Secret 15: Use Garlic and Onions - Nature's Healers

They're affordable, found in any grocery store, can be stored at home for weeks without going bad and are great for your health: garlic and onions. They are antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, boost your immune system and add flavor to any dish. Both superfoods have powerful anticancer properties. Let's take a closer look at some of the health-boosting characteristics:

Garlic

• kills intestinal infections without harming the beneficial bacteria residing in your gut
• provides you with 12 antioxidants including two powerful ones: selenium and zinc
• inhibits the growth of cancer by stimulating the production of your body's natural killer cells
• contains S-allylmercaptocysteine which has been shown to slow the growth of in vitro prostrate cancer cells

Onions

• lower blood pressure
• prevent blood clots
• like garlic contain antioxidant selenium which fights cancer
• contain quercetin which is an antioxidant flavonoid that blocks cancer cell promoters

Some dishes that showcase garlic are

• snails in garlic (France)
• tsatsiki - cold dish made of garlic, yogurt and cucumbers (Greece)   
• garlic and shrimp pasta (Italy)
• garlic bread (Italy)
• pickled garlic in soy sauce (China): if you'd like to make this delicious garlic snack  see http://texascook.blogspot.com/2008/09/preserving-garlic-in-soy-sauce.html.  I first tasted this while teaching English in China in the 80ies.  Once pickled, the garlic cloves can be eaten straight up and are absolutely delicious!

Probably the most famous dish in which onions are king is French onion soup. In the U.S. fried onion rings are popular (but not the healthiest way to enjoy this superfood).  Garlic and onions make great additions to stews, casseroles, roasts, some soups, steamed vegetables, pasta dishes, salads and even sandwiches. If you are preparing a meal for a loved one why not add an extra portion of garlic and onion for some extra protection against cancer? And if you can stomach raw garlic, eat a chopped clove a day to keep a possible cold away.

Take-home message: if garlic and/or onions can be added to the dish you are preparing, add an extra heaping. It's good for your health.