot of benefits, because no other plant has been held out for so long as a cure for so many human ailments. That's why garlic has been considered as the "Wonder Drug". Garlic has been used medicinally for many years for treating bites, tumors, ulcers, snakebite, wounds, headaches, heart diseases, cancer, pimples, measles and many more. It also prevents infections such as the common cold, cough because of its Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal and Anti-viral property.


For the last 4000 years of human history, Garlic, also known as Allium sativum, has been both cherished and reviled, both sought for its healing powers and shunned for its pungent after effects. From miracle drug to vampire repellent to offering for the gods, this unassuming plant has had an undeniably important place in many aspects of human history, and today enjoys a renewed surge in popularity as modern medicine unearths the wonders of this ancient superfood.

There is an interesting story in the ancient Hindu manuscripts about the origin of Garlic. It is said that when Lord Garuda, the giant eagle and personal carrier of Lord Vishnu, ran away after snatching the pot of “nectar – the elixir of life” from the hands of Lord Indra, the king of Heaven, some drops of nectar spilled from the pot and fell in the Himalayan region of the earth. The place where the spilled drops of nectar had fallen, a small plant grew in which all the divine properties of the nectar were found and it was named as “Rason”. The name “Rason” means King of Rasas as this plant possessed five out of six tastes (Rasa). It is also believed to such an extent that this Rason possesses wonder properties to magically correct all physiological malfunctionings of the human body. This Rason is also known as Lahsun in hindi, Garlic in English, Allium sativum in Latin, which is used worldwide as a natural medicine as well as a taste builder for food items.

Garlic Facts

Garlic has germanium in it. Germanium is an anti-cancer agent, and garlic has more of it than any other herb. In lab tests, mice fed garlic showed no cancer development, whereas mice that weren't fed garlic showed at least some. In fact, garlic has been shown to retard tumor growth in human subjects in some parts of the world.
Another benefit of garlic is it helps regulate the body's blood pressure. So whether you have problems with low or high blood pressure, garlic can help equalize it.
Garlic helps strengthen your body's defenses against allergies; helps loosen plaque from the artery walls; helps regulate your blood sugar levels; and is the best choice for killing and expelling parasites such as pin worms from the human body.
In addition to all these health benefits, garlic is packed with vitamins and nutrients. Some of these include protein, potassium, Vitamins A, B, B2 and C, Calcium, Zinc and many others.
In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, allicin powder was found to reduce the incidence of the common cold by over 50%.
Garlic and onions are toxic to cats and dogs.
Garlic can thin the blood similar to the effect of aspirin.

Garlic- and the Immune System.
Not surprisingly the presence of all these antioxidants in garlic have a very positive effect on the immune system in general and can therefore protect the body against all types of bacterial and viral attacks. Research has recently even shown it to have an inhibiting effect on MSRA which is currently reeking such havoc in U.K. hospitals.
Garlic also acts as a good cold medication, decongestant and expectorant. It is a surprisingly good source of vitamins C, B6 and the minerals selenium and manganese all of which have long been associated with immune system boosting as well as other benefits.

Garlic-Promotes Weight Control.

Allicin is the most potent substance found in garlic and this has been shown to not only lower blood pressure, insulin and triglyceride levels in laboratory animals fed a sugar rich diet, but also to prevent weight gain.
A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension reported that animals who developed high insulin levels, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides were given either allicin or served as a control.
Although all of the animals consumed the same amount of food, weight rose only in the control group whereas the animals who were being supplemented with allicin maintained stable weight or a slight decrease was actually noticed.
The researchers concluded that allicin may be of practical value for weight control.

Note: Drinking lemon juice or eating a few slices of lemon will stop bad garlic breath

Garlic and Cancer

Current research has shown that a number of readily available foods such as garlic and onions that make up a healthy diet, actually have a major impact on cancer prevention. The protective effect of garlic seems to be greater than that of onions, even though onion consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of stomach cancer. These cancer fighting foods seem to have the ability to interfere with the development of cancerous tumors.
The October 2000 issue of the American Journal of Nutrition had a summary of a number epidemiologic studies which showed that people who consumed cooked or raw garlic on a regular basis compared to those that ate little or none had about half the risk of stomach cancer and one-third less risk of colorectal cancer.
This remarkable little bulb now tops the American National Cancer Institute's list of potential cancer-preventative foods. It contains multiple anticancer compounds and antioxidants, more than 30 at the last count, which such powerful compounds as quercetin, diallyl sulphide,allin and ajoene. These have the ability to block cancer causing agents such as nitrosamine and aflatoxin which have been specifically linked to stomach, lung and liver cancer. Garlic's ajoene and allicin have also been shown to retard cancer cells as a type of natural chemotherapy.
The Iowa Women's Health Study discovered that women who included garlic in their daily diet had lower risks for colon cancer.
Meat cooked at high temperatures (well done to burnt) can produce carcinogenic (cancer producing) chemicals and research has recently discovered that when meat is cooked with garlic this effect is limited.
The ten best groups of anti-cancer foods include: berries and citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions, green tea, omega 3 essential fatty acids, olive oil, tomatoes, soy products, red wine and dark chocolate.

