Garlic (Allium sativum), is used widely as a flavoring in cooking, but it has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history; it has been taken to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases. While garlic ranks as an excellent source of manganese and vitamin B6, a very good source of vitamin C and copper, and a good source of selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, and calcium in our WHFoods rating system, it is the sulfur compounds in garlic that serve as its spotlight nutrients in terms of overall health benefits. The sulfur-containing compounds in this allium vegetable have been shown to provide us with health advantages in a wide variety of body systems, including: our cardiovascular system, immune system, inflammatory system, digestive system, endocrine system, and detoxification system. We'll start with a quick look at these unique sulfur-containing compounds.
