Besides improving the taste of certain meals, garlic appears to be a healthy addition to your diet. Evidence suggests eating garlic may help prevent heart disease.1 Studies show it may strengthen the immune system, helping the body fight diseases such as certain cancers, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.2
According to the International Academy of Health and Fitness, Inc., some scientists feel that garlic—aged garlic extract in particular–is a key factor in controlling the production of cancer cells. They believe that garlic affects the body’s manufacture of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like chemicals that exert different effects in the body.
For centuries there has been a mystical folklore about garlic and its magical healing ability. On blind faith, many people used it to cure colds, flues, and other ailments. They knew it made them feel better, but they didn’t understand why.
Scientists have since discovered not only how certain microbial and cancer-fighting chemicals from garlic work, but why they work the way they do. With years of serious research behind them, researchers are now convinced that garlic and what is commonly referred to as AGE (aged garlic extract) have been highly effective in reducing the two leading causes of death—cancer and heart disease. Garlic appears to have several anti-tumor promoting agents in it, as well as the ability to reduce dangerous LDL cholesterol.
Dr. Robert I. Lin, an expert on garlic research, suggests that a daily dose of cooked garlic or a garlic extract, along with good eating habits and a healthy lifestyle “can substantially reduce the risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease in society.” He cautions users, however, against using raw garlic for treating disease without proper medical supervision.
References
1 http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/garlic-000245.htm#ixzz2JQ3pjG5Z 2 http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/garlic-and-cancer-prevention
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