What healthful compounds does garlic contain?
Garlic contains a sulfur compound called allicin, released only when the clove is crushed or cut and allowed to stand for ten minutes. This is what gives these vegetables their strong taste and smell, and is what’s thought to be helpful. It’s a now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t situation, however. The enzyme that forms allicin is destroyed by heating; and allicin converts quickly to other compounds. But maybe the heat turns some of these compounds into beneficial substances. Then again, none of these may be the healthful component, if there is one. Does cooked garlic have the same health benefits as raw? Since garlic may or may not have health benefits, most studies have not distinguished between cooked and raw garlic. Heat does change the chemical composition of garlic. Do garlic supplements lower blood cholesterol? No. Garlic supplements are a waste of money. The leading claim for garlic supplements is that they lower blood cholesterol. But according to several well-designed studies, nei
