Suzy Eats

So as the previous post mentioned, we know that GARLIC is good for us…..BUT is there a difference between fresh and powdered??

A study that was published in 2009 by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry looked at garlic use in rats. They fed one group fresh garlic, another group dried (powdered) garlic and another group no garlic. They then monitored the rats’ hearts. They found that:

the group eating garlic was healthier than the group not eating garlic

AND  the fresh garlic PROTECTED the rats’ hearts more so than the powdered garlic. 

As we know from the previous post allicin in garlic is most potent 10 minutes after the clove is peeled and the potency diminishes continuously thereafter.

The take home message: garlic is good for you….but fresh garlic is even better!!!

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check out this article …USDA is saying eggs are lower in cholesterol than what we thought before…great news because I love egg salad! 🙂

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/02/08/eggs-now-lower-in-cholesterol/?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7Cdl14%7Csec1_lnk2%7C42581

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I have attached three food pyramids below. The first pyramid is the USDA recommended food pyramid, while the latter two are Mediterranean Food Pyramids.

The Mediterranean Diet has been proven to be one of the most healthiest diets in the world. At the bottom of the Mediterranean Food Pyramid are breads and cereals which should be consumed daily. A key component is cous cous.

As you move up the pyramid, there are increased amounts of fruits and vegetables (much more than the standard USDA food pyramid). 

A key difference is OIL…specifically olive oil.

There are smaller amounts of cheese, yogurt and other dairy in the Mediterranean Pyramid than in the USDA pyramid.

Other key points are that: there is VERY LITTLE RED meat that is used in the mediterranean diet and very small amounts of sweets since fruits are eaten as sweets. Olives and tomatoes are the most common fruits. Legumes and nuts are eaten as snacks. Fish and poultry are more common than red meats.

There have been key studies comparing the Mediterranean Diets to other diets around the world.  In the countries with a Mediterranean Diet, heart disease is generally lower.

  Another difference is that the Mediterranean Food pyramid describes foods in various terms: monthy, weekly and daily. While the USDA, describes the daily intake. 

Which food pyramid are you following????

Garlic…Yes, it may make your breath stink, but it is DEFINITELY a food that you should try to eat at least one time per week week.

Garlic’s use dates back to prehistoric times. It was commonly used by the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks, and it is still used all over the Mediterranean today!! There is a lot of data that supports garlic can help lower your cholesterol, reduce your blood pressure and thin you blood.

But, what else can garlic do???  In my teens, I had a high addicition for Doritos (and still do 🙂 ) even though they left that “garlic” taste in my mouth so I can say that I have researched a great deal about garlic and its benefits. So the question is…was it the garlic taste that I enjoyed in my Doritos or was it what garlic could do for me??

It was definitely the latter.

Over the years, I have learned that garlic is a very potent antioxidant as it contains allicin which produces a very an antioxidant. As we know, antioxidants are very healthy for us….they help prevent aging, cancer, heart disease diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Allicin is highest after about 10 minutes of crushing a garlic clove.

In general, garlic adds an amazing flavor to all foods, and just like tumeric, I think you should add it to everthing. I would not advocate taking the garlic herbal supplements. Instead, I advocate using fresh garlic cloves in your meals. Remember add garlic cloves to EVERYTHING 🙂

There is definitely something special about it.

Please send me your questions about garlic…….What are the differences between fresh garlic and garlic powder??? Stay tuned….. 🙂