Saturday, October 10, 2015

MMmm...Garlic!

It's official!  Garlic is good for you.  Not that we didn't already know. New paper just out explaining some of the unique properties of garlic when eaten "raw and crushed".

Too long?  Scientists discovered that eating raw, crushed garlic causes an upregulation in the genes responsible for anti-cancer metabolism, ie. immunity and apoptosis. 





A Single Meal Containing Raw, Crushed Garlic Influences Expression of Immunity- and Cancer-Related Genes in Whole Blood of Humans.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Preclinical and epidemiologic studies suggest that garlic intake is inversely associated with the progression of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE:

We designed a study to probe the mechanisms of garlic action in humans.

METHODS:

We conducted a randomized crossover feeding trial in which 17 volunteers consumed a garlic-containing meal (100 g white bread, 15 g butter, and 5 g raw, crushed garlic) or a garlic-free control meal (100 g white bread and 15 g butter) after 10 d of a controlled, garlic-free diet. Blood was collected before and 3 h after test meal consumption for gene expression analysis in whole blood. Illumina BeadArray was used to screen for genes of interest, followed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) on selected genes. To augment human study findings, Mono Mac 6 cells were treated with a purified garlic extract (0.5 μL/mL), and mRNA was measured by qRT-PCR at 0, 3, 6, and 24 h.

RESULTS:

The following 7 genes were found to be upregulated by garlic intake: aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1A), proto-oncogene c-Jun (JUN), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) activating protein with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif 1 (NFAM1), oncostatin M (OSM), and V-rel avian reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog (REL). Fold-increases in mRNA transcripts ranged from 1.6 (HIF1A) to 3.0 (NFAM1) (P < 0.05). The mRNA of 5 of the 7 genes that were upregulated in the human trial was also upregulated in cell culture at 3 and 6 h: AHR, HIF1A, JUN, OSM, and REL. Fold-increases in mRNA transcripts in cell culture ranged from 1.7 (HIF1A) to 12.1 (JUN) (P < 0.01). OSM protein was measured by ELISA and was significantly higher than the control at 3, 6, and 24 h (24 h: 19.5 ± 1.4 and 74.8 ± 1.4 pg/mL for control and garlic, respectively). OSM is a pleiotropic cytokine that inhibits several tumor cell lines in culture.

CONCLUSION:

These data indicate that the bioactivity of garlic is multifaceted and includes activation of genes related to immunity, apoptosis, and xenobiotic metabolism in humans and Mono Mac 6 cells. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01293591.
Eat garlic!  Crush it and let it rest about 10 minutes prior to using it. In the study, they mixed crushed garlic with butter and spread it on bread. That sounds fantastic!  If you don't eat much bread, I'm sure you can find something to spread garlic butter on.

This study did not look at cooked garlic, just raw.  

How do YOU eat your garlic?
Later!
Tim

66 comments:

  1. Nice article! I wonder if there is any effect of quantity?

    It also gave me a new way to eat raw garlic when traveling. Salted butter can be left at room temp for a few days, so it is easy to crush and combine in a hotel room.

    I learned the hard way that I cannot reliably swallow raw garlic directly. The butter and maybe bread are perfect.

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    1. haha, perfect you commented first, Wilbur. This idea was sent by "Barney" with a note, "For Wilbur". I guess it was originally posted at SuppVersity.

      Hey! I have been making pizza last couple weeks. Kinda the new Friday dinner deal at my house now.

      I use 1 cup of the King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
      and 1 cup of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Pizza Mix

      I first mix the yeast packet that comes in the GF pizza mix with warm water and then add the whole wheat flour and let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then add in the GF flour until it is a nice doughy consistency.

      It helps to coat the dough ball with olive oil as it rises, it's pretty sticky otherwise. After it has risen another 10-15 minutes, I divide it in half and make 2 pizza crusts that I pre-bake in a 400-450 deg oven about 10 minutes to firm it up before putting the toppings on and baking another 15 until the cheese is starting to bubble.

      We have been experimenting with sauces, found a few organic types. But the crust, cheese, and choice of toppings make the pizza, right?

      Lots of garlic and onion! Green peppers. Sundried tomatoes. Fresh mozarella cheese. Lean burger, ham, and black olives!

