Keeping bad things at bay is what garlic does best, right after adding strong aroma and taste to food. Garlic falls into the category of strong smelling and strong tasting ingredients and is related to onions, shallots, chives and leeks.
Consumed since thousands of years ago, garlic was first grown in Central Asia where it was used both as a food ingredient, and in herbal medicine. Ancient Egyptians, gave garlic to workers who were building the pyramids as a food supplement for increased endurance and disease prevention. But it wasn’t just pyramid builders who were consuming garlic, but many citizens – including high social status included it in their daily diet, which goes to suggest this ancient civilization had come to know garlic’s potential very well.
Garlic use in herbal medicine throughout the course of history
To the ancient Egyptians garlic was an important healing ingredient and they revered the plant to such an extent that garlic cloves were put in the tombs of the kings. Garlic was also found by archaeologists in ancient Greek temples.
It is archeological evidence again that suggests that garlic was used widely for medicinal purposes, various ancient texts from Rome, Egypt, Greece, and India mentioning garlic as a popular medical prescription for various conditions.
In ancient times
- In ancient Egypt, garlic was administered as a medicine to treat abnormal growths, insect bites, and general malaise.
- According to biblical references, garlic was fed to the Jewish slaves in Egypt, the Egyptians believing it would increase their stamina and productivity level.
- Jewish writings that date from second century AD mention the use of garlic to aid various disorders including parasitic infections.
- Ancient Greek soldiers and athletes consumed garlic for added strength and enhanced performance, Hippocrates himself – who is known as the Father of Medicine having proclaimed garlic as a detoxifying ingredient.
- In ancient Rome, garlic was again fed to soldiers and sailors for building strength and work productivity.
During the Middle Ages
- Garlic was associated in the middle ages with alleviating constipation, preventing heat stroke and enhancing productivity levels.
- Garlic was also prescribed by various medical schools at the time during the winter months to lower the risks for developing breathing disorders.
- French priests often consumed garlic for protection against the bubonic plague and garlic was also hung in braided strands during the middle ages to cast evil spirits.
During the Renaissance
- Physicians prescribed garlic as a medicinal ingredient fighting against digestive disorders and aiding mothers during childbirth.
- Oral evidence suggests that children were baptized in water with garlic for protection against ill-intentioned spirits but also disease.
- Other therapeutic uses were related to a toothache, cardiovascular diseases, and insect bites.
In Recent Times
- It is known that Native Americans used garlic in tea as a general tonic.
- By the 1900s, garlic gained popularity also as a diuretic and for treating lung diseases in both adults and children.
- Nowadays, garlic is recommended in cases of coronary heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart attack. It is also believed to help prevent various types of cancer when consumed regularly.
Often times recommended for consumption per se, garlic can be incorporated as a medicinal ingredient in various foods by chopping and crushing the bulb and letting it sit for a brief amount of time before adding it to a recipe. This process of cooking the garlic activates enzymes in the bulb which subsequently play a key role in converting the allin in the garlic into allicin, both sulfur compounds with many health benefits to the body.