Garlic is Pencillin

Garlic With Healing Power

Garlic (Allium sativum) is one of the nature’s gifts to keep us healthy. It is available in almost all grocery stores and cultivated in most parts of the world. For centuries, it has been used for treating various ailments. It is a common ingredient in several ethnic food preparations. In herbal market, it is one among the hottest selling supplements.

Interestingly, it is also one of the most scientifically studied natural products. In the year 1858, Louis Pasteur, a great French Chemist and Biologist, demonstrated that garlic possess antibacterial activity under laboratory conditions. Soon after this finding, several studies followed testing it as a whole or its chemical constituents for health benefits. In fact, it has a record for its wide use during World Wars II and I as an antibiotic to prevent infections, and it is commonly called the Russian Pencillin! Currently, there are more than 3000 scientific published reports about its medicinal and pharmacological properties. According to both contemporary and traditional systems of medicine, such as Ayurveda, the beneficial efficacy of garlic depends on the quantity, quality and the way it is prepared (e.g., as tonic, tincture, extract, oil, paste).

Why garlic has received so much of attention in medical research field?

Over the years, the garlic bulb as a whole or the chemical constituents isolated from it is showing promising results in laboratory testing for various diseases. Garlic contains several biologically active chemicals and minerals. Some of the chief constituents are allyl propyl disulphide, diallyl disulphide, alliin and allicin. Also, it is a source for vitamins C and B6.

Now, there are several published clinical and animal studies showing that garlic helps in attenuating dreaded diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, allergies, infections, heart diseases, hemorrhoids, asthma, hair loss, cancer, high cholesterol, common colds and toothaches. Some critics call it as a ‘wonder drug.’ In food industry, it is used as an additive to prevent food poisoning. These potential outcomes are encouraging for scientists to consider garlic for further testing on various diseases.

Why some people don’t like adding garlic in their food preparation?

The most common reason is that it produces dreaded “garlic breath”, and they don’t want to screw their big date! Garlic is loaded with sulphorous compounds, a good feed for the bacteria present in the mouth that causes halitosis (bad breath).

Don’t stop taking garlic supplement because of the fear of bad breath

These days you can find odorless garlic supplements in market such as Lasuna (http://www.ayurvediccure.com). Alternatively, you can add garlic in your regular diet by trying delicious snacks and food such as garlic stuffed olives, garlic bread, garlic sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, garlic chicken, garlic pickles, Jim’s garlic pizza and garlic shrimp.

Cautions! About buying garlic supplements

One of the major problems in buying herbal supplements is its authenticity. Most of the herbal supplements available in the market including garlic are not strictly evaluated/regulated by FDA (U. S. Food and Drug administration agency). There have been occasions where the herbal supplements of substandards containing toxic substances being sold. Please find a reliable source to reduce the peril of contamination.

With these scientific evidences, one can clearly decide on the advice to use garlic in our regular diet as a fact or myth.