Garlic- and the Immune System.
Not surprisingly the presence of all these antioxidants in garlic have a very positive effect on the immune system in general and can therefore protect the body against all types of bacterial and viral attacks. Research has recently even shown it to have an inhibiting effect on MSRA which is currently reeking such havoc in U.K. hospitals.
Garlic also acts as a good cold medication, decongestant and expectorant. It is a surprisingly good source of vitamins C, B6 and the minerals selenium and manganese all of which have long been associated with immune system boosting as well as other benefits.

Here are some recipe for garlic:

Roasted Garlic Guacamole with Help-Yourself Garnishes

Ingredients:

Guacamole

• 6 clove(s) (large) garlic, unpeeled
• 6 ripe medium avocados
• 1/2 cup(s) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh lime juice, plus more if desired
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt

Garnishes

• 3/4 cup(s) Mexican queso fresco, queso añejo, salted pressed farmer's cheese, firm goat cheese, mild feta, or romano, finely crumbled or grated
• 3/4 cup(s) toasted pumpkin seeds (see Tips & Techniques)
• 3/4 cup(s) sliced pickled jalapeños
• cup(s) crumbled crisp-fried bacon or 3/4 cup coarsely crumbled chicharrón (Mexican crisp-fried pork rind)
• 1 bag(s) (16-ounce) large, sturdy tortilla chips

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Directions

1. To prepare guacamole: Place unpeeled garlic in a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off the skins; finely chop. Scoop avocado flesh into a large bowl. Add the garlic, cilantro, and lime juice to taste. Coarsely mash everything together. Season with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. To set up the guacamole bar: Scoop garnishes into small serving bowls and put the chips in a large basket or bowl. Encourage guests to spoon a little guacamole on a chip and top with garnishes that appeal.

 

Smoky “Roasted” Garlic & Red Pepper Soup (Raw)

Ingredients:

4 large red peppers, deseeded & chopped
1 cup chopped white onion
6 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tomatoes, sun blushed & chopped
4 Tbsp sunflower oil
8 strawberries
4 Tbsp of honey
Himalayan pink sea salt & fresh black pepper to taste

Direction:

Step 1 Mix red pepper, white onion, garlic, rosemary, sun blushed tomato, sunflower oil and Himalayan sea salt well together in a bowl (it is much better if you can mix all the ingredients with your hand, which will enable all the flavors to mix well). Cover and set aside in a warm area, or you can even leave it under the sun for about 1 hour to marinate.
Step 2 Now blend all the marinated ingredients, strawberries and honey together in a blender for about 2 minutes until nice and smooth.
Step 3 Adjust the taste with more Himalayan sea salt if needed, transfer this into two of your favorite bowls, and season with fresh black pepper on top. Serve immediately.
Step 4 Optionally, you can add some fresh warm water and make this soup

Health Benefits:
1. This is low in calories, carbohydrates and proteins, but the majority of the calories come from the fats.
2. Excellent source of vitamin A, a natural antioxidant that reduces acne, and promotes healthy, smooth and radiant skin.
3. Excellent source of vitamin C, a natural water soluble antioxidant. It enhances the body’s immune system, increases the elasticity of skin and blood vessels, and prevents bruising of the skin.
4. Good source of vitamin E, a natural antioxidant that scavenges the free radicals that oxidize fats, preserve the integrity of cell membranes, and protect our body against free radical damage.
5. Moderate source of vitamin K. It promotes the mineralization of bones and thus strengthens bones.
6. Good source of vitamin B6 and folic acid. These are essential in the synthesis of hemoglobin in the blood.
7. Folic acid also prevents the accumulation of an intermediary metabolite called homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood are associated with heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Thus, this soup also promotes heart health.

Nutritional Facts:

Each serve of this dish provides the following nutrients –
Calories: 14% (274 Cal); Total Fats: 24%; Saturated Fats: 7%; Carbohydrates: 12%; Proteins: 5%; Fiber: 22%; Potassium: 15%; Manganese: 15%; Vitamin A: 113%; Vitamin C: 394%; Vitamin E: 44%; Vitamin K: 18%; Vitamin B6: 26%; Folic acid: 25%.

Other super food links:

Seeermust, the Garlic Sauce

Paleo Diet Cookbook

Diabetic-safe and Guilt Free Desserts