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posted with love by ~Rain of Light~

Health Benefits

Cardiovascular Benefits

Numerous
studies have demonstrated potential benefits of regular garlic
consumption on blood pressure, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride
level, and cholesterol levels. Routine eating of garlic may also help
stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the lining of blood vessel
walls, which may help to relax them. As a result of these beneficial
actions, garlic can be described as a food that may help prevent
atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, as well as reducing the risk
of heart attack or stroke. However, exactly which individuals are most
benefitted from garlic consumption remains a matter of some debate. A
study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that garlic
did not help lower LDL cholesterol in adults with moderately high
(versus very high) levels when consumed at approximately one clove per
day, six days per week, for 6 months. However, these researchers
simulateously concluded that garlic might still have cardiovascular
benefits for these same individuals, even though it did not help lower
their LDL levels. While more large-scale research studies are needed to
determine the exact nature of garlic’s benefits, this food can
definitely be considered a potential ally in heart health.

A
study published in Preventive Medicine shows that garlic inhibits
coronary artery calcification, a process that serves as a marker for
plaque formation since the body lays down calcium in areas that have
been damaged. In this year-long study, patients given aged garlic
extract daily showed an average increase in their calcium score of 7.5%,
while those in the placebo group had an average increase in calcium
score of 22.2%.

One reason for garlic’s beneficial effects may be
its ability to lessen the amount of free radicals present in the
bloodstream. According to a study published in Life Sciences, a daily
dose of 1 ml/kg body weight of garlic extract for six months resulted in
a significant reduction in oxidant (free radical) stress in the blood
of patients with atherosclerosis.

Since atherosclerotic plaques
develop when cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream is damaged or
oxidized, garlic’s ability to prevent these oxidation reactions may
explain some of its beneficial effects in atherosclerotic cardiovascular
diseases. A German study published in Toxicology Letters indicates that
garlic also greatly reduces plaque deposition and size by preventing
the formation of the initial complex that develops into an
atherosclerotic plaque. Called “nanoplaque,” it is formed when calcium
binds to proteoheparan sulfate and then to LDL cholesterol. Garlic
prevents the binding of calcium to proteoheparan sulfate, thus
decisively inhibiting plaque generation.

Research presented at
the 6th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular
Biology held by the American Heart Association in Washington, D.C.,
suggests that garlic can help prevent and potentially reverse
atherosclerotic plaque formation. The laboratory studies, conducted by
well-known German scientist Professor Güautnter Siegel, M.D., from the
University of Medicine in Berlin, Germany, found that powdered garlic
(Kwai ® garlic) reduced the formation of nanoplaque (the first building
blocks of atherosclerotic plaque) by up to 40% and reduced the size of
the nanoplaque that did form by up to 20%.

Dr. Siegel’s research
shows that garlic acts in a manner similar to HDL (“good”) cholesterol,
which prevents the build-up of nanoplaques by hindering the docking of
LDL (“bad” cholesterol) to its receptor sites in blood vessels or
existing plaques.

Both garlic and HDL were able to reduce plaque
formation and size within 30 minutes of incubation in these experiments.
Existing plaques were dissolved by up to 25% within 15 minutes after
the garlic was introduced, indicating a reversal of existing problems
related to build-up of arterial plaque. In addition, calcification of
the cholesterol docking sites in the arteries was reduced by up to 50%
in the presence of the garlic extracts.

New Research More Fully Explains

Garlic’s Cardiovascular Benefits

Laboratory
research by US and Swedish scientists published in the August 2005
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals the mechanism
behind garlic’s cardiovascular benefits.

The compounds in garlic
responsible for its pungency also excite a neuron pathway providing
cardiovascular benefits. Garlic’s pungency-and that of the other members
of the Alliumgenus of plants, such as onions, leeks and chives-results
from its organosulphur compounds, allicin and diallyl disulphide (DADS).
In this current in vitro study, allicin and DADS were found to activate
perivascular sensory nerve endings, inducing the relaxation and
enlargement of blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and improving
blood flow throughout the body.

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 not
only helps prevent heart disease, but also provides protection against
cancer and heavy metal toxicity. A cofactor of glutathione peroxidase
(one of the body’s most important internally produced antioxidants),
selenium also works with vitamin E in a number of vital antioxidant
systems. Since vitamin E is one of the body’s top defenders in all
fat-soluble areas, while vitamin C protects the water-soluble areas,
garlic, which contains both nutrients, does a good job of covering all
the bases.

