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How Effective Is Garlic?

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How Effective Is Garlic?

Garlic is one of the members of the onion family Alliaceae and is scientifically known as Allium sativum. The close relatives include leek, onion, shallot, rakkyo and chive. Garlic is most commonly used throughout the world both for culinary as well as medicinal purposes. Garlic bulb is the most frequently used part of the plant China garlic exporter. The bulb is divided into numerous fleshy sections known as cloves. The cloves are used for medicinal purposes or for consumption. They have characteristic pungent spicy flavour that mellows and sweetens after cooking. The leaves and flowers are also edible and they are more frequently consumed when they are tender and immature. The root cluster attached to the basal part of the bulb is the only part of the plant which is not edible in any form. The sticky liquid present in the cloves of the bulb are used mending glass and porcelain in China. The irrational fear of garlic is known as Alliumphobia.

The ancestry of the cultivated species is yet not known. Different varieties got known in different parts of the world from the beginning of human civilization. One of the best known garlic is the elephant garlic which is native to China. They can be consumed fresh, fried, fermented, dried and are stable products with good shelf life. They can be grown easily in milder climates throughout the year. Although the sexual cultivation of garlic possible but majority of the cultivable varieties are propagated asexually by using cloves. In the colder climates the cloves are buried in the soil in the fall six weeks before the soil freezes and harvesting is done in late spring. The plants are usually protected from pests and other diseases. The plants are famous for repelling rabbits and moles. Garlic is more frequently attacked by nematodes and white rot disease as the pathogens remain the soil for an indefinite span of time. They also suffer from pink root which is a non-fatal disease in which the roots become pink and stunted. While planting them the size of the clove is of considerable importance. Large cloves produce large sized heads and require enough space for growth. The plants require soil with high organic material content but can grow in soils with varying degree of pH levels.

Different subspecies of garlic are also known alike the hardneck and the softneck. Latitude affects the plant growth to a greater extent. Hardneck garlic is grown in cooler climates while the softneck is grown at places which are somewhat closer to equator. Garlic scapes are sold separately for cooking. Although garlic is grown throughout the world but China is the larger producer of garlic. It produces 10.5 million tonnes every year which accounts for 77% of the overall world production of garlic. India, South Korea, Russia and United States follow China in this aspect. Garlic is used throughout the world for its pungent flavour as a seasoning agent or as condiment. It is one of the most fundamental agent of many delicacies all over the world especially in eastern Asia, south Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, southern Europe, and parts of South and Central America. It is often used in combination with onion, ginger and tomato. They are often applied on breads to prepare classic garlic breads. Oils are often flavoured with garlic cloves which are then applied to all vegetables, meats, breads and pasta. The cloves are often pickled in a mixture of salt, sugar and spices which is a popular cuisine in some nations. In Eastern Europe the cloves are pickled and consumed as appetizer. Immature scapes are tender and edible. The leaves are popular vegetable in many parts of the world. The leaves are often cut and fried with vegetables, meat and egg. Garlic powder has a different taste in comparison to the fresh garlic.

Generally garlic is stored in a warm and dry place to keep it dormant. It is basically hung. The softneck varieties are braided in strands called plaits. It is also kept in oil to produce flavoured oil but this practice should be followed carefully as it can spoil garlic by giving a chance to the bacteria Clostridium botulinum to grow. Refrigeration does not prevent the garlic kept in oil from spoilage. Peeled cloves are often stored in vinegar or wine and then kept in refrigerator. Garlic when kept along with top has a larger shelf life. Garlic are in use both for medicine as well as cooking purposes about thousands of years ago dating back to the time when Giza pyramids were built. In the test tube studies it has been found that they carry antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties but these properties are of less use to humans China garlic supplier. It is claimed that it can prevent heart disease and cancer. It can be beneficial in the prevention of stomach and colon cancers. The places where garlic is used in large amount in different cuisines the people have been found to have prevalence from cancers as compared to others.

A study has shown that garlic extract inhibits vascular calcification in humans with high levels of cholesterol. The vasodilative effect of garlic is caused by catabolism of garlic derived polysulfides to hydrogen sulfide in the red blood cells. Hydrogen sulphide is a potent endogenous cardioprotective cell signaling molecule. It has been found that it reduces platelet aggregation and hyperlipidemia. It also keeps a check on blood glucose level and prevents some of the complications frequently observed in diabetes mellitus. The cloves are also used against fungal infections like thrush, digestive disorders and other sort of infections. It increases thiamin absorption so reduces the risk of beriberi. It increases testosterone levels in rats. Apart from the positive effects it also exerts some negative effects like it causes halitosis and sweat which is caused by allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). AMS is a gas produced in blood during metabolism of garlic and from blood it travels towards lungs and ultimately exudes from the skin pores.

Raw garlic is pungent due to the presence of a sulphur rich compound allicin. Some individuals are allergic to garlic also and they suffer from diarrhea, nausea and vomiting also. They are considered to be associated with both good and evil. In many European nations people believe that they are helpful in keeping away the effects of white magic as well as demons. The evil activity of garlic is believed due to its antifungal and antibacterial properties. In Hinduism garlic is consumed in food as well as during the festivals. In Jainism people avoid the use of garlic and onion on a daily basis. In Islam people avoid going to mosque after eating garlic as they believe that it distracts the worshippers from God. Whatever may be the belief all we know is that garlic is a potent cooking agent adding taste to our life. So let's enjoy garlic.

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