The Goodness Of Garlic

Garlic is also a natural antibiotic. Louis Pasteur, the founder of penicillin, noted that garlic juice had the same power as penicillin though it was less effective as a pasteurizing agent.

 

Garlic juice has the power to kill a wide range of common bacteria that cause sore throat, coughs and stomach upsets. Garlic is also an expectorant that helps you cough up phlegm to clear your respiratory tract.

 

Besides minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, Vitamins A, B1, B2 and C, garlic is also full of a substance called allicin, a healing agent. Allicin is only produced when the clove is cut, crushed or heated and loses its strength when the garlic is cooked for a long time. So the next time you add garlic to your food, remember not to overcook it.

 

Garlic is sold as tablets these days and it is helpful to those who don't like the smell or taste of garlic. Health experts recommend that you eat about 3 to 4 cloves of garlic a day, the equivalent of a tablet. Don't take all the garlic at the same time but spread it out throughout the day. If you had a meal with lots of garlic and find your breath very strong, chew a handful of coriander leaves or aniseed or cloves.

 

When buying garlic look for those that look plump and unblemished and are hard to the touch. Avoid those that are sprouting green leaves. Store garlic in a cool dry place, preferably in a wire basket, and not in the refrigerator. Let air circulate round the garlic.