For thousands of years, garlic has been valued for its therapeutic potential. Ancient Egyptians worshiped this pungent herb as they believed it could  cure all health problems. In the traditional medical system, it was extensively used for treating everything from cold & flu to leprosy and haemorroids.

It was believed to have preventive properties too, therefore, eating a clove of it every day was recommended to ward off all infections.

Modern scientific research has established a few of these claims. It has been found that garlic, the bulb of a small plant belonging to lily family contains some sulphur compounds like allicin and diallyl sulphides, that have numerous healing properties.

Anti-microbial Agent

Allicin is a broad spectrum antibiotic as also it is an antiseptic and a strong antifungal agent. This enables garlic to combat various pathogenic microbes and thus consuming it boosts up our immunity. Many skin conditions, including warts and insect bites, may also respond to garlic oil or a raw garlic paste applied directly on the affected area.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Diallyl Sulphides reportedly give garlic a potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. Several studies have suggested that they -

• Improve metabolism of cholesterol in liver, resulting in less cholesterol being released into the blood stream.
• Lower LDL levels.
• Make Thrombocytes less likely to clump together.
• Partake in dissolving clot-forming proteins in the blood.
• Hence prevent plaque buildup in the arteries.

All these factors go a long way to keep our cardiovascular system healthy. In the communities that use garlic liberally, incidence of atherosclerosis is very low. Italians & Chinese, who frequently consume dishes like pizzas and pastas   rich in starchy flour and creamy cheese  are statistically less prone to the usual cardiovascular problems associated with such food only because these dishes have liberal doses of garlic .

Protection from Cancer

Garlic is understood to be anti carcinogenic also. A team of Israeli scientists have already used it successfully to kill cancer cells in mice. Its sulphur compounds are believed to increase  the level of such enzymes in the blood that can detoxify cancer triggers and block the formation of nitrites. Thus garlic can be effective in preventing digestive and possibly  breast & prostate cancers too.

How should we eat garlic?

Raw garlic is medically more beneficial than the cooked one. It needs to be peeled and  crushed or chopped extremely fine to produce its medicinal ingredients.

Allicin starts to degenerate immediately after its release, therefore, its medical effectiveness keeps decreasing over time and cooking speeds up the process.

Diallylsulphides do not degrade as quickly and also survive cooking.

Thus garlic in cooked form, though retains its cardiovascular benefits, certainly loses some of its antibiotic properties.  Needless to say, crushing a clove and eating it raw would not be the most pleasant of experiences. Raw garlic is very strong also and eating too much of it might produce heartburning, intestinal bloating and may even damage the digestive tract.

Using enteric coated supplements may reduce such side effects and the ‘garlic breath’ by allowing the product to pass through the mouth and food pipe undigested.

Yet for health benefits, the best would be to add a little of freshly crushed garlic to the cooked food just before serving it.

Also, because diallyl sulphides are effective only for a few hours after consumption, it is better to have small quantities of the herb frequently than having one large doze.

Dietary fats come from both plant and animal sources and can be either visible or invisible i.e. the fats that are used at the table or for cooking, as well as those that are an integral component of various foods. All fats have three types of fatty acids present in them in different combinations. These can be saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, depending upon the presence of number of hydrogen atoms in proportion to carbon atoms in their molecules. Whereas fats of coconut oil, hydrogenated vegetable oils,dairy foods and animal products are rich in saturated fatty acids, those of oils of palm, olive, sesame, cottonseed and peanuts, predominantly contain monounsaturated fatty acids, Both these kind of fatty acids i.e.saturated and monounsaturated are not strictly required in our diet as we can make them in the body from surplus carbohydrates or  proteins. That is the reason why, though they have some important functions to perform, they are categorized as non-essential fatty acids. On the contrary, polyunsaturated fatty acids are called essential fatty acids because they are the ones that must be supplied to the body by food. They are also the ones that are critical to health as they are vital for maintaining the membrane of the body cells-The membrane which acts as a kind of guard admitting only healthy nutrients from the blood into the cell mass while barring all damaging substances. In addition to this, in the body they get converted into certain compounds, which regulate the blood viscosity and its pressure, control muscle contraction, relieve pain and help maintain adequate fertility in men and normal pregnancy in women.

