What's New and Beneficial About Garlic
- You can increase the health benefits you receive from garlic by
letting it sit after you've chopped it or crushed it. If you give your
chopped/crushed garlic time to sit before changing its temperature
(through cooking) or its pH (through the addition of acidic food like
lemon juice), it will give the alliinase enzymes in garlic an
opportunity to work on behalf of your health. For example, in the
absence of chopping or crushing, research has shown that just 60 seconds
of immediate microwaving will cause garlic to lose some of its
cancer-protective properties. Immediate boiling of whole, intact garlic
will also lower these properties, as will immediate addition of a very
low-acid ingredient like lemon juice.
- Some of garlic's unique components are most durable in food
(versus processed extract) form. Allicin—one of garlic's most highly
valued sulfur compounds—stays intact for only 2-16 hours at room
temperature when it is present in purified (extracted) form. But when
it's still inside of crushed garlic, allicin will stay viable for 2-1/2
days.
- Garlic may help improve your iron metabolism. That's because
the diallyl sulfides in garlic can help increase production of a protein
called ferroportin. (Ferroportin is a protein that runs across the cell
membrane, and it forms a passageway that allows stored iron to leave
the cells and become available where it is needed.)
- In addition to being a good source of selenium, garlic may be a
more reliable source as well. Garlic is what scientists call a
"seleniferous" plant: it can uptake selenium from the soil even when
soil concentrations do not favor this uptake.
- The cardioprotective benefits of garlic may partly rest on the
production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. Our red blood cells can take
sulfur-containing molecules in garlic (called polysulfides) and use them
to produce H2S. This H2S in turn can help our blood vessels expand and
keep our blood pressure in check. Interestingly, some processed garlic
extracts cannot be used by our red blood cells in the same way and do
not seem to provide the same level of cardioprotection that is provided
by garlic in food form.
- While still in its very early stages, research suggests that
garlic consumption may actually help to regulate the number of fat cells
that get formed in our body. 1,2-DT (1,2-vinyldithiin) is one of the
unique sulfur compounds in garlic that has long been recognized as
having anti-inflammatory properties. But only recently have researchers
discovered that some of our fibroblastic cells (called "preadipocytes")
only evolve into full-fledged fat cells (called "adipocytes") under
certain metabolic circumstances involving inflammatory system activity.
1,2-DT may be able to inhibit this conversion process. Since obesity is
increasingly viewed by researchers as a chronic state of low-grade
inflammation, the inflammation-related benefits of garlic's 1,2-DT may
eventually be extended into the clinical area of obesity.
WHFoods Recommendations
With their unique combination of flavonoids and sulfur-containing
nutrients, allium vegetables—such as garlic—belong in your diet on a
regular basis. There's research evidence for including at least one
serving of an allium vegetable—such as garlic—in your meal plan every
day. If you're choosing garlic as your allium family vegetable, try to
include at least 1/2 clove in your individual food portion. If you're
preparing a recipe, we recommend at least 1-2 cloves.
Garlic is a wonderful seasoning to add aroma, taste, and added
nutrition to your dishes. We often recommend using raw chopped or
pressed garlic in many of our dishes to take advantage of the benefits
derived from garlic. However, if you cannot tolerate raw garlic, you can
add chopped garlic to foods while they are cooking. It is best to add
it towards the end of the cooking process to retain the maximum amount
of flavor and nutrition
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Garlic provides
for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or
excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional
information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Garlic can
be found in the
Food Rating System Chart.
A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Garlic,
featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food
Rating System Chart.
Health Benefits
Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately
called "the stinking rose" in light of its numerous therapeutic
benefits. A member of the lily or
Allium family, which also includes onions and leeks, garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds including
thiosulfinates (of which the best known compound is
allicin),
sulfoxides (among which the best known compound is
alliin), and
dithiins
(in which the most researched compound is ajoene). While these
compounds are responsible for garlic's characteristically pungent odor,
they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects.
More recent research has identified additional sulfur-containing
compounds that are responsible for garlic's star status as a
health-supporting food. These sulfur compounds include 1,2-vinyldithiin
(1,2-DT), and thiacremonone. The hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) that can be
made from garlic's sulfides has also been the subject of great research
interest. When produced and released from our red blood cells, this H2S
gas can help dilate our blood vessels and help keep our blood pressure
under control.
Finally, when thinking about the sulfur compounds in garlic, it
is important to remember that sulfur itself is a key part of our health.
