Feeling very healthy

     Having consumed more than my share of garlic in the 3 days of the Gilroy Garlic Festival I am feeling very, very healthy.  Allium  sativum, related to the onion, leek, shallot and chives is full of beneficial antioxidants, helping to not only fight infection but also supporting strong bones, too.  It has been used over the centuries an antiseptic, applied to wounds.


     The health benefits of garlic are legendary and historic.  It has been regarded as both a food and a medicine for thousands of years.  The ancient Egyptians revered it and athletes in the first Olympic games in Greece used it to enhance their performance in competition. And on the Indian sub-continent it was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.  18th Century gravediggers in France drank crushed garlic believing that it would protect them from The Plague.  In both World Wars soldiers were given garlic to prevent gangrene.


     Medical science has recently acknowledged the curative powers of the antioxidants in garlic that counteract the harmful effects caused by free radicals in the body that build up as we age.  Regular consumption of garlic can reduce the chances of contracting age related conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia.

     Garlic is most often mentioned as an herb for heart disease and atherosclerosis.  Some studies suggest that garlic may help prevent heart disease and can lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  There is also evidence that it acts as a natural blood thinner, helping to reduce the chance of heart attack and stroke.  In a recent study those who took garlic had fewer colds and if they did happen to catch a cold their symptoms went away quicker than those who did not.

     Garlic may also strengthen the immune system, helping the body fight potentially fatal diseases such as cancer.  People who eat garlic, either raw or cooked, are less likely to get colon, stomach or cancer of the esophagus.

     Just 1 ounce of garlic contains 23% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Manganese, 17% of Vitamin B-6, 15% of Vitamin C and 6% of Selenium.  And it contains only 42 calories.  I think I had that much in my first helping of garlic fries!