It is so good for you, but leaves you smelling like a dead animal left on the side of the road. Yup, you guessed it, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT GARLIC! These are my exact thoughts when I come across someone who had a garlic heavy meal from the night before… It’s honestly such a shame because garlic is my go-to additive. Whether it be on my salads, pastas, or broccoli dishes, there is always room for some garlic when it comes time to dine in my household! Tastes aside, according to this article from medical news, garlic is known to be used for, “…a wide range of conditions and illnesses. Hippocrates promoted the use of garlic for treating respiratory problems, parasites, poor digestion and fatigue” (unknown 1). If garlic is so healthy, why does it leave such a distasteful odor after being consumed? And what exactly is it about garlic that makes it so darn healthy?

Garlic is said to be one of the most healthiest and nutritious additives whether it be in wholesome chunks or topped onto pizza in powdered form, the benefits are substantial! What about garlic calls for such a nutrition-densed food? Well, for starters, garlic contains a compound called Allicin. According to this excerpt from Livestrong, “Allicin has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties… Allicin is beneficial to a number of health conditions, but never try to self-treat any condition with garlic” (Moore 1). Allicin is a very strong component in garlic that makes it such a heroe in the health world. However, later in the article, it discusses allicin and “aged garlic”. The more aged the garlic becomes, the stronger the effect it has on humans health. The more fermented the garlic becomes, the less powerful it is. Now, all of that aside, it is extremely important to note that correlation does not prove causation. Just because you eat a ton of garlic, does not promise you a long and health-fulfilled life (if only it did, I would be superwoman). There are many confounding variables that account for this; such as diet aside from garlic consumption, exercise, genes, and form of which the garlic is consumed. According to an article written in the Huffington Post, another benefit that comes with garlic is the antioxidant overload—garlic is packed with antioxidants that in some studies have proven to fight acne! Later the article discusses heart benefits as well as assistance in the human respiratory system, “The research on each condition and how garlic can help is varied, but research into what it can do for atherosclerosis and blood pressure is promising. These benefits may come from the production of hydrogen sulfide gas, which is produced when red blood cells take the sulphuric compounds from garlic. The gas can help expand our blood vessels, which can help keep your blood pressure steady” (Coles 1). Pretty unbelievable that such a simple additive that’s actually super tasty is so beneficial to our body’s system. So… What do you do from here? Well I wouldn’t solely rely on garlic to be your end all answer to a healthy life, but sprinkling chunks of aged garlic on your food definitely won’t hurt (That is ofcourse, if you don’t mind smelling like road kill)! 

So why does it leave such a distasteful odor behind? All because of ALLICIN. Well, according to an article specifically written about allicin in garlic from Livestrong, “Alliin is a chemical compound derived from the amino acid cysteine. It is odorless, although it contains sulfur. When garlic is cut or crushed, alliin comes in contact with the enzyme allinase, which converts alliin to allicin. Allicin is a main reason for the pungent odor of garlic and appears responsible for many of its health benefits” (Moore 1). SO, as soon as the aliin becomes allicin, is when we run into a disaster! Sulfur is what you smell when passing a pond filled with mill-dew, which makes perfect sense in finding a correlation with the containment of sulfur and bad odor! According to this article from Mental Floss, “The chemicals responsible for the stink aren’t present in whole garlic cloves, but are only formed when the clove is damaged. Chopping or crushing garlic releases an enzyme called allinase, which converts odorless alliin molecules into pungent, sulfurous allicin” (soniak 1). The data found in both articles prove allicin as being the leading cause of such a bashful odor derived from garlic. So, what do I do from here if I am an absolute garlic-holic?! Well, keep doing you. Because luckily for you, although it may be harder to get rid of, you can brush your teeth! You can also eat other foods such as, “kiwi fruit, spinach, lettuce, parsley, basil, mushrooms, milk and rice—can help reduce garlic breath by degrading, trapping and/or deodorizing the sulfur compounds” (Soniak 2). Exercise also helps rid the smell out of your body at a faster rate! So get moving and keep dining on your deliciously, healthy garlic!

So, reading about how much garlic can stink, but how healthy it is in aged form, I have come to my own conclusion… Garlic will still be a food that I cling toward because I know the health benefits are numerous! However, I will not solely rely on garlic to fill me of all of my dietary needs, and I will continue to live a healthy balanced lifestyle in regards to diet, exercise, and sleep! 🙂

Image: http://www.delightfullylight.co.uk/blog/post.php?s=2012-05-24-get-rid-of-garlic-breath