Several research studies have noted that the average U.S. diet may be
deficient in sulfur, and that foods rich in sulfur may be especially
important for our health. In addition to all of the sulfur-related
compounds listed above, garlic is an excellent source of manganese and
vitamin B6, a very good source of vitamin C, and a good source of
selenium.
Cardiovascular Benefits
Most of the research on garlic and our cardiovascular system has been
conducted on garlic powder, garlic oil, or aged garlic extracts rather
than garlic in food form. But despite this research limitation, food
studies on garlic show this allium vegetable to have important
cardioprotective properties. Garlic is clearly able to lower our blood
triglycerides and total cholesterol, even though this reduction can be
moderate (5-15%).
But cholesterol and triglyceride reduction are by no means
garlic's most compelling benefits when it comes to cardioprotection.
Those top-level benefits clearly come in the form of blood cell and
blood vessel protection from inflammatory and oxidative stress. Damage
to blood vessel linings by highly reactive oxygen molecules is a key
factor for increasing our risk of cardiovascular problems, including
heart attack and atherosclerosis. Oxidative damage also leads to
unwanted inflammation, and it is this combination of unwanted
inflammation and oxidative stress that puts our blood vessels at risk of
unwanted plaque formation and clogging. Garlic unique set of
sulfur-containing compounds helps protect us against both
possibilities—oxidative stress and unwanted inflammation.
The following provides a list of sulfur-containing garlic's constituents that help lower our risk of oxidative stress:
- alliin
- allicin
- allixin
- allyl polysulfides (APS)*
- diallyl sulfide (DAS)
- diallyl disulfude (DADS)
- diallyl trisulfide (DATS)
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
- N-acetyl-S-allylcysteine (NASC)
- S-allylcysteine (SAC)
- S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC)
- S-ethylcysteine (SEC)
- S-methylcysteine (SMC)
- S-propylcysteine (SPC)
- 1,2-vinyldithiin (1,2-DT)
- thiacremonone
* "Allyl polysulfides" is a general term that refers to a variety of compounds.
On the anti-inflammatory side of the equation, garlic's
1,2-vinyldithiin (1,2-DT) and thiacremonone are the compounds that have
been of special interest in recent research. Both compounds appear to
work by inhibiting the activity of inflammatory messenger molecules. In
the case of thiacremonone, it is the inflammatory transcription factor
called NFkappaB that gets inhibited. In the case of 1,2-DT, the exact
anti-inflammatory mechanisms are not yet clear, even though the release
of inflammatory messaging molecules like interleukin 6 (IL-6) and
interleukin 8 (IL-8) by macrophage cells has been shown to be reduced in
white adipose tissue by 1,2-DT. The combination of anti-inflammatory
and anti-oxidative stress compounds in garlic makes it a unique food for
cardiovascular support, especially in terms of chronic degenerative
cardiovascular conditions like atherosclerosis.
In addition to the ability of garlic to help prevent our blood
vessels from becoming blocked, this allium vegetable may also be able to
help prevent clots from forming inside of our blood vessels. This
cardiovascular protection has been linked to one particular disulfide in
garlic called ajoene. Ajoene has repeatedly been shown to have
anti-clotting properties. It can help prevent certain cells in our blood
(called platelets) from becoming too sticky, and by keeping this
stickiness in check, it lowers the risk of our platelets clumping
together and forming a clot.
Equally impressive about garlic is its ability to lower blood
pressure. Researchers have known for about 10 years that the allicin
made from alliin in garlic blocks the activity of angiotensin II. A
small piece of protein (peptide), angiotensin II helps our blood vessels
contract. (When they contract, our blood is forced to pass through a
smaller space, and the pressure is increased.) By blocking the activity
of angiotensin II, allicin form garlic is able to help prevent unwanted
contraction of our blood vessels and unwanted increases in blood
pressure.
More recently, however, researchers have found that garlic
supports our blood pressure in a second and totally different way.
Garlic is rich in sulfur-containing molecules called polysulfides. It
turns out that these polysulfides, once inside our red blood cells
(RBCs), can be further converted by our RBCs into a gas called hydrogen
sulfide (H2S). H2S helps control our blood pressure by triggering
dilation of our blood vessels. When the space inside our blood vessels
expands, our blood pressure gets reduced. (H2S is described as a
"gasotransmitter" and placed in the same category as nitric oxide (NO)
as a messaging molecule that can help expand and relax our blood vessel
walls.) Interestingly, our RBCs do not appear to use processed garlic
extracts in the same way that they use polysulfides in food-form garlic.
