Can Garlic Protect You From Cancer?

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Photo credit: bigstock.com

But what about clinical studies? Do these produce similar findings?

Indeed, they do: A study on more than 6,000 participants conducted at the Jiangsu Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, China, found strong evidence that garlic consumption can reduce the likelihood of lung cancer. The researchers found that adults who ate garlic twice a week or more had a 44 percent lower chance of developing lung cancer versus those who ate less. Garlic seems to have a protective effect against carcinogens, which is certainly welcome news to the millions living in the heavily polluted cities of Asia, like the one where this study took place.

According to the American Cancer Society, studies on both humans and animals show a link between eating garlic and slowed cancerous tumor growth in the colon, bladder, stomach, and prostate. A clinical study in Australia also found that garlic consumption appears to protect against bowel cancers as well. Furthermore, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, compounds found in garlic can actually fight cancer cells. “In laboratory studies, garlic has killed leukemia cells, and in animal studies, garlic has killed cancer cells in the lungs, breasts, stomach, esophagus and colon,” according to the article published on livestrong.com

 

Does this mean garlic cures cancer?

It would be a stretch to make that claim. More research needs to be done on the ability of compounds in garlic to kill cancer cells. What it does appear to do — that is not up for debate — is significantly lower one’s risk of developing cancer in the first place.

Garlic is one of those so-called “superfoods,” and when it is consumed regularly of the course of one’s life, it can prevent the onset of many different diseases, including cancer. It is not a coincidence that Mediterranean cuisines, which are rich in garlic, are associated with lower levels of serious diseases.

 

READ ALSO: What’s New And Beneficial About Onions

 

Making garlic a regular part of your diet is one of the smartest moves you can make. Between its proven health benefits and strong evidence initiating cancer-preventative properties, it’s just a no-brainer.

References:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

PrevPage: 2 of 2Next
//