GARLIC (Allium sativum L.) AS FUNCTIONAL AND MEDICINAL FOOD

Year 2021, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 89 - 101, 01.10.2021

Asma Harb , Banu Yeşim Büyükakıncı

Abstract

Garlic (Allium sativum L.), a bulb herbal plant had a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use, starting as a seasoning, traditional treatment and functional food. Nowadays, scientific studies considered this food an excellent health-promoting element. All that is because of the existence of active organosulfur compounds (OSCs) in garlic, which are disease-preventing for many common diseases, from cancer, heart and blood vessel disorders, metabolic disturbances, blood pressure to diabetes mellitus through its antioxidant or inflammation treatment. Garlic as well fights several viral infections (e.g., coronavirus) and has Fat reducing properties, as proven in several in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies. In this article, the importance of garlic & its active sulfur compounds were investigated, according to previous studies. Also, the health benefits of garlic were discussed as well.

Keywords

Garlic (Allium sativum L.), sulfur-containing compounds, bioactive components, health benefits, anticancer mechanism

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