Garlic (suan thau, bawang putih)

Garlic (16 August 2008)


Garlic, or by its scientific name Allium sativum, is one of the most important base ingredient in any cooking. Indeed, the cuisine of the world would be greatly deprived without garlic. Hence it is not surprising to find garlic featuring prominently in Nyonya dishes. Whether stir fry or curry, most Nyonya dishes starts with the sauteeing of garlic.

Health benefits

In addition to providing food its arama, garlic has a reputation for its health and medicinal properties. Garlic's ability to subdue a wide range of bacterial, viral and fungal infections has been scientifically proven. Garlic is said to help reduce raised blood cholesterol levels. According to a study conducted, eating 1-2 fresh garlic cloves a day decrease the blood cholesterol levels by 10%. Garlic helps to dilate blood vessels, reducing blockage in blood vessels, a major contributor to heart attack and stroke. Other studies have confirmed that consuming a moderate amount of garlic can help to lower high blood pressure.

Amount to be consumed

Studies have shown that the consumption of 1-2 fresh garlic cloves a day can have a substantial effect in improving one's health. However, studies also show that using even more garlic would not show better results. The health benefit of garlic appears to be linked to the smell that comes from its essential oil. Fierce cooking that disperses this oil has shown to reduce the benefits of garlic.

Drawbacks

One major drawback of consuming garlic is of course the odour. For a small number of people, this can cause allergy.

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