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Benefits of Garlic
Herb of the Year 2004
Allium sativum
[AL-ee-um sa-TEE-vum]
Family: Liliaceae
Description:
Grows in
grass like clumps with a height of 1 foot and a width of 6 inches. The flowers
are small, rose-white or green-white, clustered in 3-4 inch globes, on tall
stems rising from the underground bulb. The leaves are thin, narrow, flat,
gray-green, straight, pointed. The fruit are small black seeds, although small
bulbs may also develop and can be planted. The bulbs are globe-like, containing
8-20 individual cloves, surrounded by a white, sometimes pink, paper
like covering. Blooms from June to July Cultivation: An annual germinating in
1-3 weeks. Space 6-10 inches apart. Prefers rich soil with a pH of 4.5 to 8.5
and full sun. Heat develops the best flavor. Plant seed in the fall. Plant
individual cloves with pointed ends up, in early spring or fall in areas where
the ground does not freeze. Outer cloves produce the best quality. Planted in
March, they will be ready to harvest in July or August. Harvest after the blooms
die down, then sun-dry for a day. Garlic brands hanging on the wall are an
attractive and handy way to store them. Soak the long stems in water for a few
hours, then tightly braid a few bunches together. Flowers that hold their shape
when they dry (like statice) can be braided in too for decoration.
History:
Garlic’s
common name describes its leaves and use from the Anglo-Saxon gar (lance) and
leac (leek or pot-herb). Grown in the Mediterranean and central Asia for
centuries, garlic was widely used as medicine by the ancients. It was found in
King Tut’s tomb and was eaten for endurance by the slaves who constructed the
great Cheops pyramid. Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks on the piles of
stones at crossroads as a supper for Hecate
while garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking
of oaths. Among the ancient Greeks, persons who partook of it were not allowed
to enter the temples of Cybele. The East Indian herbalist Charaka said in the
first century A.D. that garlic would be worth its weight in gold, if it weren’t
for its smell. Garlic has been used by rich and poor alike through the years to
keep away disease, evil spirits, moles and racing competitors. It was a main
ingredient in the "Four Thieves Vinegar" used by 4 Marseilles thieves
who confessed that "garlek" protected them while they robbed plague
victims’ bodies. There is a superstition in some parts of Europe, that if a
morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his
competitors from getting ahead of him and Hungarian jockeys will sometimes
fasten a clove of garlic to the bits of their horses in the belief that any
other racers running close to those baited, will fall back the instant they
smell the odor. In the early 18th century, it was used by French priests to
protect themselves from a highly contagious fever in London’s poor sections.
European doctors in World War 1 and World War II applied sterilized swabs of
sphagnum moss and garlic to dress wounds and prevent gangrene.
Constituents: allyl
sulfide, allicin, alliin, enzyme alliinase, Vitamins A, B1, B2 and C, nicotinic
acid, thiamin, riboflavin, minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, potassium)
Properties: yang tonic and a stimulant, diuretic, alterative, digestant,
carminiative, expectorant and parasiticide, antiseptic, antimicrobial,
diaphoretic, cholagogue, hypotensive,
anti-spasmodic, anthelmintic, anti-catarrhal, pectoral, rubefacient,
vulnerary
Energetics:
spicy, hot Meridians/Organs
affected: lungs, kidney,spleen, stomach, colon
Medicinal
Uses:
It
stimulates metabolism, and is used both for chronic and acute diseases; has both
tonic and alterative properties; counteracts lower back and joint pains,
arthritis and rheumatism. It also treats weak digestion, genito-urinary
diseases, lung and bronchial infections and mucous conditions.
In Ayurveda it
is considered a rejuvenative for both kapha (water) and vata (air). Garlic
cloves may be taken internally both as a preventative and as a treatment for all
intestinal worms. Blend with a little sesame or olive oil, it may be used
externally. However, its strong odor may repel humans as well as parasites. A
single dose is three to five cloves in infusion or taken raw. This is repeated
three to six times a day until the problem is resolved. Garlic is good for
amoebic dysentery. Enemas of garlic are also helpful. It is an effective
antibiotic for staphylococcus, streptococcus and salmonella bacteria and is
effective against bacteria that are resistant to standard antibiotic
drugs.
It is a
good antifungal for the treatment of candida albicans yeast infections. For the
treatment of pinworms, it should be
made into a paste with olive oil or the bruised clove inserted directly into the
rectum. For vaginitis and leucorrhea, one or two bruised cloves wrapped in
muslin are inserted into the vagina. As an oil or vinegar, it can be used to
treat ear and mouth infections. Researchers noted some success in treating deep
fungal infections, whooping cough, lead poisoning, and some carcinomas. Even
appendicitis was improved in a number of studies. Studies of factory workers
found that garlic not only detoxified harmful levels of lead from the blood, it
seemed to prevent its accumulation in the first place. Subjects who ate garlic
for six months found that their "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglyceride
levels went down, while their "good" HDL cholesterol levels increased.