Polyunsaturated acids can be of the omega-6 family or that of omega-3. The omega-6s are derivatives of linoleic acid and are found in considerable amounts in all vegetable oils except that of coconut and in nuts like almonds and walnuts. The invisible fats of cereals and some pulses also carry them in varied amounts. In addition to being a part of the make-up of all cells, they are required to produce some hormone-like substances called eicosanoids, which help to regulate a wide range of functions in the body. Their deficiency can lead to skin problems, clotting in blood and an impaired immune system apart from poor growth. As a normal cereal based diet (in case of vegetarians) can meet almost half the linoleic acid requirement of an individual, it is suggested that an average adult consumes only about 4g of omega-6 fatty acids a day in the form of visible fat. This is equivalent to what we can get from about two tsp of sunflower or soybean oil. A very high intake than what is required can increase production of free oxygen radicals in the blood stream. That may accelerate the ageing process by causing degeneration of body cells and also promote tumour growth. The latter however, has yet been proved in studies on animals only.

The omega-3s belong to fatty acid – linolenic and are essentially required during the early developmental period as structural components of the brain and retina of the eye. Their food sources are oils of soybean & rapeseed, the invisible fats present in oily fish and in spices & condiments like mustard, fenugreek & flax seeds. They help control inflammation, therefore are useful in the prevention & treatment of diseases like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition it has been found that they play a key role in regulating the blood pressure and promoting its flow in the arteries by reducing its viscosity and its tendency to clot. In recent years therefore, Omega-3s have been specially acclaimed for protecting against Heart disease. Their requirement in the body however, is very less i. e. about 1-2g per day. This can be obtained from a small serving of oily fish, 1-2 tsp of soybean or flaxseed oil or a few walnuts.

Fats in the Diet and Heart Disease

Primary cause of heart disease is arteriosclerosis, which is a condition that is characterized by a buildup of fatty deposits inside the walls of arteries. This buildup makes them less pliable and as it increases, it hinders the flow of blood through them causing a rise in blood pressure.The coronary arteries that thread through the heart muscle and nourish it are particularly susceptible to this plaque formation. A fatty buildup in them can lead to a blockade that will result in heart disease. Arteriosclerosis occurs due to an abnormally high level of a fat like substance in the blood, called cholesterol. Cholesterol in itself is not harmful. In fact a limited amount of it is required in the body to help form  nervous tissue and some essential hormones. But too much of it is unhealthy as in that case it tends to get deposited in the arteries and becomes the cause of heart disease. To guard against heart disease however, we have to focus on the total level of cholesterol as well as the level of its two types, the LDL and the HDL. A high level of total cholesterol or that of LDL in the blood increases the risk of heart disease, as does a low level of HDL. This is so because LDL-the bad cholesterol has a tendency to stick to the artery walls where it can start accumulating, whereas HDL-the good cholesterol does just the opposite. It helps to clear away the LDL before it builds up. As our body can synthesize cholesterol to meet its needs, it is not considered a dietary essential. A high level of cholesterol in the diet rather, in addition to contributing towards increasing its amount in the blood, increases the cholesterol elevating effect of dietary fats also. Hence foods like egg yolk and organ meat that are its rich sources should be used judiciously.

Saturated fatty acids need not be taken in the form of food as we have enough of surplus carbohydrates in the body that can be converted into them when required, yet it is observed that we consume them extensively. Meat and dairy products are their natural sources whereas hydrogenated vegetable oils that are widely used in processed foods like cakes, cookies, biscuits and a multitude of different snacks, are the other culprit. Hydrogenation i.e.industrial hardening of vegetable oils is done to enable them to mimic dairy fats like pure ghee & butter. But in doing so the good fat present in them in the form of unsaturated fatty acids gets converted into saturated or trans fats. An indiscreet intake of saturated/trans fatty acids, be it from natural or industrially processed sources is harmful as it increases the level of cholesterol in the blood, specially that of LDL which in turn is a risk factor for heart disease.

