The reason garlic has anti-cancer medicinal properties is simply that it contains a natural antibacterial substance called "allicin." The pungent smell we perceive is produced by allicin. Even when diluted 100,000 times, this allicin can instantly kill bacteria like Salmonella typhi and Shigella, as well as influenza viruses. It is particularly effective at killing *Helicobacter pylori*, the primary cause of stomach cancer.
When garlic is stir-fried or boiled, most of its allicin is lost through evaporation or thermal decomposition, which significantly reduces its health benefits. Therefore, it is best to eat garlic raw. If you really cannot tolerate its pungency, you can add minced garlic just before the dish is done cooking. This way, the spiciness is mellowed, and excessive loss of allicin is avoided. Alternatively, you can choose to eat candied garlic or pickled garlic.
Furthermore, you cannot get allicin by swallowing a whole clove of garlic because allicin is not present directly. Instead, it is synthesized from two substances independently found in garlic: alliin and the enzyme alliinase. Only when the garlic is crushed or minced can these two substances combine to form allicin. Therefore, it is best to crush or mince garlic when eating it, or to chew it thoroughly, which also helps eliminate oral bacteria.
Five types of people should not eat raw garlic
As a common vegetable and seasoning, garlic is certainly suitable for most people's daily consumption, especially for patients with tuberculosis, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis. However, if you have an eye disease, cancer, liver disease, or diarrhea, you should not rush to eat raw garlic.
1. Patients with eye diseases
The ancients said: "Garlic cures a hundred diseases but harms the eyes." Long-term and excessive consumption of garlic is harmful to the eyes. Ji Kang, in his "Discourse on Nurturing Life," stated that "pungent and acrid foods harm the eyes." Garlic is the most acrid of these, and it affects the orifices, reaching the eyes and easily causing damage. Therefore, one should be careful not to eat too much garlic, especially those with eye diseases, who must avoid spicy foods during treatment.
2. Those who are weak and have 'heat' in their body
The ancients believed that eating too much garlic consumes a person's 'qi' (vital energy) and also their blood. The "Ben Cong Xin" records: "Garlic is acrid, hot, and toxic; it produces phlegm, stirs up fire, scatters qi, and consumes blood. Those who are weak and have heat in their body must not touch it." Therefore, people who are in poor health or have weak qi and blood should be cautious.
3. Patients with liver disease
Many people eat garlic to prevent hepatitis, and some continue to eat it daily even after contracting the disease. This is incorrect. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" states that "long-term consumption of garlic damages the liver and harms the eyes." Garlic is 'hot' in nature and can stir up fire; it is also acrid and highly irritating. For those with 'internal heat' in the liver, consuming it will make the liver fire even stronger, and over time, it will inevitably cause damage.
4. Patients with spleen deficiency and diarrhea
Raw garlic is very irritating. Eating a small amount normally can aid digestion. However, if you have non-bacterial enteritis or diarrhea, eating garlic will cause the strong irritation to intensify the congestion and edema of the intestinal mucosa, promote exudation, and worsen the condition.
5. Those with serious illnesses should consume it with caution
Garlic is considered a 'trigger food' (a food that can easily induce or aggravate certain diseases). Consuming pungent foods like garlic and chili peppers can cause significant side effects in people with serious illnesses or those who are on medication. It can not only trigger old illnesses but may also render medications ineffective or cause chain reactions with drugs, affecting one's health.