Garlic

Garlic, from the Allium family, is a close relative to onion, shallots, leeks, and chives, can be used for more than just seasoning food and making buttery, oven-toasted bread amazing.

It is believed that the builders of the Egyptian pyramids were plied with garlic to keep their strength up.

But despite the bulb part of the plant being known for its medicinal uses, the name itself seems to come from the shallot-like top part of the plant, which is typically quite tight and pointy. “Gar” is the Anglo-Saxon for spear, and “lac” is for plant.

Even Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula likely chose garlic as a repellent of vampires based on its  use as a mosquito repellent.

To this day, many people plant garlic among their crops or urban gardens to prevent insect infestations.

Is garlic good for you?

The short answer is yes. Garlic bulbs contain allicin, which is released when garlic is cut. Allicin  helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Allicin can also help with nitric oxide release in the blood vessels, thereby relaxing them and helping to bring about a drop in blood pressure. That, long term, is good for supporting heart health.

What is black garlic?

Black garlic is aged garlic. Its dark colour can be attributed to a reaction called the Maillard reaction, when amino acids and sugars react, as you might see on seared steaks or toasted marshmallows.

The whole bulbs are heated over several weeks, and the garlic ends up with a sweet and syrupy taste, with a hint of tang. It is also elastic and has a chewy texture.

The fermentation that garlic undergoes in this process alters its chemical characteristics and generally improves the concentration of bioactive compounds.

In this form, the amount of antioxidants in the garlic double.

We provide black garlic capsules.  

For normal immune function and no garlic burps, you can take this supplement once a day, preferably with a meal.

Garlic oil v garlic tablets

While you can incorporate garlic into your diet, some people do not appreciate the taste or smell, or may benefit from a way to ensure a regular daily dosage of a set amount.

Many supplements are designed to be odourless.

We sell Holland & Barrett Odourless Garlic 50 Capsules, and each capsule is standardised to contain 2.1mg of allicin.

This supplement can support heart health and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The capsules are odourless and there is no reflux, where the taste repeats on you in your throat.

The garlic extract is immersed in sunflower oil. You can take one capsule daily, ideally with meals.

And for garlic oil, we sell Holland & Barrett Garlic Oil With Allicin.

This also helps support heart health and the maintenance of good cholesterol levels. The dosage here is slightly higher, with 3.6 mg of allicin per capsule. Again though, one capsule can be taken per day, with food.

Finally, we also provide mixed-ingredient products, such as Bional Garlic, Olive Leaf & Hawthorn 80 Capsules.

These contain vitamin E and can help protect cells from damage by free oxygen radicals.

In this case, it is recommended that you take one capsule three times a day with a small amount of water.