      The crust is very crisp and light and is just perfect.

      All in all, quite a healthy meal.

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    2. Sounds great! And I like the view that it's healthy.

      I've heard from many that 50% regular flour and 50% whole wheat is a good mix. I'm going to try it soon. One more confirmation.

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    3. Even leftovers are great! Seriously, this crust compares to the best pizzaria pizza I have ever had. I think the yeast helps a ton, gives it some life.

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    5. Hey Wilbur, I always leave butter at room temp at home :) Does not turn bad at all and is easily spread.

      Otherwise, if bread is a nogo for you, just do it on boiled or roasted spuds :)

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  2. I drink fermented garlic juice.

    Debbie

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    1. Do you make your own? Recipe, please!

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    2. I'm embarrassed to say I don't make it myself. But this blog: http://nourishingplot.com/2014/06/02/kraut-juice/ has a recipe for fermented kraut juice. I guess you can add the garlic. I tried it once and screwed it up, but plan to try again. Soon.

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    3. I meant I drink fermented garlic sauerkraut juice! Sorry! I get it from Gold Mine Organic - but better to make your own, I'm sure.

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    4. I'll have to look for it, or make some, lol.

      " I tried it once and screwed it up, but plan to try again. Soon."

      That's how we learn, isn't it? I think the biggest thing with ferments is that you are scared to try your own creations. I threw out several batches of kvass because I thought no way it's supposed to taste like that. Then I tried some kvass from the store...mine was better, lol.

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    5. I would have loved to see a third group, treated the same way with the garlic cooked (either baked in tin foil in the butter or cooked stovetop in the butter) - any thoughts? This post suggests it is not the same - http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=60
      BUT...
      this one says cooking can retain anti-cancer effect ...
      http://nutritionfacts.org/questions/what-are-the-anti-cancer-effects-of-garlic/

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    6. That would have been nice. I am not a huge fan of raw garlic. I ate a clove yesterday along with a meal...I could feel the "aura" of the garlic all day, and my wife was none to pleased to sit next to me at the movies.

      But maybe we all need a bit more of that.

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    7. One day I was standing in line at the bank and a neighbour leaned in real close and told me all about the horrible lung infection she had that started the night before. Oh gee, thanks! When I got home I made a mix of honey, a LOT of minced garlic and some dulse flakes. Ate it by the spoonful every couple of hours for two days, stayed healthy. Poor husband couldn't come near me but it didn't bother me at all. However, once I knew I was clear of the infection and had another teeny spoonful a few days later, it had that aura/kinda woozy effect on me. In other words, raw garlic when I'm fighting something = good, when I'm not it's kind of yucky. I love it roasted.

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    8. I can't remember who recommended crushing garlic, leaving for 10 minutes, then swilling down with water. Its what I do everyday. 1st of all I could feel sensations in my stomach, maybe a little nausea, and the wife complained of the smell. Not any more. I can't really tell I've eaten it and no more smells!

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    9. I first learned of "like a pill" technique from elliebelly.

      Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. According to Jo Robinson, allicin causes the valve between the esophagus and the stomach, allowing the stomach contents to reenter the throat and burn. I'm not sure why it is so traumatic for me, but it was hell.

      I have no issues if garlic is mixed in stuff. I think the butter trick should work great. My main problem is finding a way to get raw garlic when traveling by plane.

      I do not smell either. I did early on, but it went away.

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    10. Wilbur, olfactory fatigue? I don't believe that anyone who free bases raw garlic won't smell of it. The smell comes out in the sweat.

      Certain spices also make for body odor. Like fenugreek, for example.

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    11. Nope. I have friends that would have no trouble telling me if I smell. Plus I ask them.

      I have no problem smelling garlic itself, while it is cooking, or even on my hands.

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    12. What about marinated garlic cloves ?
      Those are not as harsh as fresh raw.

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  3. What if you crush a whole head and use over the course of a few days? also, are all benefits lost once cooked?


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    1. Good questions! I should think "best" would be freshly crushed and eaten raw. Second best is freshly crushed and eaten cooked. But saving crushed garlic in the fridge for a few days shouldn't be that big a deal.

