Raw Garlic Lowers Lung Cancer Risk

A new study from China has shown that eating raw garlic can cut lung cancer risk.

The research team found that men and women who ate garlic everyday had a 44 percent lower risk of developing lung cancer. Even smokers, considered to be at a very high risk of developing lung cancer, had lower risk of lung cancer if they consumed garlic every day.

The study was conducted by researchers from Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China. Researchers said that a chemical in garlic, allicin is linked with the reduction in lung cancer risk, Fox News reported.

"Raw garlic consumption may potentially serve as a chemopreventive agent for lung cancer," according to the study.

Over 1,400 lung cancer patients and more than 4,500 healthy people participated in the study. The benefits of eating raw garlic remained even after the researchers accounted for other factors such as a family history of the cancer.

The study is published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

About 228,000 people in the U.S will develop lung cancer and over 159,000 will die due to the cancer in 2013, according to The National Cancer Institute.

Experts said that certain compounds might help prevent cancer, but people shouldn't change their diets based on just one study.

"For lung cancer, the number one thing a person can do is not smoke, and we also know that healthy diets...with combinations of fruits and vegetables, can reduce the risk of cancer. And garlic is one component of that diet," Robert Nuttall from the Canadian Cancer Society told Globe News.

There are several ongoing studies that are looking at the cancer-preventing properties of garlic (Allium sativum). The vegetable has previously been linked with lower chances of cancers of stomach, colon, esophagus, pancreas and breast.

The ability of garlic in preventing cancers isn't fully known. However garlic breath can effectively drive away all social interactions. An earlier study had shown that drinking milk can help reduce the lingering odor.