Garlic also helps normalize systolic blood pressure levels and can sustain them
up to 24 hours. Many cultures turn to garlic to control mild diabetes. The
natural killer cells of the immune system are dramatically activated by
garlic.
The
fresher the garlic, the better it works. Garlic oil capsules work better
than dried garlic powder.
Combinations:
Microbial
infections: Echinacea
Dosage:
a clove should be eaten three times a day
or use garlic oil capsules taking 3 once a day as a prophylactic or three times
a day when an infection occurs.
Homeopathy:
Homeopaths use Allium sativum for
colitis, tuberculosis, painful constipation, bronchitis, painful breasts, and
skin eruptions during the menses. The remedy is more effective for meat eaters
than for exclusive vegetarians.
TCM: Expels
internal cold and internal dampness.
Indications: hookworm,
pinworm; diarrhea and dysentery;
tuberculosis; coughing fits; external application to early stages of abscesses
and ringworm on the head; internal cold and internal damp symptoms. Dosage:
fresh cloves: 3-5 per day; taken raw in food, or in capsules. External: puree of
fresh garlic cloves can be applied to abscesses as an antiseptic and healing
agent, also to ringworm on the head; for athlete’s foot, apply liberally to
infected area and wrap well with a clean, dry cloth for 1-2 hours, then remove
and wipe away excess garlic with dry cloth.
Contraindication:
excessive use of garlic is said to
be harmful to the eyes, cause dizziness, and scatter energy; it is said to cause
ascending fire energy
Incompatible: honey
Flower
Essences: For those who are
fearful, weak
or easily influenced, prone to low vitality. Garlic flower restores wholeness
for such souls, helping them to consolidate and unify the astral body, and to
bring it into greater harmony with the physical and etheric bodies and the
spiritual ego.
Aromatherapy:
EXTRACTION:
Essential oil by steam distillation
from the fresh crushed bulbs.
CHARACTERISTICS:
A colorless to pale yellow
mobile liquid with a strong, unpleasant, familiar garlic-like odor USE:
Due to its unpleasant and pervasive smell, the oil is not often used externally.
However, the capsules may be taken internally for respiratory and
gastro-intestinal infections, urinary tract infections such as cystitis, heart
and circulatory problems, and to fight infectious diseases in general. The oil
is made into capsules and also included in many health food products mainly to
help reduce high blood pressure and protect against heart disease.
Extensively
employed as a flavor ingredient in most major food categories.
Toxicity:
Pregnant women should use in small amounts as garlic is a mild emmenagogue.
Large doses occasionally cause indigestion and some reports claim they make the
eye more sensitive to light.
Ritual Uses:
In the home, braids of garlic guard against evil, repel thieves, and turn away
the envious. And of course, garlic protects against vampires. It is a very
effective blessing for new homes. Garlic cloves were once placed upon cairns,
small piles of stones heaped at the intersections of paths and roads, in order
to give honor to Hecate. Moslem lore holds that garlic and onion rose from the
spots where Satan’s feet first touched the earth. Garlic was treated by the
Egyptians as divine, and was included in oath-taking. Homer believed that
Ulysses used garlic when he and his men escaped from Circe’s anger. It may be
included in ritual breads eaten in Hecate’s honor.
Cosmetic Uses:
Rich in alkaline salts and sulphur
compounds, garlic is a blood purifier and keeps the skin clear of spots and
pimples. The juice added to warm lard or olive oil and applied
to a spotty skin or where there is soreness,
will bring about rapid healing.
Recipes:
Break up a bulb
into several cloves and place in a saucepan with 1 lb of lard and heat gently
for 30 minutes. Leave for several hours after turning off the heat, then add ½
oz beeswax and slowly reheat. Remove the garlic cloves and pour into screw-top
jars to solidify. Use as a night cream.
Other Uses:
Research shows that garlic sprays kill cabbage white and ermine moth, onion fly
larvae, mole crickets, pea weevils and field slugs and deter aphids and Japanese
beetles.
Bug Formula:
3 oz garlic,
chopped, 2 tsp mineral oil, 1 pint water, 1 oz oil-based hand soap, water to
dilute Soak garlic in oil for 1 week. Then dissolve soap into water and mix in
the garlic oil. Strain out garlic. When ready to use, dilute 1 part in 20 parts
water and spray on plants. The soap can be replaced with ½ oz of liquid
all-purpose, bio-degradable soap.
