Researchers have cracked the mystery of why eating garlic can help keep the heart healthy.The key is ALLICIN, which is broken down into the foul smelling sulphur compounds,which taint breath.These compounds react with red blood cells and produce hydrogen sulphide which relaxes the blood vessels and keeps blood flowing easily.At low concentrations hydrogen sulphide plays an important role in helping cells to communicate with one another.And within the blood vessels it stimulates the cells that form the lining to relax,causing the vessels to dilate.This in turn reduces the blood pressure,allowing the blood to carry more oxygen to essential organs,
thus reducing pressure on the heart.The researchers also found that red blood cells exposed to minute amounts of juice extracted from garlic immediately began emitting hydrogen sulphide.Thus, hydrogen sulphide production in red blood cells could be used to standardise dieatry garlic supplements.