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.
Practical Tip: National Health and Medical Research
Council (NHMRC) Level III-3 evidence shows that consuming a half to one
clove of garlic daily may have a cholesterol-lowering effect of up to
9%.(Tapsell LC, Hemphill I, et al. Med J Aust)

Anti-Inflammatory, Antibacterial and Antiviral Activity

Garlic,
like onions, contains compounds that inhibit lipoxygenase and
cyclooxygenase, (the enzymes that generate inflammatory prostaglandins
and thromboxanes), thus markedly reducing inflammation. These
anti-inflammatory compounds along with the vitamin C in garlic,
especially fresh garlic, make it useful for helping to protect against
severe attacks in some cases of asthma and may also help reduce the pain
and inflammation of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

In
addition, allicin, one of the sulfur-compounds responsible for garlic’s
characteristic odor, is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral agent
that joins forces with vitamin C to help kill harmful microbes. In
research studies, allicin has been shown to be effective not only
against common infections like colds, flu, stomach viruses, and Candida
yeast, but also against powerful pathogenic microbes including
tuberculosis and botulism.

Although garlic alone appears unable
to prevent infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), the bacterium
responsible for most peptic ulcers, as well as gastritis, frequently
eating this richly flavored bulb may keep H. pylori from doing much
damage. A study recently conducted at Faith University in Istanbul,
Turkey, compared two groups of healthy individuals: one was selected
from individuals who regularly ate lots of raw and/or cooked garlic,
while the other group was composed of individuals who avoided it. For 19
months, blood samples were regularly collected from both groups and
evaluated for the presence of H.pylori. While the incidence of H.pylori
was pretty comparable-the bacterium was found in 79% of garlic eaters
and 81% of those who avoided garlic-the garlic-consuming group had a
clear advantage in that antibodies to H.pylori were much lower in their
blood compared to those who ate no garlic. (Antibodies are formed when
the immune system reacts to anything it considers a potential pathogen,
so less antibodies to H.pylori means less of the bacterium was present.)
Among those who ate garlic, those who ate both raw and cooked garlic
had even lower levels of antibodies than those who ate their garlic only
raw or only cooked.
Laboratory studies recently conducted at the
University of Munich, Germany, help explain why garlic may be such a
potent remedy against the common cold. In these studies, garlic was
found to significantly reduce the activity of a chemical mediator of
inflammation called nuclear transcription factor (NF) kappa-B.

NF
kappa-B is itself activated as part of the immune system’s inflammatory
response to invading organisms and damaged tissue. So, anything that
sets off an inflammatory response (e.g. allergenic foods, a cold or
other infection, physical trauma, excessive exercise, excessive
consumption of foods containing high levels of omega-6 fatty acids-such
as meat, corn or safflower oil) can trigger a surge in NF kappa-B, which
in turn not only promotes inflammation but sets up ideal conditions for
viruses, including HIV, to replicate. In the blood samples tested in
these German studies, unfertilized garlic caused a 25% drop in NF
kappa-B activity, while sulfur-fertilized garlic lowered NF kappa-B
activity by a very robust 41%!

Garlic and Onions Protective against Many Cancers

Making
garlic and onions a staple in your healthy way of eating may greatly
lower your risk of several common cancers, suggests a large data set of
case-control studies from Southern European populations (Galeone C,
Pelucchi C et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

Study
participants consuming the most garlic had a 39% reduced risk for cancer
of the oral cavity and pharynx, 57% reduced risk for esophageal cancer,
26% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 44% reduced risk for laryngeal
cancer, 10% reduced risk for breast cancer, 22% reduced risk for ovarian
cancer, 19% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 31% reduced risk for
renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least garlic. Similarly,
those eating the most onions showed an 84% reduced risk for cancer of
the oral cavity and pharynx, 88% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 56%
reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 83% reduced risk for laryngeal
cancer, 25% reduced risk for breast cancer, 73% reduced risk for ovarian
cancer, 71% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 38% reduced risk for
renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least onions.
Potent, Even Against Drug-Resistant Strains of Bacteria

Results
of two studies suggest that garlic is a potent antibiotic, even against
strains that have become resistant to many drugs. One study conducted
at the University of California Irvine Medical Center and published in
the December 2003 issue of Nutrition showed that garlic juice, even when
diluted up to 1:128 of the original juice, demonstrates significant
antibacterial activity against a spectrum of pathogens including
antibiotic-resistant strains such as methicillin- and
ciprofloxacin-resistant staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci,
and ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A second study
found that garlic was able to inhibit methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA) from human patients that was injected into
laboratory animals.(MSRA is one of the antibiotic resistant bacteria
whose incidence has risen dramatically in recent years in hospitals.)