      I think best to just "get it in ya!' lol

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    2. According to Jo Robinson it is the allcicin that is formed when it is crushed that is beneficial. The allicin is formed when the alliin and the allinase come together due to crushing. The allinase is heat sensitive, which is why you need to crush and wait ten minutes befor cooking. Then you have produced your maximim amount of allicin and nothing will change by cooking it

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  4. I'm thinking some kinda garlic spread where it's puried with other things would be good say on some kinda cracker or crunchy thing like fresh bell pepper pieces? I've come to love eating BP's just sliced up, or even like an apple ;-)

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    1. Pesto! A garlic vinaigrette! The pesto could be made with lots of things like basil, arugula, or maybe kale. I am a big fan of eating the stems of kale, but I think putting them in the pesto might make it too watery. So maybe using the leaf part to make the pesto and then using the stems to spoon it. Or carrots. Carrots and basil pesto might be awesome.

      I've been a huge fan of peppers this season. In my area (mid-Atlantic US) we didn't get much summer rain. Peppers that mature in drought conditions have phenomenal taste. The bell peppers are very nice. The peppers that have heat are also hotterthan usual. I eat scorpion peppers off season (hot), but I've had some poblanos this season that are nearly as hot. They leave me sucking air.

      I've also started eating the seeds, even in the larger bell peppers, along with the core. TMI, I don't find that I seem to pass many of the seeds. Maybe they are digested? Also the stems are edible, and I frequently eat them too. Nothing exciting taste-wise, but not objectionable.

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    2. I forgot to say that pesto and mushrooms are a match made in heaven. You get lots of benefits from beta glucans in the shrooms.

      If you can get good tomatoes, a garlic laden gazpacho is another way to go. You could eat a bowl of it, or use peppers to scoop it.

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    3. I'm in a creative cooking mode tonight. Of course, garlic is good in salsa.

      But I've been a fan this season of tomatillos. I think maybe because they are less watery due to the drought. You might know that tomatillos are the base for salsa verde. Sliced, the are tart and crispy, much like a Granny Smith apple. How about a fun play with a garlicky tomato based salsa (raw) using tomatillo slices as chips? For some reason, I'm thinking the salsa should be pretty salty, but I'd have to experiment.

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    4. I've been getting "Garlic Lover's Hummus". Eat it on dried plantain chips. Dangerous. I can eat the whole tub!

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    5. Tzatziki.

      Hungarian cucumber salad..... mandolin the cukes, add salt to sweat them, drain, then mix in crushed garlic and some vinegar. Put a blob of REAL sour cream on top and sprinkle with paprika on one side of the salad and black pepper on the other.

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  5. How did the healfulness reduce with cooking versus raw?

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    1. I don't have an answer, but I share the same question. The study, based on my helicopter reading, uses 5g/day of raw garlic. That's not a lotion my case. I try to cover all the bases. I eat well above that every day. But I also use garlic liberally in my cooking. I crush it and let it sit for 10 minutes. This supposedly allows some of the benefits even if the garlic is cooked. All? I dunno. More? I dunno.

      The study did indicate that maybe grocery store garlic has less benefit because the storage of several months reduces them. I have a local source that I use over the summer months. But I have to use grocery store stuff otherwise.

      I think tomeplace I read (I think Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson) says that Chinese garlic found in International stores is the best overall. Maybe I misremember. If so, it is very easy to use. It is long and green, sort of like scallions. Maybe a pesto made with regular garlic and Chinese garlic would be just the ticket.

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    2. Wilbur, that cheap white stuff? 3 bulbs for $1? Smells like skunk. I don't trust Chinese produce.

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    3. Sorry, I meant Chinese chives. It is recommended by Jo Robinson for having more antioxidants per pound than the hottest of onions. But it is an onion replacement. Still, a pesto made with it would be interesting. I like your Hungarian salad recipe.

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  6. Has anyone heard of black garlic? Apparently it is supposed to be a superfood and you can make it yourself in a slow cooker.

    Jo tB

    http://steamykitchen.com/2927-black-garlic-with-scallops.html

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  7. I'm interested in those comments which suggest that garlic breath and body odor might reduce or disappear with continued use. I don't mind semi self isolating for a while, but not on an ongoing way.

