Garlic (Allium sativum)

Pungent bulb whose defensive chemistry is born only in the instant of crushing.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Allicin does not exist in the intact clove — crushing unites alliin with the enzyme alliinase to create it.
• Egyptian records including the Ebers Papyrus prescribe garlic; pyramid workers reportedly ate it in quantity.
• Trials suggest modest blood-pressure and cholesterol effects; the sulfur chemistry is hard to dose reliably.

Specifications & Metrics

• ACTIVE COMPOUNDS: Allicin, ajoene