Allicin, the substance in garlic responsible for its perfume, has been found to block two groups of enzymes, cysteine proteinases and alcohol dehydrogenases, supporting its reputation as an anti-infection agent. Allicin is also a suspected antioxidant.
Garlic has been shown in preliminary NCCAM tests to slow the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a condition associated with heart disease, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Medical science is in the throes of discovery regarding how the body uses food, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that to test one substance in isolation doesn’t reveal too much. So it’s no single ingredient, no single outcome.
So forget the garlic capsules. Have a shot of straight garlic juice. Buy fresh, organically grown garlic. Go home and cook, call the kids in to sit down at the table, invite friends, open a bottle of a good, cheap red and enjoy your life. (And you’ll have nothing to fear from Circe or Vlad.)
