The Health Benefits of Cooked Garlic

Garlic, scientifically known as allium sativa, has a long history of medicinal use. In 1858, Louis Pasteur observed that garlic killed bacteria and, at the turn of 20th century, it was used to treat tuberculosis, cholera and typhus. In the past 20 years, 2,500 scientific studies have explored the medical benefits of garlic, and according to Wright University and the World Health Organization, guidelines for health promotion for adults is 2 to 5 grams of garlic (approximately one clove) daily. As the top-selling herb in the world, garlic also provides health benefits such as reducing cholesterol, protecting arteries, combating cancer and killing viruses like the common cold and influenza.

Reduces Cholesterol

• Scientific studies agree that garlic can reduce blood cholesterol. Based on a review of research on the subject by Stephen Warshafsky at New York Medical College, studies of people with cholesterol over 200 typically lowered their levels by approximately 9 percent if they consumed at least half of a garlic clove per day. Researchers at Tufts University have also suggested that eating two cloves of garlic daily could be as effective as taking some cholesterol-lowering medication.

Protects Arteries

• Some studies show that garlic can protect artery walls by preventing bad cholesterol from turning into plaque buildup. The health benefits include a lower chance of artery clogging, heart attack and stroke. For example, Dr. Arun Bordia from India’s Tagore Medical College tested the effects of cooked and raw garlic on a group of 432 patients who were recovering from heart attacks over a three-year period. He found that over time regular garlic intake could reverse damage to arteries and wash away arterial plaque. At the 6th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology held by the American Heart Association in Washington, D.C., research was also presented to suggest that garlic contributes to the prevention and potential reversal of plaque formation that causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Blocks Cancer

• Consistent garlic eaters may avoid certain types of cancer. For example, a University of Minnesota study of 42,000 older women from Iowa found that most of the participants who ate garlic more than once per week saw their risk of colon cancer decrease by 32 percent. These findings were corroborated by a group of researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After analyzing 18 studies, Dr. Lenore Arab and her colleagues found that participants who ate more than 12 cloves of garlic on a weekly basis decreased the likelihood of colon cancer by 31 percent.

Fights Infection

• According to James North, chief of microbiology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, garlic can kill common viruses that are responsible for the common cold and influenza. Eating garlic may even prevent sickness if eaten as soon as the first symptom strikes. In Jean Carper’s book, “Food -- Your Miracle Medicine,” Dr. North confirms that "garlic extract killed nearly 100 percent of both a human rhinovirus, which causes colds and para-influenza 3, a flu and respiratory virus. Eating garlic cloves or onion is just the ticket when a sore throat signals the beginning of a cold.”