Culinary Use:
One of the most
popular flavoring herbs in the world, garlic is incorporated into butters,
vinegars, salts, dried seasoning, salad dressings, soups and main dishes. The
Chinese even prepare a honeyed garlic. Fresh cloves have the best flavor.
Peeling garlic is a simple task. To peel just a few cloves, place the flat side
of a heavy knife over a clove and rap your fist smartly down onto the blade. You
can then easily slip off the skin. You’ll learn quickly just how much force to
use—too much and the garlic is mashed; you just want to break the seal of the
skin. To ensure ending up with a whole perfect clove, simply nip off the ends of
the clove and strip away the peel with the knife edge. To peel several cloves at
a time, drop the unpeeled cloves in boiling water for 30 seconds, rinse under
cold water, drain, and peel the skins off easily.
Once clove of
garlic will yield approximately one teaspoon minced. To mince garlic peel
the clove and then lay it on your working surface. Slice it into pieces and then
chop until you have achieved the size mince you wish. When you want to soften
cloves so they are easier to crush, sprinkle on a little salt. Avoid powdered
garlic, which has rancid undertones. When you cook with garlic, the amount of
medicinal properties left corresponds to how strong it tastes. Fresh garlic may
be creamy white or have a purplish-red cast and it should be plump and firm,
with its paperlike covering intact, not spongy, soft or shriveled. Fresh garlic
keeps best in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation. It should not be
refrigerated unless you separate the cloves and immerse them in oil, either
peeled or unpeeled. If the garlic isn’t peeled, the cloves will hold their
firmness longer, but peeling will be more difficult. Fresh garlic which is held
in open-air storage for any length of time will lose some of its pungency and
may even develop sprouts. The garlic is still usable, but will be somewhat
milder and more will be needed to achieve the same strength of flavor in a dish
being prepared.
In India it is
eaten by everyone except by very puritanical sects who fear its reputation as an
aphrodisiac, or by strict vegetarians who believe that in uprooting a garlic
bulb from the ground they may accidentally kill an insect.
Recipes:
Rosemary and
Garlic Burgundy
4-5 sprigs of
rosemary
4 cloves
garlic, peeled and halved
1 ½ cups
Burgundy
Place rosemary
and garlic in a 1 pint jar. Pour wine over and cover. Store in a cool, dark
place for at least 2 weeks before testing flavor.
Use ½ cup with
3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper as a
marinade for beef. (Herbed-Wine Cuisine.)
Indonesian
Chicken with Garlic and Peanut
Butter Sauce
3-4 lb frying
chicken
2 Tbsp peanut
oil
1 small onion
3 large garlic
cloves
1 tbsp soy
sauce
juice of ½
lemon
2 tsp sambal
oeulek
1 cup warm
water
½ cup smooth,
natural peanut butter
Cut the chicken
into serving pieces. Sauté it in a large skillet, in the oil, over moderately
high heat for 15 minutes, turning frequently. Remove the skillet fro the heat
and transfer the chicken to a platter. Finally mince the onion and garlic
and sauté them in the chicken skillet, over low heat, for 5 minutes.
Add the soy
sauce, lemon juice, and sambal to the skillet. Stir well and cook for 55
minutes. Add the water and peanut butter to the skillet and stir well to make a
smooth sauce. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook, covered, over
moderately low heat for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce
from sticking. Transfer to a heated serving platter and serve immediately.
(Cooking with Herbs)
Garlic Rosemary
Potato Chips
3 lbs potatoes,
scrubbed but do not peel
8 cloves
garlic, peeled & put through a press
4 Tbsp fresh
rosemary leaves
½ cup olive
oil
salt &
coarse grind black pepper
Cut the washed
and scrubbed potatoes into ¼" thick slices. Into a food processor, put the
garlic, rosemary and olive oil. Pulse on & off to chop the rosemary and
garlic finely. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with the rosemary
flavored oil. Then lay the potato slices in one layer on top of the foil.
Brush again
with the rosemary-garlic oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Turn and do the
same thing to the other side. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes – turn
the potatoes and
bake until they are lightly browned. Remove
from oven and drain potatoes on paper towels.
Serve while still warm. (Mad for Garlic)
Earthy Garlic
Soup
2 heads garlic
8-10 oz day-old
country style white bread
1 Tbsp olive
oil
kosher salt and
freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp chopped,
fresh flat-leaf parsley
Separate the
garlic cloves and smash, peel and coarsely chop them. Remove and discard the
bread crusts, and cut the bread into 1-inch pieces. Put it in a saucepan with
the garlic and 5 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a
simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the bread starts to
disintegrate. Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add the olive oil and
process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper,
garnish with parsley and serve hot. (Tonics)
Garlic Ice
Cream
3 (750 ml) cups
whole milk
½ tsp (2 ml)
finely chopped garlic
1 vanilla bean,
split in half
1 cup (250 ml)
heavy cream
1 ½ cups (375
ml) sugar
9 egg yolks
Put milk,
garlic and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Blend
the cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Strain the scalded milk into
the egg and sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Return the combined mixture to
the pan and stir continuously over moderate heat until it coats the back of a
spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool in an ice bath and freeze until firm. Serves
4 to 6.
