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Keep Your Mouth Shut!
By Jim Plunkett

What was worshiped by the Egyptians almost 5,000 years ago and merited being buried in a royal tomb? Cleopatra? Wrong. It was GARLIC!

Probably the hottest food in the 21st Century for scientific study is this wonder vegetable that has become the hope for many sufferers of a series of common diseases, two of which lead the pack in the threat on humanity…. Cancer and heart disease.

Archaeologists have found clay replicas similar to our local huacos in the graves of the Egyptians in the obvious form of garlic bulbs. The Greek athletes chewed garlic before entering competition, and the Monks in the Middle Ages chewed it to protect themselves against the plague.

Hypocrites, the father of modern medicine, used garlic vapors to treat cervical cancer, and Doiscordes, a 1st Century Hypocrites, said it “clears the arteries and lets the blood flow freely,” not to mention those fearing the bite of vampires who felt some garlic breath would surely protect them.

As late as WWII, in the absence of antibiotics on the battle field, paramedics used raw garlic poultices directly on the wounds as a natural antibiotic, which it is. Today, garlic is the No. 1 food being studied by the National Cancer Institute.

As to its chemical qualities, so far they have discovered over 500 chemical elements in garlic. Among them are three important chemicals badly needed by the body: ajoene, a blood thinner that prevents clotting, allicin, a compound with antibiotic-antifungal properties, and diallyl sulfide, an element that inactivates potent carcinogens produced by the liver. Garlic stimulates the formation of glutathiamine, an element that detoxifies, and hence is a powerful antioxidant, deterring the aging process. I am now convinced that if I had started eating this natural wonder drug 40 years ago, I would surely look like Ricky Martin today. At least I won't end up like an Inca mummy 30 years from now.

Its use is highly unstable. When crushed, it releases chemicals including allicin, which gives it the pungent odor with which we are so familiar. When steamed or cooked, it releases different chemicals, and scientists are still not in agreement as to the best use of garlic. Nevertheless, all forms are effective in reducing LDL, the bad cholesterol, the deactivating of carcinogens, and it helps prevent tumors and reduce them if already detected, and as I mentioned before, it prevents strokes, blood clots, and hence heart attacks.

As far as we chefs are concerned, it makes a great spice for Italian, French, Greek, and Latin dishes (still haven't tried it in my ice cream!) , and above all, it's a great way to get rid of unwanted acquaintances and bill collectors. Make sure your loved ones at home are tuned in on its virtues so you can all take it at the same hour, preferably at night, to assure peace in the family. Salud!

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