Ask Dr Miriam

QMy boyfriend loves garlic and insists I put it in all our food. I hate it but he says it’s good for us. Just how good is it?

AWell, for centuries garlic has been thought to be curative. It has many active chemicals in it and so a wide range of benefits has been attributed to it.

For instance, garlic is good for colds. One study suggests taking garlic supplements for 12 weeks halves your chance of getting a cold.

It has powerful effects on your heart as it will help normalise blood fats and lower blood pressure. It is also claimed it can stop the blood clotting and even dissolve clots that do form. And it can help keep arteries healthy as we get older. Plus it probably has a protective effect on bowel cancers, lowering the risk of stomach and colon cancer. That’s quite a list – so I’m not at all surprised your boyfriend wants you to include it in your cooking.