Garlic

garlic, purple garlic, head of garlic

As a delicious cooking ingredient, especially in Mediterranean cuisine, garlic is known to everyone, although not everyone likes his taste or smell.

However, garlic is also an excellent health food. Not only does it have an antibacterial effect, but it is also effective against arteriosclerosis, which makes it very valuable, as there are very few medicinal plants that are effective against vasoconstriction.

Plant description

The original home of garlic is Southern Europe and the Near East. There the garlic is also cultivated on a large scale. Garlic is also cultivated in gardens in Central Europe, sometimes it is also found wild, but it is rather rare.

In early spring, a shoot with flat stems sprouts from the garlic cloves. Even these stems have a delicate garlic taste and can be used in salads as long as they are young. In midsummer, these stems wither as the clove thickens and becomes a tuber, which in turn contains several cloves. In late summer, the tuber can then be harvested. Garlic that is harvested very freshly smells much less strong than garlic that has been stored.

Characteristics

Scientific name
Allium sativum.

Plant family
Alliaceae

Other names
American wild garlic, filed garlic, nectar of the gods, poor mans treacle, rocambole, sand leek, stinking rose.

Used plant parts
Bulb.

Ingredients
Essential oil, allicin.

Harvest period
September to October.

Medicinal properties

Main uses: Immune system & Arteriosclerosis.

Healing effects

        • Antibacterial
        • Antispasmodic
        • Disinfecting
        • Secretion-enhancing

Areas of application

        • Immunity
        • Arteriosclerosis
        • Gastric and intestinal infections
        • Stomach weakness
        • High blood pressure
        • Increased resistance
        • Infections
        • Pulmonary insufficiency
        • Asthma
        • Loss of appetite
        • Indigestion
        • Flatulence
        • Constipation
        • Diarrhea
        • Worms
        • Heart failure
        • Cancer
        • Menopausal symptoms
        • Warts

Used regularly, garlic is effective against arteriosclerosis, i.e. it reduces deposits in the blood vessels and prevents new ones from forming. In this way garlic has an indirect effect against high blood pressure and can prevent heart attacks and strokes. It also strengthens digestion and boosts the immune system.

Forms of preparation

Raw garlic

The best is to eat the garlic cloves, raw in a salad. But garlic is also beneficial to health when cooked. Unfortunately, the typical garlic smell cannot be completely avoided, but if all the people with whom you have direct contact have also eaten garlic, the smell is not disturbing.

Tincture

You can also prepare a tincture with the garlic cloves. Cut the garlic into small pieces and put it in alcohol. Leave to stand for ten days and shake regularly. Then strain and add a few drops of angelica root oil.
The angelica root oil weakens the smell. Take 20 drops of the garlic tincture daily.

Powder

Garlic is also available in capsules, so you can take it without any risk of smell.

Food

Garlic is the best to eat. This way you can combine a delicious taste with a good health effect.

Compress

Externally, sliced cloves of garlic can be used against warts. Using a plaster or compress, stick individual slices onto the area with the wart and leave them to take effect overnight. Such a plaster must be applied several times in a row before it takes effect.

 

Garlic (Wiktionary)

English

Wikispecies

Alternative forms

  • garlicke (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English garlik, garleek, garlek, garlec, from Old English gārlēac (garlic, literally spear-leek), from gār (“spear”, in reference to the cloves) + lēac (leek). Cognate with Scots garlek, garleke, garlik (garlic)

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