September 03, 2010
Pass the Garlic, Please
Garlic and cinnamon, not only good looking but good for you, as well.
Everything old is new again. The dance that baby boomers called the bump now goes by booty bounce. In 400 BC, Hippocrates declared, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Today, medicinal foods are again in the limelight, although those in the know call them "functional foods."
According to the International Food Information Council, functional foods contain biologically active components that may impart health benefits or desirable physiological effects beyond basic nutrition. For example, lycopene in tomatoes may decrease risk of prostate and cervical cancers, while calcium in dairy foods is thought to help prevent osteoporosis.
Herbs and spices fall into the functional food category, with St. John's wort, echinacea, kava kava, and ginkgo biloba popular additives with food manufacturers. There are also common herbs and spices — probably in your kitchen right now — that show science-based health benefits, and those with antimicrobial properties are receiving particular attention.Antimicrobial refers to an agent that destroys microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and viruses, that might carry disease. Antimicrobial drugs include penicillin and tetracycline. In the herb and spice group, garlic and cinnamon stand out.
Before We Could See Microbes, There Was Garlic
Although technically a food, garlic is often grouped with spices, since few people eat it raw. The plant's value as an antimicrobial goes back before microbes were even discovered. During the Middle Ages, garlic was used to protect against bubonic plague. During World War I, soldiers used garlic to treat typhus and dysentery and to clean wounds.
Modern research suggests that garlic's sulfur-containing compounds, specifically allicin, does indeed act as an antimicrobial, with one study, conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, finding that allicin may even exhibit antibacterial activity against some drug-resistant bacteria strains. In addition, garlic is under the microscope for its cancer-preventative properties, lipid-lowering effects and antioxidant status.
Both raw and cooked garlic are said to possess health benefits, although cooking appears to compromise allicin, so for optimal effect it may be best to mix fresh pressed garlic into food. You could also choose concentrated garlic supplements, such as tablets, capsules and garlic oil "perles." The sole negative reaction to garlic, beyond pungent breath, is that it's a mild blood thinner, and those taking anticoagulants should consult a physician before ingesting garlic supplements.
Cinnamon to the Rescue
The ancient Chinese knew it. So did ancient Egyptians and many societies during the Middle Ages. They all knew, without the aid of controlled 21st century studies, that cinnamon has medicinal value. This common spice has received notoriety as an appetite stimulant, digestive aide, antimicrobial, and even as an aphrodisiac. Current research is validating many of these claims though there is no clear evidence yet with regards to cinnamon's ability to lift the libido.
Cinnamon comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree, and it's available as a dried tube, called a quill, or as ground powder. The healing benefits come from essential oils in the bark. Pointing to the spice's antimicrobial qualities, a study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology in 2003 demonstrated that the spice is a viable alternative to traditional food preservatives.
The study involved two sets of carrot broth, one with drops of cinnamon essential oil and one without. After 60 days of refrigeration, only the broth with cinnamon essential oil remained bacteria-free. Another study, conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago, found that Wrigley's Big Red cinnamon-flavored chewing gum reduces the bacteria in your mouth that causes tooth decay and bad breath. This conclusion traces back to cinnamic aldehyde, a component of cinnamon essential oil.
In addition to studying its antimicrobial characteristics, cinnamon is also being examined for its ability to decrease risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
No one suggests that you refuse your physician's prescription for penicillin or tetracycline, but maybe a little more fresh garlic and cinnamon in your diet will prevent the need for such medications — and at the very least they both make foods taste great.
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