Crushing garlic not only makes it taste better but also provides the most health benefits, scientists have discovered.

The crushing breaks open cell membranes to release alliinase, an enzyme vital for creating anti-clotting compounds such as allicin and thiosulphinate.

For the best results, cooks should leave the garlic to stand for 10 minutes after crushing then cook it for less than six minutes or eat it raw, said Claudio Galmarini of a food consultancy in Mendoza, Argentina.

According to the New Scientist magazine, his experiments revealed that leaving garlic to stand allows time for the alliinase to get to work, creating the blood-thinning compounds, while overcooking destroys the enzyme.

Garlic has been used and highly regarded in many cultures for more than 5000 years, both as a culinary aid and as a cure for almost any disease of the human body. Many believed that garlic improves physical and mental strength.

The ancient Egyptians worshipped garlic and even placed it in the tombs of their dead. Roman soldiers ate garlic before battle, while Greek athletes took it before a race.

During the Second World War, when antibiotics were scarce, garlic was placed on wounds to prevent infections.

In more recent times, scientists have recommended its use to reduce blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure, cut the risk of further heart attacks in cardiac patients, and as a stimulant for the immune system.

It is also high on the list of foods being investigated by the US National Cancer Institute as a weapon in the fight against cancer.