Can Garlic Fight Cancer?

New research is looking at garlic in a new light. Some studies have found that garlic may play a role in the prevention and treatment of cancer, and have the ability to slow the growth rate of cancer cells. This is thought to be thanks primarily to a compound called "allylsulfide" and its derivatives, which are potent and bioactive. The cancer-fighting abilities of garlic may also be due to thhe fact that garlic takes up a lot of Selenium from the soil when it grows, and Selenium also has many anticancer effects.

However, other studies have found that the potential effects of garlic and its derivatives are only modest in reducing the risk of cancer. At this time, there are simply not enough large scale studies to many any solid claim regarding garlic and cancer. Still, garlic is a great, low-calorie way to flavour foods. And with so many potential health benefits (even if they're only marginal), it certainly can't hurt.