Promotes Optimal Health

The
organosulfur compound found in garlic called ajoene may also be useful
in the treatment of skin cancer. In a study published in the July 2003
Archives of Dermatological Research, researchers applied ajoene
topically to the tumors of patients with either nodular or superficial
basal cell carcinoma, and in 17 of the 21 patients, the tumors shrunk
significantly. Lab tests of the tumors before and after the application
of ajoene revealed a significant decrease in Bcl-2, an
apoptosis-suppressing protein. (Apoptosis is the self-destruct sequence
used by the body to eliminate cancerous cells.)

Other studies
have shown that as few as two or more servings of garlic a week may help
protect against colon cancer. Substances found in garlic, such as
allicin, have been shown to not only protect colon cells from the toxic
effects of cancer-causing chemicals, but also to stop the growth of
cancer cells once they develop. While more research is needed to
confirm, recent animal research has also suggested that garlic may
confer protection against the development of stomach cancer through its
potential ability to decrease H.pylori-induced gastritits.

Cooking
garlic with meat appears to reduce the production of carcinogenic
(cancer-causing) chemicals that can occur in meat as a result of cooking
methods, such as grilling, that expose meat to high temperatures.
Research
presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s Frontiers
in Cancer Prevention Research meeting in Baltimore, MD, suggests that
the phytonutrient responsible for garlic’s pungency may help prevent
cancer by inhibiting the effects of one such carcinogen called PhIP.

A
cancer-causing heterocyclic amine, 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 sulphide (DAS), an organosulfur compound that
gives garlic its unique flavor, 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.

In addition, DAS signals the genes
responsible for producing two protective antioxidant enzymes,
(glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), which
help protect the body against harmful compounds such as those produced
from PhIP. These findings suggest that making garlic, onion, chives and
other Allium vegetables, all of which contain DAS, a staple part of your
Healthiest Way of Eating may help in preventing breast cancer induced
by PhIP in well-done meats. And enjoying these DAS-rich foods may help
protect the men you love as well: Consumption of Allium vegetables has
also been associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

Good
intakes of vitamin C and selenium, with which fresh garlic is
well-endowed, are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer,
making garlic a smart addition to any colon cancer prevention plan.
Cardiovascular
disease is a well-known side-effect of diabetes, but garlic may provide
some protection. When diabetic laboratory animals were given garlic
extract for an 8-week period, the hyperreactivity of their blood vessels
to noradrenaline (a vasoconstrictive hormone) and acetylcholine (a
compound involved in nerve transmission) was significantly lessened.
According to the researchers, their results suggest that garlic may help
prevent the development of abnormal vascular contraction seen in
diabetics.

Promotes Weight Control

The
most potent active constituent in garlic, allicin, has been shown to
not only lower blood pressure, insulin and triglycerides in laboratory
animals fed a fructose (sugar)-rich diet, but also to prevent weight
gain, according to a study published in the American Journal of
Hypertension. In this study, animals who developed high insulin levels,
high blood pressure, and high triglycerides were given either allicin or
served as a control. Despite the fact that all of the animals consumed
the same amount of food, weight rose in the control group but not in
animals who were being supplemented with allicin. In those groups, body
weight remained stable or declined slightly when allicin was given. The
researchers concluded that allicin may be of practical value for weight
control.

Protection against Asbestos

Asbestos,
a well-known carcinogen, is thought to cause cell mutations by
generating reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and depleting one of
the body’s most important internally produced antioxidants, glutathione.
Garlic contains numerous sulfur compounds and glutathione precursors
that act as antioxidants and also demonstrate anti-carcinogenic
properties. In a laboratory study published in Toxicology Letters,
garlic extract, when administered along with asbestos, so significantly
reduced DNA mutations in human blood lymphocytes (a type of immune
cell), that the researchers concluded: “garlic extract may be an
efficient, physiologically tolerable quencher of asbestos-induced
genotoxcity.”

