9/15/2011

Garlic - Superfood

Garlic is a super-food in every sense. It contains a plethora of nutrients and unique phyto-chemicals that give garlic its reputation. The most notorious and unique of these is 'Allicin', a potent anti-biotic, and anti-fungal compound. Due to its sulfur compounds garlic promotes tissue healing, as well as immune system health. Garlic can aid digestion, and when its raw it can knock out many commonly consumed pathogens (example: E.coli). Garlic can aid in digestion by stimulating the secretion of gastric juices. Garlic can also quickly aid in poor circulation, or complaints of being cold.

Garlic can be added to a multitude of dishes including: salads, soups, meats, breads, sauces, veggies, and just about anywhere even creatively in desserts. How you choose to eat and prepare it is up to you. Note that when cooking garlic it does make it a little more aromatic, and a little less powerful. But when considering the power of a super-food like garlic its a fair trade off considering the overall nutritional content. For individuals who find it difficult to tolerate how powerful raw garlic is, cooking is a good way to please their pallet while improving digestibility.

Garlic happens to contain an abundance of antioxidants/vitamins, and essential minerals. When garlic bulbs are broken down allicin changes into other active compounds which give garlic its taste and smell. These compounds are considered the primary active substances responsible for garlic's health benefits. Not all garlic products contain the same nutritional content, and a wide variation of these substances occur in both fresh garlic and garlic supplements. 
Some nutrients included in this super-food powerhouse include: