Garlic Balances Glucose Levels, Protects Against Metabolic Syndrome
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Posted On :
Sep-06-2011
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Article Word Count :
452
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Garlic has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and to protect against the symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome.
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You've heard this health advice before, but here it is again:
garlic is good for you. Garlic is a member of the lily or
Allium family, which also includes onions and leeks. It is
rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds.
These compounds give garlic its distinctive odor, but are
also what makes the herb a powerful alternative remedy
against many diseases and conditions.
Just recently, a research team from the UK investigated
whether garlic had any beneficial effect on blood glucose
levels. They designed a clinical trial that looked at the
effect of raw garlic on fructose-induced insulin resistance,
and associated metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress in
diabetic rats.
For their animal study, the research team fed one group of
rats a diet consisting mostly of cornstarch, while a second
group was fed a diet containing cornstarch and 65%
fructose for eight weeks (do not try this at home!). A third
group was fed both 65% fructose and raw garlic for eight
weeks. Whole garlic cloves were homogenized with water
to make a fresh paste each day.
The researchers found some alarming results at the end of
eight weeks in the fructose-fed rats: serum glucose, insulin,
triglyceride and uric acid levels, as well as insulin
resistance were significantly increased. However,
administration of raw garlic to the fructose-fed rats
significantly reduced serum glucose, insulin, triglyceride,
and uric acid levels, as well as insulin resistance -- in
effect, almost erasing the harmful effects of the fructose.
Interestingly, although body weight gain and serum
glycated hemoglobin levels of the fructose-fed rats were
not significantly different from the cornstarch-fed rats, a
reduction of these variables was observed in the fructose-
fed rats after garlic administration.
The researchers concluded that raw garlic could be
effective in improving insulin sensitivity, while attenuating
metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress in fructose-fed
rats.
So go ahead and add some garlic to your weekly diet. Boost
your nutritional health and protect yourself from the
diabetes epidemic that is currently devastating North
America.
Here is some health advice to increase the benefits you
receive from garlic. Let it sit after you've chopped it or
crushed it. If you give your chopped/crushed garlic time to
sit before changing its temperature (through cooking) or its
pH (through the addition of acidic food like lemon juice), it
will give the alliinase enzymes in garlic an opportunity to
work on behalf of your health.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Garlic Balances Glucose Levels, Protects Against Metabolic Syndrome_79962.aspx
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Author Resource :
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Keywords :
garlic, insulin sensitivity, glucose levels, metabolic syndrome, alternative remedy, nutritional health, health advice,
Category :
Health and Fitness
:
Health and Fitness
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