    I'm going to start taking garlic tomorrow and will try it crushed in butter. I'm doing 4 day stints on various gut improvers and had been thinking of garlic for my next lot. I'll also ask my functional medicine doc next time I see her late this month to retest my gut bacteria to see if there are improvements to be seen there. It would be interesting to find out if there were "objective" changes to the inhabitants of my gut. Last time I had no measurable lactobacillus or bifido at all - over 99% bacteroidis.

    Harriet

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    1. I'm intrigued as well. I lived in Korea in 94-95. My first interaction with Koreans was "Holy hell! What's that smell!" Within just a few weeks, I was mingling with the locals and didn't even notice the bad smells on a city bus or taxi.

      When I first came back to the states, everyone was like, "Holy hell! What's the smell!"

      My vote is on Gab's "Olfactory fatigue theory". But we could be wrong.

      A clove or two of raw garlic, mixed with olive oil and blended into a vinegar based salad dressing or some type of sauce definitely makes raw garlic more do-able.

      And mixed with butter and grilled lightly on some bread is just perfect.

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    2. Harriet - If you are spending lots on these gut tests, you may consider saving your money. Even under the best conditions, gut tests are quite unreliable and the science on correlating gut bacteria with health is very young. Do you know what type of tests they are doing? ie. stool cultures or RNA profiling like uBiome?

      I've known you long enough to see that your diet is far from the pitiful diet that most Westerners are eating that causes so much dysbiosis. For you, I'd stick with how you feel when trying different things, like garlic and lupine flour.

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    3. I'm pretty convinced I don't smell (of garlic at least!!). I only see my parents probably once every 2-3 weeks and my mother is very anti garlic. My brother eats Indian food occasionally and will typically smell very bad of garlic the following day. Mum will let him know about it. Never says anything to me and she is not what you'd call subtle...

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    4. Or maybe your Mum says, "here comes stinky, poor sod. Someone really should tell him!"

      Just kidding. Mysteries of the universe at work!

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  8. Love garlic!!! Very much a part of my family's food tradition. Then 10 years ago, couldn't eat it anymore. Burns....all the way through. Makes a mess at the end.... Painful, smelly, etc.

    Finally, my friend recommended that I try organic garlic. It mskes all the difference in the world. I can eat organic garlic, no problem. If a person is doing it for health, I would think organic or home grown would be best.

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    1. Isn't that strange. Maybe it's more a difference in the variety rather than the organic growing method. But who cares? It works!

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  9. Hi, first time commenter/part time lurker here! Garlic and olive oil are a great combination, but I use them as ingredients in my 'clear the office' brew when I'm down with a lurgy: 2-3 whole (skins, seeds, flesh) chopped lemons, 1 tablespoon EVOO per lemon, 2-several cloves of garlic, 1 /2 teaspoon amla, 1/2 to 1 cup of grapefruit juice, 2-3 tablespoons manuka honey - stick everything in the blender and blitz.

    I found it helped me clear a flu in a few days, while those around me were taking weeks to get over it.

    There's a fresh round of colds/flu running through the office where I work, so I made a fresh batch of lemon/garlic up a couple days ago to sip at work. Just as well so many are congested. I may have been slightly excessive this time with the number of large garlic cloves I included! :)
    Cas - New Zealand

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    1. And, keeps vampires away, lol.

      Welcome! Thanks for the great comment.

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    2. Heh, I might need it for that! NZ vampires go out in the daytime, so garlic is the best defence :>
      http://www.tntmagazine.com/news/new-zealand-news/vampire-attack-in-wellington-new-zealand
      Cas

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  10. My wife and I each blend a clove of garlic with greek yogurt, salt, and a bit of water every night. It's a fairly pleasant way to get some daily raw garlic and seems to help with sleep. And the smell fades by morning so our coworkers are spared the odoriferous effects.

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    1. That's what I'm talking about! Do you let the crushed garlic rest a few minutes before mixing with yogurt? You should consider it if you don't. But good job on finding a way to eat garlic.

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    2. No, we just peel a clove and toss it in a nutribullet with the rest, but I think I might start crushing it and letting it sit for a bit beforehand.
      We didn't actually come up with this ourselves -- it's a traditional Turkish drink called Ayran. Traditional cuisine always seems to be the way to go.