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.
(or better yet grow your own) 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 from two weeks to two
months. 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.

How to Enjoy

Tips for Preparing Garlic:

The
first step to using garlic (unless you are roasting the entire bulb) 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.

To
separate the skin from the individual cloves, place a clove with the
smooth side down on a cutting board and gently tap 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 several minutes before eating or cooking the garlic.
Crush
then cook garlic cloves lightly for the most health benefits, say
Agricultural Research Service scientists. Garlic’s heart-protective
phytonutrients-its allicin and thiosulfinates- help lower blood pressure
and break up clumps of potentially artery-clogging platelets in the
bloodstream. Until now, most researchers assumed eating raw whole garlic
bulbs would provide the most phytonutrient activity, but when they
boiled (3 minutes), baked (200 degrees C) and microwaved both crushed
and uncrushed garlic cloves, they discovered that crushing, which frees
garlic’s beneficial compounds, is responsible for most of its health
benefits. Although cooking for 10 minutes completely suppressed garlic’s
phytonutrient actions, lightly cooking garlic was no problem-except for
microwaving, which almost entirely stripped garlic of its
blood-thinning effects. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Feb 21;55(4):1280-8.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Marinate pressed garlic in olive oil and use this flavored oil in dressings and marinades.

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.

Nutritional Profile

Garlic
is an excellent source of manganese. . It is also a very good source of
vitamin B6 and vitamin C. and . In addition, garlic is a good source of
protein and thiamin (vitamin B1) as well as the minerals phosphorus,
selenium, calcium, potassium, iron and copper.

Source

The Health Benefits of Garlic:

Garlic
has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, dating as far back
as ancient Egypt and the pyramids. The ancient Romans took advantage of
the health properties of garlic by using it to treat the wounds of their
soldiers during battle, a practice that continued up into our

modern age with the Russian government using the herb on their soldiers
after running out of antibiotics during World War II. Modern research
has discovered the therapeutic benefits of garlic extend to preventing
heart disease and cancer.

Below are five ways to make use of the health benefits of garlic as a home remedy for acute health problems.

Fighting Colds and Flu
The
sulfur-compound allicin is responsible for the antiviral and
antibacterial therapeutic benefits of garlic. British researchers
conducted a study involving 146 people who were followed over the course
of ‘cold and flu season’ between the months of November and February.
Some were given one daily capsule of an allicin-containing garlic
supplement and the rest were given a placebo. The group who took the
garlic supplement had significantly fewer colds (24 versus 65 for the
placebo group) and the duration of their cold symptoms was shorter (1.52
days as compared to 5.01 days for the placebo group). In all, those who
took the garlic supplement had a combined total of 111 sick days, as
compared to 366 days for those who did not take garlic.

Dr.
Andrew Weil, M.D., founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative
Medicine, suggests consuming two cloves of raw garlic at the first sign
of cold or flu symptoms. Remember, a clove is an individual segment, not
the entire bulb. Dr. Weil suggests mashing or mincing the garlic and
mixing it with food, if needed to make it palatable. Alternatively, you
can cut the cloves into small chunks and swallow them as if they were
pills. (although too much of this will result in the pungent smell
coming through your pores)

Ear Infections

While
most garlic treatments are too strong for children, garlic oil is an
effective way to help relieve a child’s ear infection. To make garlic
oil, mix a few crushed cloves of raw garlic into olive oil. Let the
mixture sit at room temperature for a few days and then strain it.
Refrigerate the oil until needed. To use the garlic oil, warm a little
bit (just warm it, do not get it hot) and put a few drops into the
child’s ear canal. Use a cotton ball to plug the ear. This remedy is
only effective during the early stages of an ear infection. If the
infection has progressed, seek medical attention from your doctor.

(Also: See Recipe at Bottom of this Bulletin)

Fungal Infections
Garlic
also contains antifungal properties, mainly due to its sulfur-compound
ajoene. One study found using garlic to treat the skin infections Tinea
cruris (commonly known as jock itch) and Tinea corporis (commonly known
as ringworm) is as effective as the antifungal medicine terbinafine
(sold as Lamisil). Additional studies have shown garlic to be useful in
treating other fungal infections of the skin, such as athlete’s foot.