Garlic's numerous beneficial cardiovascular effects are due to
not only its sulfur compounds, but also to its vitamin C, vitamin B6,
selenium and manganese. Garlic is a very good source of vitamin C, the
body's primary antioxidant defender in all aqueous (water-soluble)
areas, such as the bloodstream, where it protects LDL cholesterol from
oxidation. Since it is the oxidized form of LDL cholesterol that
initiates damage to blood vessel walls, reducing levels of oxidizing
free radicals in the bloodstream can have a profound effect on
preventing cardiovascular disease.
Garlic's vitamin B6 helps prevent heart disease via another
mechanism: lowering levels of homocysteine. An intermediate product of
an important cellular biochemical process called the methylation cycle,
homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls.
The selenium in garlic can become an important part of our body's antioxidant system. A cofactor of
glutathione peroxidase
(one of the body's most important internally produced antioxidant
enzymes), selenium also works with vitamin E in a number of vital
antioxidant systems.
Garlic is rich not only in selenium, but also in another trace
mineral, manganese, which also functions as a cofactor in a number of
other important antioxidant defense enzymes, for example,
superoxide dismutase. Studies have found that in adults deficient in manganese, the level of HDL (the "good form" of cholesterol) is decreased.
Anti-Inflammatory Benefits Across Body Systems
Our cardiovascular system is not the only body system that may be
able to benefit from garlic's anti-inflammatory properties. There's
preliminary evidence (mostly from animal studies, and mostly based on
garlic extracts rather than whole food garlic) that our our
musculoskeletal system and respiratory system can also benefit from
anti-inflammatory compounds in garlic. Both the diallyl sulfide (DAS)
and thiacremonone in garlic have been shown to have anti-arthritic
properties. And in the case of allergic airway inflammation, aged garlic
extract has been show to improve inflammatory conditions (once again in
animal studies).
Even more preliminary is research evidence showing that some
inflammatory aspects of obesity may be altered by sulfur-containing
compounds in garlic. Specifically, there is one stage in development of
the body's fat cells (adipocytes) that appears to be closely related to
status of our inflammatory system. Fat cells cannot become fully
themselves unless they are able to progress from a preliminary stage
called "preadipocytes" to a final stage called "adipocytes." One of the
sulfur compounds in garlic (1,2,-vinyldithiin, or 1,2-DT) appears able
to lessen this conversion of preadipocytes into adipocytes, and the
impact of 1,2-DT appears to be inflammation-related. Even though very
preliminary, this research on 1,2-DT is exciting because obesity is
increasingly being understood as a disease characterized by chronic, low
level inflammation and our inflammatory status is precisely where
garlic's 1,2-DT has its apparent impact.
Antibacterial and Antiviral Benefits
From a medical history standpoint, the antibacterial and antiviral
properties of garlic are perhaps its most legendary feature. This allium
vegetable and its constituents have been studied not only for their
benefits in controlling infection by bacteria and viruses, but also
infection from other microbes including yeasts/fungi and worms. (One
particular disulfide in garlic, called ajoene, has been successfully
used to help prevent infections with the yeast Candida albicans.) Very
recent research has shown the ability of crushed fresh garlic to help
prevent infection by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa in burn
patients. Also of special interest has been the ability of garlic to
help in the treatment of bacterial infections that are difficult to
treat due to the presence of bacteria that have become resistant to
prescription antibiotics. However, most of the research on garlic as an
antibiotic has involved fresh garlic extracts or powdered garlic
products rather than fresh garlic in whole food form.
Overgrowth of the bacterium
Helicobacter pylori in the
stomach—a key risk factor for stomach ulcer—has been another key area of
interest for researchers wanting to explore garlic's antibacterial
benefits. Results in this area, however, have been mixed and
inconclusive. While garlic may not be able to alter the course of
infection itself, there may still be health benefits from garlic in
helping to regulate the body's response to that infection.
Cancer Prevention
While not as strong as the research evidence for cruciferous
vegetables, research on the allium vegetables—including garlic—shows
that these vegetables have important anti-cancer properties.
