Used by countless cultures to dial up the flavor of recipes, garlic may also kick your disease-fighting capacity up a couple of notches. Garlic contains a powerful antibacterial compound called allicin. For maximal effects, add raw, chopped garlic to recipes. If the pungent flavor of uncooked garlic is too much to take, crush a clove and let it sit for 10 minutes before you add it to recipes to limit the breakdown of allicin.
