Allium Family

The Allium Family
Garlic and other alliums — onions, leeks, chives, shallots, and scallions — are incredible body detoxers. They stimulate the body to produce an antioxidant that lives within each cell, ready to fight free radicals where they live throughout the body. The antioxidant's action is especially important in the liver, where it helps to remove pharmaceuticals and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Each member of the allium family serves a different role to keep you healthy. Onions have a certain type of flavonoid that is an incredible free-radical destroyer, and emerging science suggests may also help fight obesity and diabetes. Garlic helps lower total cholesterol — but raise your good cholesterol (HDL) — by decreasing the liver's synthesis of cholesterol. And leeks are cool because they take the best aspects of garlic and onions — especially manganese, a blood-sugar stabilizer — and combine them with fiber, turning them into an all-around fantastic choice to keep insulin levels stable. Have at least one serving per day of alliums. Here are some tips on how to cook and eat them:
If you can hack it, try to eat these guys raw — alliinase an be deactivated by heat. Slice raw red or Vidalia onions for your sandwich or burger; chop green onions into your salad or garlic into your dressing.
Crushing, chopping, or chewing garlic helps release alliinase enzymes, which trigger many of its beneficial actions. After you chop or crush garlic, let it stand for 10 minutes before cooking to let the enzymes activate all of the beneficial compounds.
If you're going to roast garlic, at least chop the top off before you roast it — that will allow for some enzyme activity.

Garlic Breath


As you can see, garlic is extremely healthy for you, but I know what you're thinking — you don't like what it does to your breath. To battle garlic breath, which can last up to 18 hours, chew a sprig of parsley or mint after your meal. Be sure to brush and floss, and use a tongue scraper and/or mouthwash regularly.