Garlic - Bad for the breath, GREAT for the heart!
The benefits of garlic in the kitchen certainly aren’t a secret, but the taste buds aren’t the only thing singing its praises. While the opinion that garlic itself helps cholesterol is met with opposition, there is less doubt about the protection it provides to the arteries FROM cholesterol. The compound allicin helps to fight heart disease and atherosclerosis (not to be confused with arteriosclerosis or arteriolosclerosis) which is a hardening or “furring” of the arteries.
In a recent study, garlic has also been found to help prevent and fight the common cold. The allicin in garlic is also a powerful antibacterial and anti-fungal compound. However, the allicin is rapidly destroyed when the garlic is cooked. Pressing, mashing, or chopping fresh garlic seem to be the best ways to yield the most health benefit. So certainly chewing fresh garlic would seem to be the best way to reap the health benefits.