Try to find the good in garlic
Posted by Krystle Dunham | Be Healthy Jackson October 20, 2008 11:36AM
For some, the idea of eating garlic at a meal can't be tolerated,
often because of the zesty aftertaste that doesn't seem to go away.
But before nongarlic lovers eliminate the herb from their diets, they
may want to reconsider.
"Garlic should really be in everybody's regimen," says Pam Gage,
personal wellness coach at NutritionWorks, 209 E. Wa****ngton Ave,
Suite 201. "By eating garlic daily, your body gets what it needs."
These benefits include improved circulation, reductions in blood
pressure and cholesterol levels and even help for treating cancer.
Garlic also can keep arteries soft, which helps prevent plaque from
attaching to artery walls, Gage says.
Garlic is a cousin to chives, leeks, onions and shallots. Medical
researchers believe garlic may act as an antioxidant, cleaning up free
radicals in the body that can damage cells. Allicin, a component in
garlic, is thought to play a role in garlic's health qualities.
Allicin is created in raw garlic when it is crushed or chewed, giving
the herb its signature strong flavor and odor. It's estimated one
fresh garlic clove makes about 4,000 to 12,000 micrograms of allicin.
Ajoene, in turn, is part of allicin. Ajoene has been shown to slow
blood clotting, protecting against heart attack and stroke.
Besides eating garlic raw, there are other ways to receive the herb's
health perks. Cooking with garlic or taking garlic supplement tablets
can work just as well, says Candy Snow, personal wellness coach at
Celestial Nutrition, 956 Horton Road. However, Snow says cooking
garlic will affect some of the benefits garlic offers, such as
decreasing vitamin content, but only slightly.
Pamela Rinker, sales associate at Walt's Health Food & Specialty Shop,
102 W. Michigan Ave., says whether someone takes garlic supplements or
decides to eat garlic raw, it's im****tant to consume it one way or
another. Garlic can help eliminate viruses, bacteria and yeast
infections.
"Garlic is really good for the immune system," Rinker says.
The digestion process starts in the mouth when garlic enters the
saliva glands, leading to garlic breath. Taking a garlic supplement is
the best way to maximize garlic's benefits without the herb's taste
lingering in the mouth. "Garlic is an excellent, inexpensive
supplement for health," says Snow, who takes a garlic supplement. "We
just want the benefits without the bad taste."
If garlic is part of your diet, make sure you know where your garlic
is coming from. With a supplement, check with your pharmacist or
physician and make sure to read the label. Gage says people often find
garlic supplements that are inexpensive, but these supplements don't
always provide the best of garlic's health benefits. "In the end, they
waste their money," she says.
One way to go about finding the right garlic supplement is to talk to
a personal wellness coach, Snow says. A personal wellness coach will
know which garlic supplements work or don't work with certain
medications. How well different supplements represent the nutritional
content of raw garlic varies based on the quality of the supplement,
Snow says, and personal wellness coaches can help clarify this as
well.
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A garlic primer
At the store and in the kitchen
=95 Buy firm, plump garlic bulbs with dry skins, and avoid garlic with
soft or shriveled cloves and those stored in the refrigerated section
of the produce department. Fresh garlic should be stored in an open
container in a cool, dark place.
=95 When cooking, a medium garlic clove that is minced equals about 1/8
teaspoon. Once broken from the bulb, an individual garlic clove will
keep from three to 10 days.
=95 If you are adding fresh garlic to your food, start with a little
bit. Too much garlic can upset your stomach if you are not used to it.
Side effects can include gas, heartburn or stomach pain.
=95 Eating fresh parsley, chewing on a coffee bean or eating some citrus
fruit can help eliminate garlic breath.
Source: www.lifescript.com
http://www.mlive.com/citpat/behealthy/index.ssf/2008/10/try_to_find_the_goo=
d_in_garlic.html
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