Interestingly, high intake of garlic (roughly translated as daily intake
of this food) has been found to lower risk of virtually all cancer
types except cancer of the prostate and breast cancer. However, moderate
intake of garlic (roughly translated as several times per week) has
been repeatedly found to lower risk of only two cancer types—colorectal
and renal cancer. This difference between "high" versus "moderate"
garlic intake may be a real difference that suggests we all need to eat
more garlic if we want to maximize its cancer-related benefits. Or it
may be a difference that is more related to research complications
involving the options given to research participants when reporting
their food intake. Still, garlic has a consistent track record with
respect to general anti-cancer benefits, and there are good research
reasons for classifying garlic as an "anti-cancer" food.
The allyl sulfides found in garlic may play a key role in its
cancer-prevention benefits. These garlic compounds are able to activate a
molecule called nuclear erythroid factor (Nrf2) in the main compartment
of cells. The Nrf2 molecule then moves from the main compartment of the
cell into the cell nucleus, where it triggers a wide variety of
metabolic activities. Under some circumstances, this set of events can
prepare a cell for engagement in a strong survival response, and in
particular, the kind of response that is needed under conditions of
oxidative stress. Under other circumstances, this same set of events can
prepare the cell to engage in programmed cell death (apoptosis). When a
cell recognizes that it has become too compromised to continue
functioning in a healthy manner with other cells, it stops proceeding
through its own life cycle and essentially starts to dismantle itself
and recycle its parts. It's critical for a cell to determine whether it
should continue on or shut itself down, because cells that continue on
without the ability to properly function or communicate effectively with
other cells are at risk of becoming cancerous. The ability of garlic's
allyl sulfides to activate Nrf2 suggests that garlic may be able to help
modify these all-critical cell responses and prevent potentially
cancerous cells from forming.
One especially interesting area of research on garlic and cancer
prevention involves meat cooked at high temperatures. Heterocyclic
amines (HCAs) are cancer-related substances that can form when meat
comes into contact with a high-temperature cooking surface (400°F/204°C
or higher). One such HCA is called PhIP (which stands for
2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazopyridine).
PhIP is thought to be one reason for the increased incidence of breast
cancer among women who eat large quantities of meat because it is
rapidly transformed into DNA-damaging compounds.
Diallyl sulfide (DAS), one of the many sulfur-containing
compounds in garlic, has been shown to inhibit the transformation of
PhIP into carcinogens. DAS blocks this transformation by decreasing the
production of the liver enzymes (the Phase I enzymes CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and
CYP1B1) that transform PhIP into activated DNA-damaging compounds. Of
course, your best way to prevent formation of PhIP is not to bring your
meat into contact with a 400°F/204°C cooking surface in the first place.
But this area of research still bolsters our view of garlic as an
allium vegetable with important cancer-preventive properties.
Garlic and Iron Metabolism
Recent research has shown that garlic may be able to improve our
metabolism of iron. When iron is stored up in our cells, one of the key
passageways for it to be moved out of the cell and returned into
circulation involves a protein called ferroportin. Ferroportin is
protein that runs across the cell membrane, and it provides a bridge for
iron to cross over and leave the cell. Garlic may be able to increase
our body's production of ferroportin, and in this way, help keep iron in
circulation as it is needed.
Description
For a small vegetable, garlic (
Allium sativum) sure has a big,
and well deserved, reputation. And although garlic may not always bring
good luck, protect against evil, or ward off vampires, characteristics
to which it has been assigned folklorically, it is guaranteed to
transform any meal into a bold, aromatic, and healthy culinary
experience. Garlic is a member of the Lily family and is a cousin to
onions, leeks and chives.
Garlic is arranged in a head, called a "bulb," which averages
about 2 inches in height and diameter and consists of numerous small
separate cloves. Both the cloves and the entire bulb are encased in
paper-like sheathes that can be white, off-white, or have a pink/purple
hue. Although garlic cloves have a firm texture, they can be easily cut
or crushed. The taste of garlic is like no other—it hits the palate with
a hot pungency that is shadowed by a very subtle background sweetness.
While elephant garlic has larger cloves, it is more closely related to
the leek and therefore does not offer the full health benefits of
regular garlic.
Fresh, dried and powdered garlic are available in markets
throughout the year, however, fresh varieties from California are in
season from June through December.
History
Native to central Asia, garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants
in the world and has been grown for over 5000 years. Ancient Egyptians
seem to have been the first to cultivate this plant that played an
important role in their culture.
Garlic was not only bestowed with sacred qualities and placed in
the tomb of Pharaohs, but it was given to the slaves that built the
Pyramids to enhance their endurance and strength. This
strength-enhancing quality was also honored by the ancient Greeks and
Romans, civilizations whose athletes ate garlic before sporting events
and whose soldiers consumed it before going off to war.
