I’m a big fan of garlic. I don’t contribute much to our garden but I do take care of the garlic. My daughter made me a sign that reads, “Dad’s Garlic Patch”. The gardeners reading know that it doesn’t take too much attention for garlic to make it. Since I learned that many of those who survived the bubonic plague in Europe and Asia in the mid-1300s ate garlic regularly during that time, I’ve been interested in learning about it and have been eating it regularly myself. I typically saute it in the morning with other vegetables scrambled with eggs for breakfast. I also cut off the top of the bulb to expose the cloves, add a little olive oil and seasoning, and cook the bulb aside whatever else may be in the oven for dinner.
Eating Garlic has Many Health Benefits
Garlic is part of the allium family, which also includes onions and leeks. There are many researched and documented health benefits of this vegetable (typically considered an herb or spice that adds flavor to a dish). The main compound within garlic that is responsible for these benefits is called allicin. This was first isolated and studied in the 1940s. Aside from the antibacterial effect mentioned above with the bubonic plague, allicin also has antiviral properties and can be beneficial for the common rhinovirus, for example, that causes a common cold. When people come to my office with a sore throat, a runny nose, and sneezing, I advise eating all those softened cloves from the roasted bulb out of the oven. If you are cooking soup or stew to help with the flu or a cold or sinusitis, make sure to add some garlic into the pot toward the end of cooking.
One of the earliest recorded uses of garlic was when eating meat. It was believed that meat could cause infection and that garlic could ward this off. Aside from the antibiotic and antiviral effects of garlic, it also can be used for parasitic and fungal infections. Studies have shown that garlic can effectively treat tapeworms in children, as well as athlete’s foot and ringworm. The bacteria that cause cavities can be managed with a diluted garlic mouthwash. It sounds less attractive than minty Listerine but if you struggle with commonly getting cavities despite good dental hygiene, this may be something to consider trying. And interestingly, during World War I the juice from garlic was used to treat wounds.
Aside from supporting the immune system, garlic also can lower triglycerides and cholesterol as well as blood pressure. In the research around lowering blood pressure using garlic, the dosage of allicin was important. This showed that the daily intake of 10 mg of allicin had a significant effect in reducing blood pressure, studied over a three-month period. A medium-sized raw garlic clove should provide this amount. Much of this compound is lost when heating, so if you are sauteing you should use a few cloves.
Best to Eat It Raw
To understand the chemistry a bit more, when raw fresh garlic is crushed, chopped, or chewed, the enzyme called alliinase is released. This enzyme then causes the formation of allicin. This again is the compound we now know is responsible for the variety of health benefits that have been known for thousands of years. Along with allicin, there are other sulfur-containing compounds within garlic that are additional factors for it being a superpower food. Though I find myself cooking it more often, as mentioned the potential of allicin decreases with heat treatment, so eating it raw really provides the best benefit. Many people shy away from raw garlic because of the odor it may leave on the breath or the discomfort it may cause in the stomach.
Information or experience can get lost or replaced over time, but this doesn’t necessarily make it irrelevant today. Aside from what has been mentioned here, there are still other known benefits from garlic. Eating too much garlic may not be advised, especially as it can impact the effect of certain medications. If this topic is of interest, there are many journal articles based on research to explore, as well as books on this subject to delve into. And back to the gardeners, like you, I’ll be keeping those weeds from tangling up into my treasure over the summer ahead.