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  11. Absolutely no idea. Sorry. I doubt that eating as you described is "worthless" but the science of the matter is that a special compound is produced when the garlic is crushed and allowed to rest. Can this same thing happen when they are pickled? Seems plausible. I have been enjoying the "crush and rest" method and incorporating the crushed garlic into my dinner. It's almost too easy not to do it.

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  12. I presume this was the source of the recommendation to crush garlic and let it stand for 10 min.

    The influence of heating on the anticancer properties of garlic.

    "Our studies showed that as little as 60 s of microwave heating or 45 min of oven heating can block garlic's ability to inhibit in vivo binding of mammary carcinogen [7,12-dimethylbenzene(a)anthracene (DMBA)] metabolites to rat mammary epithelial cell DNA. Allowing crushed garlic to "stand" for 10 min before microwave heating for 60 s prevented the total loss of anticarcinogenic activity."

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    1. Yes! Good find. Thanks for sharing. It must be similar to two-component epoxy...neither chemical is much on its own, but combined become very powerful.

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  13. Just thinking loud here... It is interesting that more than one person reported "no garlic body smell" after eating garlic for some time. That means, no such volatile substances in "garlic adapted" people... The question is, are these garlic compounds simply used up by the body, or not actively exported any more?

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    1. Well, here is another mystery.

      I eat lots of beets, and even pure beet juice. Normally, it makes my urine bright red, and also TMI is scary looking. I rarely eat beets every day, maybe 1-2 times a week.

      I have a bunch of beets right now that I pulled from my nearly frozen garden. They are very juicy and make a huge red mess. I have been eating beets every single day for the last 8 or so days.

      The last couple days, no redness seen in my "waste-stream." Maybe a slight tinge of darker than normal, but nothing like the brilliant red of the past.

      So, maybe as with garlic, either gut bugs are developing to utilize this stuff or something else happening to mitigate the undesirable smell/colors.


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    2. Here's an interesting thesis about "Deodorization of Garlic Breath Volatiles by Food and Food Components."

      https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=osu1383566379&disposition=inline


      Seems there are connections betweensmell and polyphenols and ph. It's a little over my head (and I'm tired). In short, there is a seeming connection between individual diet and smell. In fact, it might be that us nonsmellers are killing the compounds, say, through extra acidity.

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    3. Same thing happened with me and asparagus this year. Usually it makes pee stink. And initially it did. But I was eating the stuff every day for a few weeks and then there was no stink. I hate the smell and in the past have had a love hate relationship with asparagus. Continuous exposure for the gut bugs seems to do something.

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  14. Another (odd? idk) thing I've noticed lately after upping fiber intake is my sense of smell has become keener, even in indoor, dry air. About a year ago my nose started to run whenever I ate, whatever I ate but this has lessened.

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    1. Several of us a while back noticed the same. Kinda freaky at first. Sense of smell is part of the immune system, so maybe healing your gut does indeed improve sense of smell.

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    2. I would think that the sense of smell is sharpened as the microbiomes of the sinuses and mouth become balanced along with the gut, yes?

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  15. Apparently garlic is also an iron chelator. http://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/benefic-interactive-effects-between-garlic-consumption-and-serum-iron-excess-2161-0495.1000-224.pdf I think it is interesting some anticancer substances are also iron chelators, e.g. curcumin, green tea, and quercitin.

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  16. Garlic, what a great topic. I've been in love with it since I lived in the south of France for a year in college. You could almost weep from the delicious smells at noon coming from all the kitchens in my neighborhood. Luckily some taught me how to make that perfect spaghetti tomato sauce. Garlic was added right after the onions were sweated and wilted, and it was only tossed in the pan for 30 seconds before the tomatoes were put in, which supposedly "stops" the disintegration of the garlic, and if the sauce was simmered for a long time, before serving more chopped garlic was thrown in. The combo of the gently cooked plus nearly raw garlic in the sauce was killer good.

    Then I spent time in Germany where some of the friends I was with had a habit of eating raw smashed garlic in plain thick delicious yogurt, either with a spoon or spread on very dark bread. So good.

