Garlic is a vegetable used in cooking. It has certain bioactive substances which can prevent cancer. Though anti-cancer drugs act on the abnormal cells which cause cancer disease, they come along with unavoidable side effects. But can garlic prevent cancer naturally? This article tries to gain further insight on this topic.
What Research Studies Have to Say on Garlic and its Anti-cancerous Property?
According to a multinational study carried out by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), higher intake of onion and garlic decreases the risk of intestinal cancer. The Iowa women’s study high consumption of garlic reduces colon cancer risk by 50 percent.
Several research studies carried out in China found that frequent intake of onion, chives and garlic is found to reduce stomach, prostate and esophageal cancers. Large amount of garlic consumption is found to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by 54 percent by a study carried out in San Francisco Bay area.
Breast cancer risk is also reduced by garlic intake according a study carried out in France. The National Cancer Institute also recognizes the anti-cancer properties of garlic.
According to the World Health Organization guidelines the following dosages of garlic by adults promote good health:
- 2-5 grams of a fresh clove
- 2-5 mg in oil form
- 300-1000mg of extracts
- 0.4-1.2 grams in powder form.
How Garlic Prevents Cancer?
Cancer is caused when faulty DNA structures are not repaired. These unpaired DNA structures are passed on to new cells formed during cell division. As DNA molecules make up the genetic instructions followed by cells, change in their structures means change in the normal functioning of the healthy cells.
Old cells die after cell division as programmed in them. This process is called apoptosis. Abnormality in cancer cells do not allow them to undergo this process making them immortal.
In this way, abnormal cell growth forms tumors. Depending upon the proteins available to these tumor cells, they either remain localized (benign type) or turn malignant (cancerous) as spread the disease to fresh locations in the body.
Garlic is known for its anti-bacterial properties. It blocks the formation and activation of carcinogens. These are cancer causing substances. Most importantly it repairs DNA of genes in cells, reduces growth of abnormal cancer cells and causes death of cells as programmed.
