Potatoes are not only one of my favorite side dishes, they’re also at the top of my list of favorite foods in general. There are so many things you can do with them, and so many different varieties available that, around my house at least, you won’t hear “potatoes again??” coming from anyone at dinner time!

One of my favorite ways to “dress up” mashed potatoes is with some easy additions. I add the usual milk and butter and depending on what we’re having I like to put in about a teaspoon or so of granulated garlic powder (I’ve tried adding …read more

Here’s a simple and quick stir-fry recipe from Fit Fare combining kale, a kind of cabbage which has been documented to have anti-cancer properties, and garlic, which is linked to reduced cardiovascular and cancer risks. The dish calls for:

1 bunch kale
3-4 tablespoons of your favorite oil (I use grapeseed oil)
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
Red pepper flakes
Splash of red wine vinegar

See the rest of the cooking instructions here. This dish is suitable for vegetarians, or as a side dish!

A study conducted at University of Alabama at Birmingham demonstrates how garlic helps reduce blood pressure and thus protect against subsequent cardiovascular diseases. Apparently, the protective effect is closely linked to how much hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced from garlic compounds interacting with red blood cells.
The UAB researchers found this interaction triggered red blood cells to release H2S, which then led to the relaxation of blood vessels. Fresh garlic was used at a concentration equal to eating two cloves. The resulting H2S production caused up to 72 percent vessel relaxation in rat arteries.
“When these garlic compounds are metabolized to H2S …read more

Garlic. Ahhhhh, smell by breath…
Actually, I love garlic, and since I moved to Asia, I’ve been using it more and more. It’s not only documented to help reduce cholesterol levels, it has also shown some antibacterial and anti-cancer powers.
But did you know that the way you prepare and eat your garlic does have an impact on its powers -the blood pressure-lowering powers, at least?
After boiling, baking and microwaving both crushed and uncrushed cloves of garlic and evaluating them for their antiplatelet activity, the scientists learned that lightly cooked, crushed garlic provides most of the health benefits found in raw garlic. …read more

For all the other benefits that garlic has been shown to have — anti cancer and anti-bacterial, to name a few– one of the more popular applications that garlic supplements are being sold for is to help reduce cholesterol levels. However, clinical data on the effect of garlic consumption on such have been inconclusive. According to a new study, garlic does NOT appear to offer benefit in patients with moderately high LDL levels (130 to 190 milligrams per deciliter).
Forty-nine participants were randomly assigned to receive raw garlic, 47 to take a powdered garlic supplement, 48 to take an aged …read more

Yesterday, I wrote about garlic’s potential as an antimicrobial in cystic fibrosis patients. The benefits of garlicky meals continue:
Numerous studies have indicated that the consumption of garlic and onions seems to reduce the risk of contracting cancer, particularly colon and stomach cancer.
People who used the most onion or garlic about a half-cup of chopped onion daily and a self-assessed “high” garlic consumption were from 10 percent to 88 percent less likely to have various types of cancer than those who said they used little or none.
Cancers compared included cancers of the esophagus, mouth and throat, colon, breast, ovary, prostate …read more

In a previous entry on healing herbs, I mentioned that garlic has antimicrobial properties. Now, scientists at The University of Nottingham will be conducting a study to see if garlic can help control Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cystic fibrosis patients, where lung infections are quite prevalent.
Dr Alan Smyth of the University’s School of Human Development, who is leading the project, said: “The garlic components inhibit a bacterial communication system called quorum sensing (QS). This is responsible for the germ forming tenacious colonies in the lungs called ‘biofilms’. The QS molecules also switch on bacterial weapons such as ‘elastase’, an …read more

What’s beta glucan? That’s the soluble fiber found in oats and barley, and the reason why the packaging on your oat- and barley-containing cereals says it’s good for your heart.
Beta-glucan helps lower “bad” LDL cholesterol in two ways. “It forms a gel in the digestive tract that traps dietary cholesterol, making it less available for absorption, so some gets ushered out of the body as waste,” says Julie Jones, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and a fiber researcher at the College of St. Catherine in Minnesota. Also, as fiber moves farther along in the digestive process, “good” bacteria in the …read more

I picked up Michael Anuzis’ Top 8 High-Utility Foods via this week’s Healthy Eating, Dieting & Fitness Blog Carnival. I like the way he used the phrase, “high-utility” and “for special purposes” to introduce and entry about functional foods… or mostly functional foods, at least. The miso, rice ball and carbs don’t count, unless they’re fortified.
The other 5 on his list:
1. Japanese pickled plums (umeboshi), whose by-product, bainiku-ekisu, may help in preventing the onset of cardiac disease
2. Raw oats, blueberry muesli, & soymilk : an ideal breakfast, providing you fiber, some antioxidants and a bit of protein, repectively
3. Raw garlic, …read more

The powers of garlic to treat various maladies have long been known. Numerous studies have been conducted over the years to identify bioactive substances in garlic, and have uncovered clues to its mode of action, alhtough not enough to earn it the label of being a true alternative medicine. A large number of research have demonstrated, though, that garlic appears to lower indicators of cardiovascular disease and other ailments. In March, the Journal of Nutrition even published a supplementary issue focusing on the impact of garlic and its constituents on cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Well, assuming that the scientific bases are …read more