    Like the person commenting above, we have also found in our house now that warm garlic honey lemonade kills colds and prevents them. For those who do get starch aches from eating the garlic in the hot lemonade, it is still wonderful when the chunks of garlic are steeped in the boiled water, then strained out and honey and lemon added in. Still a ton of benefits.

    Sometimes raw garlic hurts the tummy, so if that is you, smash it, warm olive oil in your pan, and whip it around the warm pan for 30 seconds and remove the pan from heat. You cannot tell me that garlic, barely cooked, isn't still awesome for you. Blend it, mix it, add it to whatever.

    Garlic done right tastes and smells so good. Better than chocolate. And I love chocolate.

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    1. eat chocolate after you've eaten garlic. Let me know.

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  17. Hey Tim,

    I haven't read all the comments yet but I will do, sorry if this has been covered...

    I had heard that raw garlic can act as a natural antibiotic so recently when I felt like I was coming down with a sore throat I crushed 3 raw garlic cloves and mixed with raw honey to make a paste then ate with a spoon (well actually just swallowed it down and chased with a glass of water). I did this for a couple of days and sore throat was gone. Great.

    I wondered though, if raw garlic kills bacteria, will it have a detrimental effect on beneficial gut bacteria if you did this all the time? I read you should take probiotics if you use garlic as an antibiotic. But it also contains inulin to feed the good guys right? So I wondered if anyone knew if the overall effect would be positive and eating raw garlic daily is a good thing to do?

    Thanks,

    Chloe

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    1. I've looked into this quite a bit. It's ok to eat garlic. It is mainly an antibiotic to bad bugs. The good ones develop resistance.

      Probiotic foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles often have garlic, and they are full of good bugs.

      I don't have cites though. I'm never that organized.

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    2. Hi Chloe - Great question. Natural antibiotics are much different than pharmaceutical grade antibiotics. The medicinal types are made from naturally occurring molecules that certain bacteria and fungi produce to kill their competitors and concentrated to form a lethal dose to wide spectrums of bacteria, ie. gram negative or gram positive, indiscriminately killing any bacteria that fits that description.

      Natural antibiotics are more accurately called antimicrobials and are more selective in their killing. Garlic's allicin kills certain bacteria, both gram negative and gram positive, as well as certain fungi, and viruses. No pharmaceutical antibiotics have this capability.

      Here's a great paper: http://bashaar.org.il/files/5389.pdf

      It describes the killing power of garlic, most of the destruction is done in the stomach and small intestine and by the time the allicin reaches the large intestine, it has been nearly all degraded by digestive enzymes. Commercial antibiotics, in contrast, are designed to kill all of certain bacterial communities in the entire body. This leads to widespread antibiotic resistance genes being expressed in survivors and eventually the dreaded 'superbugs'. Garlic will not create bacteria or fungi resistant to its effects--or should I say, microbes do not possess the ability to become resistant to garlic.

      Long-term effects of megadosing garlic? No idea, I'm sure it could be overdone. But daily eating of garlic is more likely to lead to a healthier gut biome than an unhealthy one as created with repeated antibiotic exposure.

      Have a look at the paper I linked, it explains this all very well.

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    3. I should add, the last lines of the paper explain why allicin from garlic is not being used instead of conventional antibiotics:

      " Unfortunately, until now pharmaceutical companies have not become interested in investing in the development of this antimicrobial molecule as a drug and in performing the necessary pre- clinical and clinical efficacy trials. The reasons for this unfortunate situation are that no patents can be submitted on allicin due to its long-standing presence in the public domain. This is not the first time that economic considerations will prevent a natural compound with superb medicinal properties to reach those patients that could most benefit from it."

      Big Pharma cannot patent food.

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    4. Wilbur said: "The good ones develop resistance. "

      This is actually true, but they are always resistant, or more accurately, they are simply unaffected by garlic.

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    5. I see. I misinterpreted a statement about bacteria resistant to garlic becoming a higher percentage, which is true if the ones not resistant die. Thanks.

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  18. I love garlic, but the raw stuff makes me stink.

    I now take garlic pills, specifically Kyolic. It's super cheap, studied a great deal, and doesn't make me stink. (Breath or body odor.)

    In general, I much prefer getting nutrients from nature. And I still eat garlic regularly, just cooked. Just an idea for those who struggle with the odor issue.

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