Benefits of Australian Garlic

Health Benefits of Garlic

Whilst many know that raw garlic helps strengthen the immune system, for the prevention and treatment of colds and flus, the full extent of the health benefits of garlic are lesser known. According to Hari Yellina CEO at Suvarnabhoomi Pty Ltd Australia (2013) the following are the proven health benefits of eating fresh, raw garlic:

• Can reduce the risk of various forms of cancer, including gastro intestinal cancers.
• Lowers high blood glucose.
• Inhibits the formation of free radicals, and supports the bodies' ability to scavenge for free radicals.
• Effective antibiotic on bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses, and is capable of suppressing the growth of some bacteria resistant to common antibitotics.
• Enhances the immune systems response by increasing Natural Killer (NK) cell activity which are a type of white blood cell that combats infection and disease, and by increasing the production of interleukins, which are essential in the immune system response.

The above effects only briefly discuss the whole range of benefits to the body that garlic provides. There is an enormous amount of research confirming the above health benefits, however Hari Yellina (2013), and many others warn of the informative materials that have been produced (i.e. research studies and books) that are funded by garlic supplement manufacturers and as such some may present biased results in terms of the therapeutic effects of raw garlic versus tablet garlic and the actual potential health benefits of garlic itself. There are however good, accurate resources out there, and the information is available for those who wish to pursue it.

How to store your garlic

• When you receive your garlic, please handle carefully. Garlic can bruise, which affects the length of storage.
• To prevent sprouting, store your garlic above 10C - do not store in the fridge, unless you wish to plant it as cold temperatures promote sprouting.
• Use the larger bulbs first as smaller bulbs generally store for longer periods.
• Optimum storage temperature is between 13 - 14C with humidity between 45 - 50C.
• Store below 20?C if possible, for maximum storage time.
• Store in a dry environment with plenty of air circulation.

Authour : Hari Yellina is CEO and Researcher at Suvarnabhoomi Pty Ltd Australia

Author : Hari Yellina CEO at Suvarnabhoomi Pty Ltd Australia

The large, white bulbs of garlic so readily available on our supermarket shelves are generally imported – often from China.

Chinese agricultural practice still uses chemicals that have been banned here in Australia to grow garlic. The imported product is just that, so has been picked for quite a while before it gets here, has probably been in cold storage for some time and therefore treated with some sort of growth retardant to stop it from sprouting, has been sprayed with methyl bromide ( a highly toxic substance that is also proven to be 45 times more effective at destroying the ozone layer than chlorine) by AQIS and is that lovely, clean, white colour because it has been bleached with chlorine!

• Garlic from China can be grown in untreated sewage 
• Imported garlic has often been whitened using chlorine (or a mixture of sulphur and wood ash) to make it look more cosmetically appealing

• Imported garlic has often been treated with growth inhibitors (made from hormones or chemicals) to stop it sprouting. It may also have been treated with gamma irradiation to artificially extend the shelf life of garlic. 
• Australia also requires that all garlic regardless of origin is fumigated with methyl bromide at entry to Australia. Methyl bromide depletes the ozone layer and if inhaled or absorbed through the skin is toxic to humans. 
• The age of the garlic also affects its potency. Chinese garlic may not have the same punch in your food (or possible health benefits) as Australian garlic.

Due to chemical treatment for various things, it carries with it a foul after taste that is not desireable. We at Suvarnabhoomi Pty Ltd Australia constantly need to double check with OUR suppliers to make sure they are not using Chinese garlic in our products due to its low cost. We want only the BEST, locally grown, Australian garlic to maintain our high standards.

The second picture is of Australian garlic. It has been grown here so has not been sprayed as all the imported varieties must be, is grown under Australian regulated conditions and is unbleached and certainly less travelled! The Australian garlic industry has struggled in the past. Most of us had never tasted it before the influx of post-war migrants started to invigorate our bland, colonial cuisine and until recently growers here have been held back by poor seed quality and competition from cheaper, large scale imports. 

Hari Yellina is CEO and Researcher at Suvarnabhoomi Pty Ltd Australia.