Before I go further in my comments about garlic I want to publish a disclaimer that I am not a doctor or making claims in that arena. What is published here is my experience and my opinion alone, and even some notes from Wikipedia and it may be shared with others because it is common knowledge.
Many kudos to the first person who discovered how good garlic is. That was a brave soul indeed! And if he or she was married, I hope it didn't affect anything. But all kidding aside, I really appreciate garlic both for its culinary virtues and its medicinal ones. Garlic dates back 6,000 years and its origins are in Central Asia. Right now, as I'm writing this, I'm chewing on a clove (ever so carefully) to help with some pain in my glands. How can that help you ask? Well I'm glad you asked.
Garlic is an antiviral, anti-fungal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory wonder. The antibiotic in garlic is Allistatin. It has also been reported to ward off heart disease as well as some forms of cancers. Some people would argue that is an anti-social wonder as well but we will leave that aside. It's one of the few condiments that can truly help with ailments. No wonder there is the stereotype of warding off evil with garlic. It has also been known in herbal folklore to manage cholesterol levels as well as be used as a natural mosquito repellant. It's also known to be a blood thinner. If you were a mosquito, would you want to mess with that blood? No way! Garlic contains allicin and sulfides, which are very strong compounds. If you ever chewed on a piece of garlic, it can be very painful to your taste buds. In 1858, Louis Pasteur observed garlic's antibacterial activity, and it was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World War I and World War II.
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In 1924, it was found to be an effective way to prevent scurvy, because of its high vitamin C content.
In the cooking end of things, it helps add so much flavor and "umph" to what you are cooking, especially in Italian dishes.
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One of my favorite ways to have garlic is to sauté the cloves in oil and just eat them as a treat. Or you can mash them and put them on toast. Garlic is also good as a marinade for chicken and a great rub for fish.
Gilroy, CA, a major player in growing garlic….is known for their annual garlic festival. In fact, it's going on now. They even feature garlic ice cream. Now THAT is going too far!!! Visit this website to view information. http://www.gilroygarlicfestival.com/
