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Garlic can reduce cholesterol and there are dozens of
studies that confirm this. In an article published in
'The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians', garlic
supplements are shown to have an important part to play
in the treatment of high cholesterol. It reveals that a
12 percent reduction in total cholesterol will be
evident only after four weeks of eating garlic
supplements. The largest study conducted was in Germany
where 261 patients from 30 general practices were given
either garlic powder tablets or a placebo. After a
12-week period, mean serum cholesterol levels dropped by
12 percent in the garlic-treated group and triglycerides
dropped by 17 percent, compared to the placebo group.
A test conducted at Homboldt University in Berlin shows
that garlic can reduce existing levels of
atherosclerosis and inhibit new growth of plaque.
Atherosclerosis is a process in which deposits of fatty
substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products,
calcium and other substances build up in the inner
lining of an artery. Other studies demonstrate that
people who eat more garlic have stronger and more
flexible aortas that are less likely to tear. This in
turn helps lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots
from forming, thereby reducing the possibility of
strokes and thrombosis.
Garlic's use as an antiseptic has long been
recognized, dating way back to the 16th century. Garlic
was widely employed to treat wounds during wartime, and
was pounded and applied as a poultice for sores and to
reduce inflammation. Although these applications were
not backed by scientific studies, they were probably not
too far from the truth. Garlic as mentioned in several
old English vocabularies of plants from the 10th-15th
centuries, has been used by herbalists since the 16th
century.
Currently, there is a rapidly growing amount of
evidence on the beneficial role of garlic in cancer.
Researchers in Pennsylvania have shown that injecting a
garlic compound called diallyl disulphide (formed when
raw garlic is cut or crushed) into tumors can reduce
them by half. A further compound, S-allylcysteine, can
also stop cancer causing agents from binding to human
breast cells.
A study led by professor Michael Wargovich at the
University of Texas in the US shows positive results for
esophageal cancer. He concludes that although the
precise mechanism may not be clear, results show that
the administration of well tolerated garlic products may
confer important protection from cancer. Several studies
also show that garlic and related foods can play an
important dietary role during cancer treatment. For
instances, scientists have correlated garlic intake with
reduced nitrite levels and fewer deaths from stomach
cancer. the search for garlic compounds that prevent
cancer is ongoing and has intensified with mounting
evidence that many types of cancer are caused or
triggered by factors relating to lifestyle or
environment. |
