GARLIC.

Yesterday, I talked about ginger (read here). Today I want to talk about something I call the twin of ginger which is Garlic. When you continue reading, you’ll see why I call it a twin.

Garlic is a plant of the bulb family. The bulb family also has onions and leeks. You’ll notice that garlic and onions look alike.

There are many parts in one bulb. Each part is known as a clove.

It was and an ancient plant and spice that was used by the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese; of course it’s still in use now. It has a strong and sweet aroma that can drive away odors and give your food an inviting aroma when it’s used as a spice.

Read: The benefits of Ginger.

The Garlic smell is caused by what is referred to as ‘Allicin’ which is very rich in sulphur.

Garlic is also known for its medical and health benefits, some of which are:

1. It is high in Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Selenium, Fibre, Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Iron, Phosphorus as well as other nutrients.

2. It boosts general body immunity. It’s good for you if you have to battle cold often. Eating it will keep the cold and flu away from your reach.

3. It boosts oestrogen levels in females. This can help reduce the risk of bone loss and ‘osteoarthritis’.

4. Garlic also contains substances that increase energy. In the ancient city of Greece, it was given to athletes to reduce stress and boost the strength of workers.  If you exercise a lot, try it out.

5. It contains antioxidants. This is what keeps you from aging. It has been found to decrease the oxidative stress in people with high blood pressure.

6. There are 2 main cholesterol types. LDL (low density lipoproteins) is the bad cholesterol while HDL (high density lipoproteins) is the good cholesterol.  Garlic deals with LDL but doesn’t affect the HDL.

7. Regular intake of garlic boosts the blood pressure. It is great for anyone who has hypertension. 

8. It doesn’t decrease triglyceride level which could put you at a risk for heart disease.

9. If you add up the function of garlic against LDL, blood pressure and the unique effect of it being an antioxidant, it can help combat dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

10. If you work in area with heavy metallic substance such as batteries, generators, masts (radio-active waves) then garlic is good for you. This is because it is high in sulphur and Garlic reduces the level of toxins in the body that’s gotten from lead or any organ-damaging metal. 

11. It’s also a wonderful spice. It gives your meals a distinctive taste.

Here in Nigeria, we use it for stews, soups and many other meals. When it comes to making bean-balls which is commonly called Moin-Moin here, I blend the beans with ginger and garlic and uhmmmmm, the scent is out of this world just as the taste is purely delicious. (Moin-Moin is a meal made from beans that is grinded to a paste, put into leaves, containers or nylons and then it is cooked by the moist heat method)

The taste of Garlic in meat or fish is absolutely fantastic!

You can use a supplement instead of eating Garlic but the plant works faster. There are Garlic oils and Garlic extracts available in the grocery stores or online.

You can take a clove two or three times in a day. Speak with your doctor to know what’s good for your system in case you react to it. 

It is also as strong as an antibiotic so if you eat too much, you can have body odour and a very bad breath that can make people avoid you.

So let’s keep chronic diseases, aging, hypertension and other chronic issues at bay by eating Garlic.

You can chew it, blend it, sprinkle the powder in your food, mix it with ginger or honey and drink it.

Photo credit: natureathome-lb.com