Brie Baked with
Garlic
2 whole heads
garlic
¼ cup olive
oil
2 lb wheel Brie
cheese, or 4 small wheels (4 ½
oz each),
chilled
½ cup whole
Greek olives, pitted and quartered
4 tsp parsley,
finely chopped apple wedges or warm French or sourdough bread Place whole
garlic heads in a heavy saucepan. Add oil. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5
minutes. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low for 15 minutes, or until garlic is
soft. Remove garlic and drain on paper towels. Cool. Preheat oven to 400
degrees. Carefully slice the thin rind off one of the flat sides of the Brie and
place on a baking sheet, cut side up. Separate and peel the garlic cloves. Make
parallel slices in each clove, being careful not to cut through the root end.
Gently press cut cloves into fans. Arrange garlic fans and olive pieces on top
of the cheese. Bake, uncovered for 10-12 minutes, until Brie is warm and
slightly softened. Sprinkle with parsley and carefully transfer to a plate.
Serve with apple wedges or sliced French bread. (The Wild Onion Cookbook)
For
cats:
Tigger’s
Tomato & Turkey Jerky
1 lb ground
turkey
2 Tbsp tomato
paste
½ tsp garlic
powder
2 tsp brewer’s
yeast
Preheat oven to
120F or the lowest setting. Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Line a
jelly roll pan with foil and spread the meat mixture in it. Using your hands
flatten the mixture to about ¼" thick. Place the meat in the oven and prop
the oven door open a crack using a wooden spoon, so the moisture can escape.
Bake for about 2 hours, until the meat is quite dry. Remove the meat from the
oven and place another sheet foil over it. Grasping both sheets of foil, flip
the meat over and peel the foil from the top. Place the meat back in the oven
with the door propped open, and bake for another 1-2 hours. The meat will be red
and dry, like jerky. (Cat Nips! Feline cuisine)
Dog Biscuits
2 Tbsp
margarine, lard or bacon fat, softened
1 tsp brown
sugar
1 egg, slightly
beaten
½ cup dry milk
powder
½ cup chicken
broth
1 cup
all-purpose flour
1 cup whole
wheat flour
½ cup wheat
germ
½ tsp salt
8 large cloves
of garlic, crushed
Cream margarine
and brown sugar in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, dry milk and
broth. Add flours, wheat germ and salt; knead until soft dough forms. Shape into
a ball. Let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. Roll ¼ inch thick on lightly
floured surface. Sprinkle with garlic; pat lightly into dough. Cut with 3-inch
bone-shaped cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325F
for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. cool on wire rack. Store in
airtight containers. (Along the Garden Path)
References:
Along the
Garden Path, Bill & Sylvia Varney,
1995;
Fredericsburg Herb Farm; ISBN: 0-
9649691-0-6
Cat Nips!
Feline cuisine, Rick & Martha
Reynolds,
Berkley, 1992; ISBN: 0-425-13512-8
A Compendium of
Herbal Magick, Paul Beyerl,
Phoenix Publishing, 1998; ISBN: 0- 919345-45-X
Cooking with
Herbs, Susan Belsinger and Carolyn Dille, CBI Books, 1983; ISBN: 0-8436-2226-1
Flower Essence
Repertory, Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, The Flower Essence Society, 1994;
ISBN: 0-9631306-1-7
Herbed-Wine
Cuisine, Janice Theresa
Mancuso, Storey,
1997; ISBN: 0-88266-967-2
Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, Julia
Lawless,
Element Books, 1997; ISBN: 1- 56619-990-5
The Illustrated
Herb Encyclopedia, Kathi
Keville,
Mallard Press, 1991; ISBN: 0-7924- 5307-7
Mad for Garlic,
Pat Reppert, Shale Hill Farm, 1997; ISBN: 1-57166-106-9
Planetary
Herbology, Michael Tierra, Lotus Press, 1988, ISBN: 0941-524272
Tonics, Robert
A. Barnett, HarperPerennial, 1997; ISBN: 0-06-095111-7
The Wild Onion
Cookbook, The Northern Illinois Unit of the Herb Society of America, 1997
HERBALPEDIA™
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URL: http://www.herbnet.com and http://www.herbworld.com Editor: Maureen Rogers.
Copyright 2001. All rights reserved. Subscription fee: $48/yr. Material herein
is derived from journals, textbooks, etc.
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cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any
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