Garlic was introduced into various regions throughout the globe
by migrating cultural tribes and explorers. By the 6th century BC,
garlic was known in both China and India, the latter country using it
for therapeutic purposes.
Throughout the millennia, garlic has been a beloved plant in many
cultures for both its culinary and medicinal properties. Over the last
few years, it has gained unprecedented popularity since researchers have
been scientifically validating its numerous health benefits.
Currently, China, South Korea, India, Spain and the United States are among the top commercial producers of garlic.
How to Select and Store
For maximum flavor and nutritional benefits, always purchase fresh
garlic. Although garlic in flake, powder, or paste form may be more
convenient, you will derive less culinary and health benefits from these
forms.
Purchase garlic that is plump and has unbroken skin. Gently
squeeze the garlic bulb between your fingers to check that it feels firm
and is not damp.
Avoid garlic that is soft, shriveled, and moldy or that has begun
to sprout. These may be indications of decay that will cause inferior
flavor and texture. Size is often not an indication of quality. If your
recipe calls for a large amount of garlic, remember that it is always
easier to peel and chop a few larger cloves than many smaller ones.
Fresh garlic is available in the market throughout the year.
Store fresh garlic in either an uncovered or a loosely covered
container in a cool, dark place away from exposure to heat and sunlight.
This will help maintain its maximum freshness and help prevent
sprouting, which reduces its flavor and causes excess waste. It is not
necessary to refrigerate garlic. Some people freeze peeled garlic;
however, this process reduces its flavor profile and changes its
texture.
Depending upon its age and variety, whole garlic bulbs will keep
fresh for about a month if stored properly. Inspect the bulb frequently
and remove any cloves that appear to be dried out or moldy. Once you
break the head of garlic, it greatly reduces its shelf life to just a
few days.
Tips for Preparing and Cooking
Tips for Preparing Garlic
The first step to using garlic is to separate the individual cloves.
An easy way to do this is to place the bulb on a cutting board or hard
surface and gently, but firmly, apply pressure with the palm of your
hand at an angle. This will cause the layers of skin that hold the bulb
together to separate.
Peel garlic with a knife or alternatively, separate the skin from
the individual cloves by placing a clove with the smooth side down on a
cutting board and gently tapping it with the flat side of a wide knife.
You can then remove the skin either with your fingers or with a small
knife. If there is a green sprout in the clove's center, gently remove
it since it is difficult to digest.
Chopping or crushing stimulates the enzymatic process that
converts the phytonutrient alliin into allicin, a compound to which many
of garlic's health benefits are attributed. In order to allow for
maximal allicin production, wait at least 5 minutes before eating or
cooking the garlic. Also observe this 5-minute "time out" period before
adding any high acidic ingredient to the garlic (for example, lemon
juice). Ingredients with a pH below 3.5 can also deactivate the
enzymatic process.
Since crushing and chopping are the food preparation steps that
activate garlic's enzymes, these steps can help you obtain many of
garlic's special benefits. For example, research has shown that
microwaving or boiling garlic in uncrushed, whole clove form will
deactivate its enzymes, preventing these enzymes from working. For this
reason, we recommend that you chop or crush the garlic cloves prior to
heating. According to research on garlic preparation methods, it only
takes 60 seconds of microwaving whole cloves to lessen some of garlic's
health benefits. By contrast, many of garlic's health benefits
(including its anti-cancer properties) are preserved if the whole cloves
are crushed and allowed to sit for 10 minutes prior to cooking.
The Healthiest Way of Cooking Garlic
We recommend using raw garlic in many of our recipes. If it is a
cooked dish you are preparing and you cannot tolerate raw garlic, add
chopped garlic towards the end of the cooking time to retain maximum
flavor and nutrition. Too much heat for too long will reduce the
activity of the health-promoting sulfur compounds that have formed by
letting it sit for 5-10 minutes; it will also make garlic bitter.
Therefore expose garlic to heat for as little time as possible (5-15
minutes).
If you would like to combine garlic with oil, we recommend that
you avoid high-temperature heating of this oil-garlic mixture. Keeping
the heat at 250F/121C or lower will help preserve the health benefits of
both the garlic and the oil. This same principle applies to the oven
roasting of garlic bulbs themselves. We do not recommend the 350F/177C
temperature range that you will find in many recipes and on many
websites. Once again, a lower temperature is needed to help preserve
health-protective compounds in garlic.
