# Garlic: stinky health food



## VIDEODROME (Aug 30, 2005)

I was curious about this.  I do like the taste of garlic and I am also interested in it's potential benefit for lowering blood pressure.  I was wondering what the best way is to benefit from this herb without dealing with the stinky sulfur factor.  

Would it be better and simpler to take it as some kind of tablet and is there a recommended brand?  I was wondering if being processed into a pill might also affect the active ingredients wich unfortunately also seem to be the source of the garlic odor.


----------



## Haggis (Aug 30, 2005)

Roasting it transforms the normal harsh garlic flavour into something more subtle, sweet and nutty.

Take a whole bulb of garlic, cut the top off it, drizzle in some olive oil and a sprinkling of salt/pepper and roast in a preheated 200'C (400'F) oven for about 20 minutes or until the cloves are tender.

Take it out, let it cool a bit then simply squeeze the cloves out of their skins, or you can scoop them out. I'm not sure if the roasting would have any effect on the potential blood pressure lowering properties, but it sure tastes nice.


----------



## In the Kitchen (Aug 30, 2005)

*Garlic*

This sure reminds me of my mother who could eat a WHOLE bulb of it at one sitting.  She felt it was healthy thing to eat and that was always her goal.  She made into some kind of paste and put it that way on crackers.  No seasoning of any kind was needed.  She tried to eat things in their normal state.  She didn't do this on daily basis just when she felt had time for herself.  Thanks for bringing back sweet memory.  Her birthday Sept 11, 1904.  Lived a long time.


----------



## amber (Aug 30, 2005)

I've heard of garlique as a garlic supplement, which is found in most health food stores, and probably in Walmart, and even some grocery stores.


----------



## VIDEODROME (Aug 30, 2005)

amber said:
			
		

> I've heard of garlique as a garlic supplement, which is found in most health food stores, and probably in Walmart, and even some grocery stores.



Ok thanks.  I might check that out.  

The thing for me is not just the aroma of the food, but I guess if you eat to much garlic it'll make itself evident in your perspiration and as much as I enjoy the flavor of it I'd like to avoid that.

I really do love the stuff though.  I've put roasted garlic pieces in salads and I really enjoy it but I don't want the after effects from eating to much of it.


----------



## daisy (Aug 31, 2005)

Here are some of the benefits of garlic:
Antibiotic, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, cardiotonic, antioxidant, antibiotic. antitoxic, anti-diarrhoeal, immunostimulant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, rubefacient, anti-hypertensive, carminative, oestrogenic, antidepressant, febrifuge, anthelmintic, antiseptic, cholagogue, hypoglycaemic, diuretic, expectorant, diaphoretic, antitumour, antimutagenic, emmenagogue, thyroid stimulant, possible cortisone-like properties.

But as with everything, there\'s a downside, too!

Avoid large doses of garlic is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, or if suffering from restlessness, insomnia with accompanying exhaustion, thirst and dehydration. Therapeutic use should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. Ingesting more than 10 raw cloves per day can be toxic. Pure, undiluted juice used externally can burn sensitive skin. (Remember that garlic can be absorbed through the skin.) Garlic capsules combined with diabetes medication can cause a dangerous decrease in blood sugars. Do not use garlic if taking any of the following: Aspirin. Anticoagulants. Diabetes medications. Hypoglycaemic drugs. Antiplatelet drugs. Warfarin. Some people who are sensitive to garlic may experience heartburn and flatulence. Never use essential oil in the ear – use only the diluted juice, or infused oil for earaches.

You should be able to easily buy garlic supplements from supermarkets, chemists and health stores. You can get odour-free garlic, and garlic/parsley combinations. Kyolic is one brand, but there are many. If you eat parsley after eating garlic, it will help reduce that awful smelly effect. 

Research results differ according to which supplier does the research, but it has been suggested that only fresh garlic provides the full range of benefits.


----------



## Claire (Oct 8, 2005)

I love the scent of garlic, and believe that you should just feed it to all your loved ones, therefore you'll all smell the same, and you'll not notice it!

But seriously, while roasting it is best for flavor enhancement, aroma reducing, you can actually just nuke it for a minute or so which also makes the flavor and aroma milder.  I'm not a big believer in replacing good food with pills, though.


----------



## Ekim (Jan 24, 2006)

Well roasting doesn't stop the gas attacks, that's for sure.

I love roasted garlic smeared on hot bread.  And it's funny having people at work tell me I smell like garlic for two days afterwards.


----------



## BigDog (Jan 24, 2006)

Yeah, I've heard good stuff about Garlique. Supposed to have all the goodness, but none of the aroma. I like garlic in moderation. I went to Bucca de Beppo's once and got their cheesey garlic bread. Aye carumba! Pizza style bread with tons of cheese, and like 900 million slices of fresh garlic! Talk about have a little cheesey bread with your garlic! Tasty, but overpowering. Afterwards, I was just overpowering (in fragrance, but anyways . . . . . )


----------

