Garlic

Why is garlic healthy?.

Allicin and diallyl disulfide (DADS) are the beneficial and most active substances found in garlic. These substances are used for garlic supplements.

What is garlic good for?

Garlic is good for the immune system, helps support the cholesterol, and is good for heart and blood vessels.*

* EC approval health claim(s) pending.

Garlic: botanical, tradition, cultural

In nutrition science, garlic (Allium sativum) is considered a herb. Botanically, however, it is a bulbous plant that belongs to the genus garlic (Allium) along with onions, leeks and chives, for example.

Garlic thrives best in mild climates but can also be grown in colder regions. Most of the world's production takes place in China and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Garlic can be consumed either fresh (cut or pressed) or dried, in powder form. Dietary supplements obviously refer to the dried form.

Use of garlic, both as a flavor enhancer and medicinally has a very old tradition. Both the Talmud, the Bible, the Koran and the Edda (medieval texts from Iceland) write about the use and beneficialness of garlic consumption. But the oldest text that mentions garlic is the 3500-year-old Papyrus Ebers from Egypt: somewhere in that text it states that the pyramid builders were fed garlic.

Not unmentioned is that use of garlic has an important cultural and geographical component. In countries where use of garlic has no tradition (in the Netherlands, for example), the smell and taste of garlic is perceived by many people as very unpleasant and certainly older generations often refused categories of dishes with garlic. However, with the great rise of Mediterranean cuisine and catering, this aversion has largely disappeared.

Smell, taste and breath

The strong smell and taste of garlic come from sulfur compounds (molecules with 1 or more sulfur atoms). These substances are produced and released when the cells of the garlic bulb are damaged (by processing in the kitchen, for example). The best known of these substances is Allicin. The better garlic supplements therefore list the amount of Allicin.

The garlic plant, by the way, possesses and uses these substances as a defense mechanism. The fact that many people find it tasty and healthy is a nice side benefit.

With regular and hearty garlic consumption, certain substances from garlic can become part of body odor and breath. One positive effect of this is that mosquitoes are likely to be poorly resistant to it. A downside, of course, is that not everyone appreciates that smell. Possibly this is also where the myth comes from that garlic protects against vampires.

In supplements

The better garlic supplements contain extracts and come in special capsules that prevent the strong smell and taste from becoming overpowering. Complete elimination is almost impossible but usually you notice very little, especially if the capsules are taken with some food.