How to Enjoy
WHFoods Recipes That Feature Garlic
We actually include garlic as an ingredient in so many of our recipes. To find these just go to the
Recipe Assistant on the Recipes page and click on "garlic" in the "Food to Include" box.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas
- Purée fresh garlic, canned garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice to make quick and easy hummus dip.
- Healthy Sauté steamed spinach, garlic, and fresh lemon juice.
- Add garlic to sauces and soups.
- Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and olive oil together to make delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.
Individual Concerns
Garlic is not a commonly allergenic food, is not known to contain
measurable amounts of oxalates or purines and is also not included in
the Environmental Working Group's 2010 report "Shopper's Guide to
Pesticides" as one of the 12 foods most frequently containing pesticide
residues.
The Johns Hopkins Lupus Center has recently listed garlic as a
food to be avoided by persons diagnosed with lupus (systemic lupus
erythematosus, or SLE). While we have not seen any published research
documenting lupus flare-ups with garlic intake, and while the Lupus
Foundation of America has suggested on its website that "occasional use
is cooking is not likely to cause significant problems for most people,"
we have heard directly from website visitors who have experienced
problems in this area. If you are a person diagnosed with lupus, we
recommend a consult with your healthcare provider to decide about
inclusion or avoidance of garlic in your meal plan.
Do not store garlic in oil at room temperature. Garlic-in-oil
mixtures stored at room temperature provide perfect conditions for
producing botulism, regardless of whether the garlic is fresh or has
been roasted.
Nutritional Profile
The sulfur compounds in garlic are perhaps its most unique nutrients.
There are literally dozens of well-studied sulfur molecules in garlic,
and virtually all of them have been shown to function as antioxidants.
In addition, many provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits. The very
presence of sulfur in some many different garlic compounds may also play
an important role in our nourishment.
Additionally, garlic is an excellent source of manganese and
vitamin B6. It is also a very good source of vitamin C and copper. In
addition, garlic is a good source of selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B1,
and calcium.
For an in-depth nutritional profile click here:
Garlic.
In-Depth Nutritional Profile
In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an
in-depth nutritional profile for
Garlic
is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of
nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber,
sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.
Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high
concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a
Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that
are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows
the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or
good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these
qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not
necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that
the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to
meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional
profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones
rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the
chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the
top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving
size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving
size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the
amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart
itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the
nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this
amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food
and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For
most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for
food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's
"Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."
Read more background information and details of our rating system.
Garlic, raw
6.00 cloves
18.00 grams
|
| Nutrient | Amount | DRI/DV
(%) | Nutrient
Density | World's Healthiest
Foods Rating |
|---|
| manganese | 0.30 mg | 15.0 | 10.1 | excellent |
| vitamin B6 | 0.22 mg | 12.9 | 8.7 | excellent |
| vitamin C | 5.62 mg | 7.5 | 5.0 | very good |
| copper | 0.05 mg | 5.6 | 3.7 | very good |
| selenium | 2.56 mcg | 4.7 | 3.1 | good |
| phosphorus | 27.54 mg | 3.9 | 2.6 | good |
| vitamin B1 | 0.04 mg | 3.3 | 2.2 | good |
| calcium | 32.58 mg | 3.3 | 2.2 | good |
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating | Rule |
|---|
| excellent |
DRI/DV>=75% OR
Density>=7.6 AND DRI/DV>=10% |
| very good |
DRI/DV>=50% OR
Density>=3.4 AND DRI/DV>=5% |
| good |
DRI/DV>=25% OR
Density>=1.5 AND DRI/DV>=2.5% |
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Garlic
References
- Ban JO, Oh JH, Kim TM et al. Anti-inflammatory and arthritic effects
of thiacremonone, a novel sulfurcompound isolated from garlic via
inhibition of NF-kB. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009; 11(5): R145. Epub 2009
Sep 30. 2009.
- Benavides GA, Squadrito GL, Mills RW et al. Hydrogen sulfide
mediates the vasoactivity of garlic. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Nov
13;104(46):17977-82. 2007.
- Cavagnaro PF, Camargo A, Galmarini CR, Simon PW. Effect of
cooking on garlic (Allium sativum L.) antiplatelet activity and
thiosulfinates content. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Feb 21;55(4):1280-8.
Epub 2007 Jan 27. 2007. PMID:17256959.
- Galeone C, Pelucchi C, Levi F, Negri E, Franceschi S, Talamini
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