Camarones al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

Camarones al ajillo is a popular dish on the Ecuadorian coast. It features shrimp in a creamy garlic sauce garnished with cilantro or parsley and served with rice and patacones (fried green plantains).

This delicious dish is quick and easy to put together. It’s a tasty way to enjoy shrimp, which are a good source of iodine, a nutrient that is important for optimal thyroid function. And the addition of garlic, a highly underrated superfood, lends numerous health benefits.

I’ve always loved garlic, but after doing a deep dive into the current scientific research on it, I’ve found I have an very good excuse to incorporate even more of this flavorful herb into my cooking.

One thing I found particularly shocking was that studies have shown that eating garlic regularly is nearly just as effective at lowering blood pressure as the medications that are typically for this condition. While I don’t have high blood pressure, several members of my family do so this feels like an important piece of information that could help to improve their quality of life.

Garlic promotes the detoxification of heavy metals from the body and if consumed with heavy metals (sadly, there’s heavy metals in a lot of foods because of pollution and due to naturally occurring heavy metal deposits in the soil) it can help prevent the accumulation of heavy metals in vital organs, including the liver, and kidneys.

Eating garlic may reduce risk of developing certain types of cancer, particularly those of the GI tract, breasts, and prostate. Garlic is also rich in potent antioxidant compounds that help to prevent oxidative stress that causes mental decline as we age.

These are just a few of the reasons you might want to start eating more garlic. Whip up this tasty dish to enjoy a flavorful, health boosting meal.