On the contrary unsaturated, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids are safe for the heart. If consumed in right amount these  essential fatty are effective in keeping the arteries supple & flexible by lowering total cholesterol in the blood. As they are low in LDL , they do not tend to accumulate and rather help prevent plaque formation by contributing towards an increase in HDL. they are also a major dietary source of vitamin E – an important antioxidant that protects against arteriosclerosis by blocking the oxidation of LDL, which is the first step in formation of plaque in the arteries. Omega-3s in particular have cardio protective effects. Found primarily in fish body oil and in oils of flaxseed and soybean, they have numerous benefits in this regard. Cold water fish such as salmon, trout, tuna & herring are abundant in EPA &DHA, the two most potent forms of omega-3s whereas ALA the third form is found  in flaxseeds & soybeans (It needs to be mentioned here that by fish oil is meant the body oil from oily fish and not the liver oil of fish like cod that is a good source of some vitamins like A & D but not of fatty acids omega-3.Moreover fish oil, in spite of having many advantages can cause an increase in LDL, therefore, one should be cautious in using its therapeutic doses which must be taken only under medical supervision.)  EPA & DHA regulate the blood pressure by reducing the amount of tri glycerides in circulation, they make blood platelets less likely to clump together so that they cannot form clots in coronary vessels and above all they inhibit inflammation  of the arteries walls-a major factor in plaque buildup, thus preventing a second heart attack after an angioplasty which can occur because of re-blockage. In addition they strengthen the heart’s electrical system, thereby preventing its rhythm abnormalities. ALA, the alpha-linolenic acid, works by controlling the level of LDL in the blood. As it lowers LDL on one hand it significantly increases HDL on the other.

Changing the Fat Intake:

Even as polyunsaturated fatty  acids have a multitude of nutritional benefits, excessive intake of fat in any form is associated with obesity, which in turn can be the cause of arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and cancers of breast, bowel & pancreas. Thus, while a sufficient amount of fat should be consumed to meet the requirement of EFAs, its upper limit must also be taken care of. It is recommended that total fat in the diet, saturated or otherwise, makes up for about 15-30% of an individual’s  caloric requirement, which can be determined as per one’s physical activity and physiological status. We should not forget that many foods that we eat like cereals, pulses, spices, condiments and green leafy vegetables contain fats in the invisible form, even though in very small amounts. As such foods constitute the bulk of our diet, the small amounts present in them can add up to a substantial level i.e. about 15-30g/day and contribute significantly to the overall fat intake. Considering this, the daily requirement of visible fat for an adult having a sedentary life style works out to be only about 15-20g. Although a minimal intake of 12g visible fat can meet the EFA requirement, a higher intake of about 20g is desirable to provide energy density and palatability to the food. Diets of young children, adolescents and pregnant or lactating women should however, contain additional amounts.

Keeping the consumption of visible fats in recommended limits and replacing most of trans and saturated fats in the diet with naturally occurring monounsaturated and better still with polyunsaturated fats is advisable. Therefore cooking food in a pressure cooker or a microwave oven in a minimal amount of fat rather than frying it is wiser. So is using liquid vegetable oils like those of sunflower, soybean,safflower or olive rather than hard fats like purified dairy fat or hydrogenated vegetable oils. For ensuring an appropriate balance of fatty acids, trying a combination of two different oils is a good idea. This will have an added advantage of providing a variety of minor components in the diet. Spread butter thinly on your bread and go slow on fast food and too many creamy delights. It is healthy to avoid whole milk and to choose only lean cuts of animal food, trimming off any excess fat. So is it to eat oily fish in place of meat or chicken on some days. Consider eating a few nuts every day and dressing your salads with flaxseed oil once in a while.