1:46 July 21, 2008 | All news from "Organic Whole Foods"

Garlic A Good for You Food

Hi All,

The following is a guest post from Danielle Grilli, Content Director for www.rvita.com, where I will also be syndicating my content shortly. Enjoy!

Maybe there?s a reason why Italians are such a happy, healthy people. Maybe it?s the wine, but then again, maybe it?s the garlic.

Garlic, also known as allium sativum L., has been used medicinally for thousands of years. In fact, garlic was so popular in ancient Egypt, that modern archaelogists discovered clay sculptures sand paintings of these pungent bulbs that date all the way back to 3200 B.C. Ancient Greece and Rome have their own history: put to many uses, garlic was used for bladder infactions, asthma, and even dog bites at that time. Of course, it goes without saying that garlic is the most effective method for warding off vampires :). So garlic is good, but how good is it really?

There have been many positive scientific claims made about garlic. To begin, garlic has been found to be helpful in the regulation of blood sugar levels. One study, published in the journal Experientia and performed by researchers in India, found that the active anti-oxidative compund isolated from garlic was almost as effective as prescription drugs and insulin in the treatment of diabetes. In addition, according to trials performed by researchers at the Insitute of Indoor and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine in Germany, garlic may have cancer-fighting properties. In regards to the common cold, the results are promising.

A study conducted at the Garlic Centre in East Sussex, United Kingdom, showed that individuals who take a garlic supplement every day are far less likely to catch the common cold than those who do not. Furthermore, the study found, participants who did catch a cold during the study recovered more quickly when taking garlic everyday. Garlic is also used as a treatment for intestinal worms and other intestinal parasites, infections, digestive disorders, fungal infections, and vaginal infections.

On the downside, despite the many scientific trials that have touted garlic as an effective treatment for high cholesterol, the latest results from the National Institute of Health claim just the opposite. According to their findings, there is no significant difference between the use, or non-use, of garlic in the reduction of blood cholesterol levels.

All that said, we can safely assume that incorporating garlic into one?s diet is more or less a good idea. Keep in mind that, when used medicinally, garlic is best consumed raw, however, if it must be cooked, it is best to allow crushed or chopped garlic to sit for 15 minutes prior to cooking.

Please note that guest posts are provided for your convenience and may not reflect Melanie Jordan's views or the views of SunLover Publishing LLC. Please be sure to check with your healthcare professional before utilizing any of the information presented to determine its fitness for your use.

--Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com

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