Garlic Powder Fights Bacteria Better Than Garlic Oil 31198

Garlic Powder Fights Bacteria Better Than Garlic Oil

WOLVERHAMPTON, England--In a study published in the January journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology (67, 1:475-80, 2001), researchers from St. George's University (West Indies) and the University of Wolverhampton found powder garlic extracts work better than garlic oil against human enteric bacteria. Although all bacteria tested were susceptible to each garlic form, the powder was more active in fighting off bacteria. "Allicin, which is the active part of garlic, is pretty stable when it is a solid," said Julia Campbell, technical director at Fullerton, Calif.-based Stauber Performance Ingredients Inc. "The advantages of having the powder, as a manufacturer, is that it's easier to process, distribute and so forth."

The oil may also not be as potent as the powder. "Allicin is a really aggressive germicide, and some of the allicin would be destroyed by the heat process used to make the oil," said Cass Ingram, D.O. "If you took raw garlic, you'd derive the greatest benefits." He added that some consumers would prefer the oil because it may be easier to digest and absorb.

The study's authors concluded that garlic oil may be more therapeutic than the powder form, but more studies need to be conducted to investigate this further. For more information, visit http://aem.asm.org.