Attention All Garlic Lovers!

Maybe you like garlic as much as I do. But did you also know that it is very good for you? People have known garlic is healthy since the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese. But why? It's not just the anti-oxidants and minerals. Like any whole food, there are a myriad of compounds, known and unknown that likely give it it's healthful benefits.

We know now from scientific study that it is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, and beneficial to the heart. It helps open blood vessesl and it lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol. It also reduces triglycerides which may help prevent coronary artery disease.

More recently a study from Canada showed that one of the active compounds in garlic, called allicin, can attack dangerous free radicals. This effect was much more pronounced than any other known anti-oxidant. This may help repair damaged DNA and block cancer development.

So how much should we all be eating. The more the better I say but for those of us less in love with garlic, here are some guides. If fresh, about one clove per day is helpful. If you are using garlic powder then 1.2 grams per day is needed or if oil then 2-5 milligrams. A garlic extract (a pill) should contain between 300 and 1000 milligrams as a daily dosage.

Happy eating!