Garlic
Year-Round
Health Benefits
Garlic is a well-known immunity boosting superfood full vitamins and antioxidants. Consuming garlic can reduce the average length of a cold by a whopping 70%; from 5 days to a day and a half. The active compounds of garlic reduce blood pressure and detoxify heavy metals in your body. In order to reap the benefits of garlic, it is crucial that the alliin enzyme is activated and converted into allicin. To do this, you must either crush or mince the garlic and wait at least 5 minutes.
History
Garlic originates from India or Central Asia and is one of the oldest and most valued plants. It has a rich history and has been both loved and hated. Egyptians literally worshiped garlic, and even used it as currency. Inscriptions on the plates of the Egyptian pyramids tell us how they would feed their slaves garlic to provided them with the necessary quantity of vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy to complete their work. When the youngest pharaoh Tutankhamen (1320 BC) passed, clay models of garlic bulbs were placed in his tomb. He was escorted to the afterlife by garlic, the patron of his soul and protector of his wealth. Garlic has been one of the most used remedies in China since 2700 BC. In ancient Indian medicine, garlic was a valuable remedy used to cure a lack of appetite, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, skin disease, common weakness, and coughs. Healing practices were accompanied and complemented by diverse spells, rituals, secrets, prayers, and magnificent ceremonies. The Ancient Israelis used garlic as an appetite stimulator, body heater, parasite-killer, and for enhancing blood pressure. Early Greek army leaders fed their army garlic before major battles. Garlic was brought to Great Britain in 1548.
Recipes to Try
How to Store
Store in a cool, dry place in a well-ventilated container such as a mesh bag. Garlic will keep 3 to 5 months under cool, dry, dark conditions. You can also store whole roasted garlic cloves or mash, by freezing them. Allow to cool after roasting and remove any papery skins. Spread whole cloves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, store the cloves in a sealed plastic bag of container. Refrigerating garlic is not suggested, as it causes the bulb to deteriorate and grow moldy. If you have chopped or minced garlic, you can store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container for a short period of time.
How to Prepare
Separate the skin from the individual cloves by placing a clove with the smooth side down on a cutting board and gently tapping it with the flat side of a wide knife. The peel should come off easily. Remove the skin either with your fingers or with a small knife. Mince clove or put it in a garlic press. Chopping or crushing stimulates the enzymatic process that converts the alliin into allicin; a compound in which many of garlics health benefits are attributed. In order to reap from all of garlics health benefits, it is important to wait at least 5 minutes after crushing or mincing to allow for maximal allicin production. This also applies when adding garlic to ingredients like oil or lemon juice.
Ways to Enjoy
Try garlic in salad dressings, salsas, mashed potatoes, soups, stews, teas, hot sauce, guacamole, or tomato sauce. Roast garlic and smear cloves onto a sliced baguette, or mash into a baked potato. Mix minced garlic with olive oil and spread on pizza dough in place of traditional tomato sauce.
Health Benefits
Garlic is a well-known immunity boosting superfood full vitamins and antioxidants. Consuming garlic can reduce the average length of a cold by a whopping 70%; from 5 days to a day and a half. The active compounds of garlic reduce blood pressure and detoxify heavy metals in your body. In order to reap the benefits of garlic, it is crucial that the alliin enzyme is activated and converted into allicin. To do this, you must either crush or mince the garlic and wait at least 5 minutes.