Onions, Garlic, and Leeks are your friends (who really smell!)

(sorry NSA, that was LEEKS not LEAKS)

You have friends where you least expect them: pungent or subtle, earthy or spicy … garlic, onions and other members of the allium family are staples in every top kitchen. They should be in yours, too, because these flavor enhancers are buddies with your joints.

Out of the joints of the world they should find their way into, let us hope that they are yours!

Eating your fill reduces your odds of early osteoarthritis — the breakdown of cushiony cartilage in joints that makes your knees and hips go OUCH! — by a big-time 25 percent! The do-good connection is diallyl disulphide (try typing that even once), which gives garlic and its allium cousins their unmistakable aroma. This stinky stuff acts like a bouncer outside a Vegas hotspot: It does its best to keep cartilage-damaging enzymes out. 

Did you know that many of these compounds can be removed so that you get only the good stuff and not the stink?  Look for “odorless garlic” on the internet!  [Personally, having stinky breath is a great way to know who your friends are].

Mellow the taste. Simmer them in soup or stew, or slow-roast them with chicken or vegetables. 

Get to know the other alliums. Milder leeks, shallots and scallions are all part of this clan. Try a pot of potato-leek soup, served hot or cold, Vichyssoise-style. Grill leeks this summer. Spike crisp salads with unsliced scallions. 

Add them to other veggies. Women who eat lots of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) also lower their risk for early arthritis. Pairing onions or garlic with these good guys (add a splash of balsamic vinegar, too) makes culinary and cartilage sense. Worried about your own aroma afterward? Mix in some fresh parsley or basil as well. Nibbling these greens releases breath-freshening oils. 

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