Garlic protects the liver and lowers cholesterol... Do this one trick to eat it to get full anti-cancer power

The protagonist on the dining table is none other than garlic, whether eaten raw, served cold, or fried or grilled. When stir-fried, garlic emits a unique aroma that always makes you salivate. When it comes to the nutritional value of garlic, it surpasses ginseng. In addition to the well-known antioxidant properties of garlic, studies have also found that garlic can protect the liver, lower cholesterol, and even have anti-cancer effects. But which cooking method can bring out the full benefits of garlic?

Eating habits affect cardiovascular disease, and the mortality rate is very high

Modern people have a refined diet and consume high-salt, high-oil, and high-sugar foods for a long time, which has led to a high incidence of chronic diseases and cardiovascular diseases. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the median age of death for six of the top ten causes of death in 2016, including heart disease, pneumonia, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory tract disease, hypertensive disease, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and kidney disease, was higher than the median age of 77 for all causes of death. Cardiovascular disease often catches people off guard and has a very high mortality rate.

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong, chairman of the Taiwan Preventive Health Care Association, said that cardiovascular disease is closely related to "hyperlipidemia". "Hyperlipidemia" has become a civilized disease of modern people. It is mainly caused by the body's long-term intake and production of excessive cholesterol. The excess cholesterol is transported to the arteries in the form of LDL (low-density lipoprotein). When the blood fat in the body is too high, it will accumulate on the blood vessel walls, causing the blood vessels to gradually harden and narrow. Therefore, if the blood vessels supplying the heart are hardened, it will cause cardiovascular diseases, such as: myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, peripheral arterial occlusive disease or cerebral stroke.

US study: Garlic and onion foods can help lower cholesterol

According to clinical research by the American Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, garlic and onion foods have protective effects on lowering cholesterol and anti-coagulation, but eating garlic extract alone will not have much effect. According to research from the Institute of Food Science at National Taiwan University, eating one clove of garlic a day can lower cholesterol. A research team from the Institute of Health and Nutrition at Peking University Health Science Center also found that garlic has the effect of protecting the liver and lowering cholesterol, and can reduce total cholesterol by 30% and triglycerides by 40% on average.

Garlic has high nutritional value and its ingredients have multiple health benefits. Its active ingredients include water-soluble and fat-soluble sulfides, flavonoids, allicin, and selenium. The organosulfur compounds in garlic can enhance immunity and improve the transformation capacity of the human immune system such as lymphocyte T cells and macrophages. It can effectively inhibit colorectal cancer cells, lower blood pressure, and help stabilize blood sugar.

Garlic can fight cancer and is rich in selenium, which can prevent colorectal cancer.

Pharmacist Zhao Shunrong explained that according to a study published by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the United States in 2007, garlic is considered a food with potential anti-cancer properties. The main reason is that garlic is rich in selenium, which can prevent colorectal cancer, promote intestinal peristalsis, inhibit the reproduction of cancer cells and increase resistance. Garlic also contains allicin, allicin and other substances, which have bactericidal effects. They can inhibit the excessive growth and reproduction of Candida albicans in the vagina and help prevent female fungal vaginitis.

Garlic is more suitable for eating raw, sliced ​​or mashed, and has better health effects

However, the health-promoting ingredients in garlic will quickly lose their effect when exposed to heat, so garlic is more suitable for eating raw, sliced ​​or mashed, and it should be left for 10 to 15 minutes before eating, which is more conducive to the formation of allicin and has a better health-promoting effect.

If you have eye diseases, diarrhea, or are seriously ill, you should be careful when eating garlic or should not eat it raw. For patients with serious illnesses or who are taking medications, significant side effects may occur or drug interactions may occur, affecting the efficacy of the drugs. For example, garlic may speed up the breakdown of birth control pills, thus reducing their effectiveness.