Garlic’s health benefit unveiled

Scientists have uncovered the reason why eating garlic benefits people’s health, a report claims today.

For centuries eating garlic has been linked to improved health, in particular the reduction of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, but the mechanism for this has remained unclear.

A new study conducted by scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham has now found that garlic triggers a compound which improves blood flow.

The researchers pressed juice from garlic cloves and added it to red blood cells donated by volunteers.

They found that chemical compounds from digested garlic are processed by red blood cells into the cell messenger hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow.

Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers propose that ingesting garlic boosts out natural supply of H2S.

“Taking these observations together, we propose that the major beneficial effects of garlic-rich diets, specifically on cardiovascular disease and more broadly on overall health, are mediated by the biological production of H2S from garlic-derived organic polysulfides.”