Garlic, also known as the 'stinking rose,' is a member of the lily family, along with onions, shallots, leeks and chives. It has a long and interesting history and has been used for both cooking and medicinal purposes for thousands of years.
It is mentioned in the Chinese-Sanskrit writings, 3000 BC. Homer praised garlic. The Vikings packed it for their long sea voyages, and in the Middle Ages, it was used to fight off the plague. According to folklore, garlic possesses magical powers and is widely used in charms and spells to protect against evil.
And in modern times, a number of scientific studies have demonstrated that regular consumption of garlic may affect our bodies in a number of ways:
- destroy Candida albicans, a fungus responsible for yeast infections,
- inhibit bacteria,
- lower serum cholesterol,
- reduce systolic blood pressure,
- lower blood sugar levels, and
- fight the common cold.
A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat. - Old New York Yiddish Saying
The magic ingredient is Allicin, a sulphur bearing chemical in garlic that gives it its smell. When the cloves are crushed, cut, chewed, mashed or smashed, they release this compound, which destroys bacteria, fungus, and yeast. (Note: Allicin breaks down with cooking, so cooked garlic and "de-odorized" garlic may lack this chemical.)
Garlic also contains small amounts of vitamins A, B, C and E, and the minerals potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and iron.
Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good!" - Alice May BrockMore from the Our Lady of Weight Loss kitchens:
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I love to put garlic in almost everything I cook! Used to say that I put garlic in everything except my baked goods, and I was looking for a recipe. My fourth garlic cookbook had a recipe for chocolate chip cookies with garlic. (Not sure if OLWL would have approved.) Made a half batch once, for Halloween. To keep us safe from vampires. Haven't made them since!
As part of the diabetes education group's current orientation, the implementation of garlic as a staple of the diet recommended for all participants yielded some unexpected results. The number of men who were taking erectile disfunction medication, was reduced by 3/4 after increasing intake of garlic. Also, many of the females in the group that complained about body odor, female freshness issues, and other dermis complaints, was reduced along with the A1C of all participants. Integrating garlic in a cultural mileu, and respecting the power of natural ingredients in the healing of body ailments, is the center of power of an enlightened, empowered life.
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