Featuring Andy De Santis, RD, MPH, Registered Dietician

Duration: 1 minute, 33 seconds

Garlic is one of those things that may be easy for some to live without, but that there are absolutely benefits to incorporating regularly.

Garlic and onion are both potently anti-inflammatory and home to a host of unique sulfur-based antioxidant compounds like allicin.

Men who consume onion and garlic most frequently, as per observational evidence, tend to have a lower risk of prostate enlargement as compared to those who consume those foods the least.

Although garlic may not be particularly high in any specific vitamins or minerals, it is one of relatively few foods that contain highly fermentable prebiotic fibre which acts preferentially as an energy source for gut bacteria and contributes to their flourishing.

This may partially explain why garlic is also implicated with good immune health, since prebiotic fibre stimulate the gut bacteria to create compounds known as SCFAs which contribute positively to the functionality of both the digestive tract and the human immune response.

Garlic is also home to the flavonoid quercetin, another unique compound that is often associated with better cognitive aging, heart health and more.

Presenter: Andy De Santis, Registered Dietitian, Toronto, ON

Local Practitioners: Registered Dietitian