Garlic
is extremely potent and can burn the skin if applied full strength. If
wishing to treat skin infections (as well as warts, acne or wounds) with
garlic, always dilute the raw garlic with water. A good mixture is one
crushed clove of garlic per one-third cup of water. Add more water if
the skin becomes irritated.

For treating recurring vaginal yeast
infections, Dr. Andrew Weil suggests consuming two cloves of raw garlic
per day. Do not insert raw garlic into the vagina, as this will result
in burns.

Encourage Nursing
Mothers
who are having problems getting their babies to nurse properly may wish
to add a little garlic to their diet. A study conducted by researchers
at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, found babies whose
mothers consumed garlic before nursing stayed at the breast longer and
consumed more milk while feeding than babies whose mothers had not had
garlic.

Erectile Dysfunction
A study conducted by
the BBC with the help of Dr. Graham Jackson, consultant cardiologist at
Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust, found garlic helped correct erectile
dysfunction. The study was small, involving only seven men. Each man was
given four cloves of garlic per day for three months. By the end of the
study, six of the seven men had seen improvement in their erections.

The allicin in garlic helps increase blood flow and was attributed the success experienced by the men.

Warnings

Garlic
is a very powerful herb that can cause side effects when used in large
amounts for extended periods. Side effects may include headache,
dizziness, vertigo, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, upset stomach,
bloating, body odor, bad breath, skin irritation or lesions (due to
handling a lot of raw garlic), and allergic reactions. Due to its blood
thinning properties, people who are on blood thinners or are about to
have surgery should avoid consuming large quantities of garlic.

DO NOT Feed Garlic to your Pets!

Garlic
(and its relatives) are bad news for our pets. Both dogs and cats can
be poisoned by any member of the Allium species of plants, which
includes garlic, onions, leeks, chives and others. Cats are typically
harder to poison because of their fussier eating habits.

Garlic,
and related species such as onions, cause Heinz body anaemia in dogs and
cats. This can be caused by a single, large dose or by regular smaller
doses. Affected animals are anaemic, potentially showing difficulty
breathing, bounding pulses, pale gums and appearing depressed or
lethargic.

The toxic agent in garlic is a chemical called propyl
disulphide. This chemical is metabolised in the liver and changed into
thiols, which react with haemoglobin in red blood cells that is carrying
oxygen. This reaction deactivated the haemoglobin and produces Reactive
Oxygen Species (ROS) which can damage cell membranes and cause red
blood cells to ‘pop’. The denatured haemoglobin will clump together,
forming a spot which is seen with a microscope and called the Heinz
body.

This Heinz body anaemic can be fatal if it is severe
enough, such as in a case of a dog eating a large amount of leftover
onions after a barbecue, but is often more chronic. Cooking does not
change the toxicity of these plants.

Garlic is included in many
home-made pet food recipes because of the belief that it will stimulate
appetite, boost the immune system or reduce bad breath. In reality, it
is better for your pet if you leave out the garlic to prevent them
developing Heinz body anaemia.
Sources:
The World’s Healthiest Foods – Garlic

University of Maryland Medical Center: Garlic

iHerb Health Library – Garlic

The Garlic Farm – Garlic Health

Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D.:
Remedies: Garlic
Herbs: Garlic

A recipe you may enjoy

I
have seen a few herb or flavoured oils on the blogsphere that have
sounded pretty interesting. I recently came across a recipe that called
for some roasted garlic oil and I though that it was time that I give it
a try. It turned out to be pretty easy to make. It was the same as
making roasted garlic except that you use a lot more oil to absorb all
of the flavour. You can also add hints of other flavours like thyme and
peppercorn by adding them to the oil while it roasts. The roasting
garlic smelled really good and the oil retained that aroma. The oil had a
really amazing roasted garlic flavour. It was well worth the effort to
make. The best part might be all of the roasted garlic that is left over
that you can use for other things. 🙂

Roasted Garlic Oil:

Ingredients

3 heads garlic
2 cups olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic.
2. Place the garlic in a baking pan with the cut side down.
3. Add the thyme and pepper.
4. Pour the oil over the garlic, thyme and pepper.
5. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 300F oven until the garlic is golden brown and soft, about an hour.
6. Drain the garlic oil and set aside to cool.
7. Very Important: Reserve all of the amazing roasted garlic for other uses.

Individual Concerns

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.

Source

posted with love by

~Rain of Light~

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