Garlic is a member of the extended onion family, but it stands out from all the others because of one phytochemical: allicin. This sulfur-containing compound is what gives garlic its pungent smell and taste. In folk medicine, garlic is used for everything from athlete’s foot to influenza. There’s some truth to garlic’s antibiotic activity, but recent research has concentrated on garlic as an antioxidant, a way to lower cholesterol, and a way to prevent cancer.
Garlic is one of the most potent antioxidant foods around—it’s especially good for capturing peroxyl free radicals. The antioxidant effect of garlic could be why people who eat a lot of it tend to be healthier in general. Until very recently, researchers believed garlic really did help cholesterol.
Several solid studies backed them up. Garlic supporters argue that the patients in the study just weren’t taking enough. Whether or not that’s the case, a study in 1997 in Israel gave new support to garlic as a weapon against high cholesterol and atherosclerosis. For now, all we can say is that garlic may be helpful and probably won’t hurt.
A sulfur compound found in aged garlic has been shown to slow down the growth of prostate cancer cells—but so far, only in the test tube. Garlic shows great promise as a preventive measure and as a treatment for prostate cancer, but so far we don’t know enough to recommend an amount to take.
What about garlic for heart problems? A chemical in garlic called ajoene (ajo is Spanish for garlic) seems to thin your blood and prevent your platelets from forming clots that can lead to a heart attack. Ajoene (methyl allyl trisulfide) may also help dissolve clots once they form. Other garlic compounds may help your heart by lowering your blood pressure.
The benefits of garlic come from eating one to three fresh cloves every day. Not too many people like to eat that much garlic, though—and not too many people like to be around people who do.
