New research suggests that garlic may help to protect against osteoarthritis of the hip - a painful degenerative condition that affects more than 650,000 people in the UK.
Scientists at King's College London and the University of East Anglia found that women who ate a diet with plenty of garlic, onions and leeks - collectively known as 'allium' vegetables - tended to have lower levels of hip osteoarthritis.
The study, which is published in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, looked at more than 1,000 healthy female twins, recording their dietary patterns and taking x-ray images to look for early signs of osteoarthritis in their hips, knees and spine.
Analysis revealed that those with a high intake of fruit and vegetables - particularly garlic and other alliums - tended to have less evidence of early osteoarthritis in the hips.
Laboratory research then confirmed that a compound found in garlic - called diallyl disulphide - limited the amount of enzymes that damage cartilage.
Lead author Dr Frances Williams, from the Department of Twin Research at King's College London, commented: 'While we don't yet know if eating garlic will lead to high levels of this component in the joint, these findings may point the way towards future treatments and prevention of hip osteoarthritis.'