Veggie of the Week: Garlic

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than the smell of garlic sizzling in a hot pan. Clearly, many people agree, as the herb is used to flavor dishes all around the world. And like many herbs, garlic has been linked to some serious health benefits.

Garlic belongs to the same family as onions and is similar to chives and leeks. What do all of these veggies have in common? Aside from having a very pungent scent and flavor, they all contain certain phytochemicals called organosulphides. These particular phytochemicals have been shown to be antihypertensive, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic and immune enhancing. (And who doesn’t want a stronger immune system these days?) Some research has even suggested that garlic may act as a modest cholesterol-lowering agent. 

So while you probably won't be guzzling raw garlic on a daily basis, what you can do is cook with a clove or two, daily, to reap the nutritional benefits of the small, but powerful herb. A clove a day keeps the doctor away!