By: Batumba Tak

Some Benefits Of Eating Raw Garlic Cloves

In the words of Anthony Bourdain, “Garlic is divine … Few food items can taste so many distinct ways, handled correctly. Misuse of garlic is a crime … Please, treat your garlic with respect … Avoid at all cost that vile spew you see rotting in oil in screw top jars. Too lazy to peel fresh? You don’t deserve to eat garlic.”

There are few foods that have been enjoyed for such a long period of time and in so many different parts of the world as garlic.
Recent research has clearly shown that there is evidence that garlic originally grew wild in location as diverse as China, India, Egypt, and what is now Ukraine.

However, garlic has been cultivated for thousands of years in diverse regions of the world and has since become a staple in cuisines across many countries. Moreover, China is by far the world’s largest commercial producer of garlic, with over twenty (20) million tons of production in 2014 alone.

In that same year, India was the second largest producer with about 1. 2 million tons and South Korea, Egypt and Russia rounding out the top five countries for garlic production.

Nonetheless, we shall now look at some benefits of eating raw garlic cloves.

I count myself truly bless and is very excited to be sharing with all of you this information in today’s article about garlic that was used a very long time ago as a traditional remedy to maintain health and treat disease.

Our forefathers found out a very long time ago that the potential health benefits of garlic resides in its natural components, which includes allicin (According to the English Oxford Dictionary, the definition of Allicin is a pungent oily liquid with antibacterial properties, present in garlic), a compound that is produced when we chew and crush fresh garlic cloves.

It is also common knowledge that garlic not only makes food delicious, it may also have a number of health benefits. Some of these health benefits are more than likely if we eat our garlic raw, since cooking it may reduce the amount of certain chemicals garlic contains.
However, it is advice that before we add large amounts of garlic cloves to our diet or taking garlic cloves supplements we should speak with our Nutritionists or our Dietitians as garlic cloves can interact with certain medications and isn’t safe for everyone in amounts greater than those used in cooking.

We shall now look very briefly at how eating raw garlic cloves may lower cancer risk.
Recent research has clearly shown that people who consumed raw garlic cloves at least twice a week experienced lower rates of lung cancer than those who consumed raw garlic cloves less often.

Additionally, according to a seven-year study published in “Cancer Prevention Research” in July, 2013, garlic cloves may also be beneficial for preventing or treating colon and pancreatic cancer, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center – Although research is still preliminary.
Let us now continue by looking briefly at how by eating raw garlic cloves lower cholesterol.

A study done on some medical students who consumed ten (10) grams of raw garlic cloves each day for two (2) months has significantly lowered their cholesterol levels, and that is according to a study published in the “Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, in 1991.

However, another study, published in the “Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Science” in October, 2006, found that raw garlic cloves consumption increased beneficial HDL (HDL – means High Density Lipoproteins, and is considered the “Good” cholesterol. “The higher the HDL cholesterol level, the lower the risk of coronary artery disease”), cholesterol levels, while decreasing total cholesterol, although the difference wasn’t large enough it was not sufficient to recommend using garlic cloves as the only method for lowering cholesterol.

We shall now look at offers an anti-inflammatory effect.

Again research has clearly shown that if we suffer from an inflammatory condition, it may help to consume raw garlic cloves. However, a recent study that was published in “Food and Chemical Toxicology in August, 2013 found that garlic cloves had an anti-inflammatory effect, with raw garlic cloves exhibiting a stronger effect than garlic cloves that has been heated.”

In addition, it is also proved that the levels of a compound found in garlic cloves called Allicin (Allicin is a pungent oily liquid with antibacterial properties present in garlic cloves), were greater in the raw garlic cloves, which is most likely the reason for its greater benefits.
Finally, for today’s article we shall look briefly at how eating raw garlic cloves improve insulin sensitivity.

The Nutritionists and the Dietitians have clearly state that a decrease in insulin sensitivity increases our for Type 2 Diabetes. They also state that consuming raw garlic cloves may help improve our insulin sensitivity, thus, lowering our risk for diabetes, also this is according to a preliminary study published in 2011 in the “Nutrition & Metabolism”

However, this study used “Rats”, so further research is necessary to see if the same benefits exist in humans as well.
As time is of the utmost importance, we shall stop here for today, but will continue when we look how garlic fights colds and the flu.
As I close for today, I leave you with a quote by Sarah Jio, a poem by Susan O’Reilly, a recipe, and a garlic song by Ruthie Gorton.
“I could smell garlic, butter, and wine – the world’s most delicious flavor combination. It made me feel warm, like the first few sips of wine always do.” – Sarah Jio.

Hide And Seek
By: Susan O’Reilly – Kids Rhyming Poem.

Hide and seek is not for the meek,
Last time my parents didn’t find me for a week.

No matter how much I peeked and squeaked,
Next time I’ll eat garlic cloves so I’ll reek.

It will be a much shorter game of hide and seek.

Roasted Garlic & Sweet Potato Soup
By: Dr. Axe.

Total Time: 20 minutes serves: 8 – 10 servings.

Ingredients:

1. 6 Sweet Potatoes. 2. 1Large Red or White Onion
2. 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 4. 2-3 Garlic Cloves
5. 6 Cups Vegetable Broth. 6. 1 Cups Of Water.

Direction:

a. Preheat oven to 400F. Slice potatoes in half and bake for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
b. Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and add the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl.
c. In a food processor, add the sweet potatoes, onion, oil garlic and water, blending until well-combined.
d. In a medium stock pot over medium heat, add the mixture and the broth, stirring until well-incorporated.
e. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garlic Song
By: Ruthie Gorton.

There are spices and vegetables that you can grow, Some are under the ground, some grow tall,
Though they all have their qualities, this you should know,
That the garlic is best of them all.

The Egyptian, Phoenicians, the Vikings and Greeks,
Babylonians, Danes, and Chinese,
On their voyages took enough garlic for weeks,
And their enemies died on the breeze.

From Biblical times in all parts of the earth,
It has cured countless suffering and ills,
If we understood what the garlic is worth,
We would throw out our poisons and pills.

In Bulgaria’s mountains and Russia’s wide plains,
People live to a hundred years old,
For its juice of the garlic that runs in their veins
Oh it’s worth twice its weight in pure gold.

With the selenium, germanium, allicin too,
It can fight of all types of disease,
So if you’ve got arthritis, TB, or the cold or flu,
Just say, “Peel me a garlic clove, please!”

Plant some cloves in your garden to keep away worms,
And the other bad things that kill plants,
It you’re one of those people concerned about germs
You can drop one or two garlic cloves in your pants.

(Repeat first verse).