The South African Garlic Growers’ Association (SAGGA) informs customers about the health benefits of garlic and the potential uses and recipes or remedies it can be used in, in order to stimulate its promotion, awareness and sales.
Today, the majority of South African grown garlic is sold in fresh markets as whole, fresh bulbs or green garlic. Processed products such as garlic spreads, chopped garlic and bottled garlic are also sold and garlic is also available in pills, capsules or liquid. Therefore, South Africans are provided with an array of methods for consuming garlic.
Garlic has a reputation for its health benefits such as promoting heart health by lowering your blood pressure and easing platelet stickiness to help reduce blood coagulation. The antioxidant properties in garlic also assists with the reduction of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream and reduces the risk of strokes or heart attacks by stimulating the production of nitric oxide in the lining of blood vessel walls to help them relax.
In ancient and herbal medicine, garlic has been used to help in ailments such as asthma, deafness, leprosy, fevers, worms, liver and gallbladder issues and bronchial congestion. According to eminent Ayurvedic authority, garlic is said to be food for the hair, a stimulant to appetite and a strengthening food.
Several clinical experiments in modern medicine have also confirmed the ancient theories about the healing properties of garlic. For instance the unpleasant odour in garlic, which can terribly hinder one’s social life, has been traced to its volatile oil and sulphur content.
Sulphur has been known to have outstanding therapeutic properties and the volatile oil in garlic is called ‘allyl sulphide’ which is strongly antiseptic. Studies have also shown that foods such as garlic and onions have a major impact on cancer prevention. Garlic is said to be a natural antibiotic and the body doesn’t appear to build up a resistance to garlic, so the positive benefits can continue over time.
Garlic has been used for medicinal purposes as an anti-inflammatory, it is also believed to lower blood pressure and control cholesterol lev...