I feel like I’m constantly talking about garlic. I grow a hardneck variety of garlic in my garden and identifying it is always the first question visitors to my garden ask.
What’s that funny looking leek?
Some think leeks, some think lily, my neighbor across the street thought onion. It’s one of the first big plants in the spring garden, strong and green when everything else is puny baby-sized. Then, it gets really tall and sends out crazy alien looking seed pods. (They are called scapes, and of course, they are delish.) Then, when the heat really gets established in mid-summer, it dries up and is dead and sorry looking within a week. It definitely has it’s own rhythm, but I find planting it every fall to be a nice change after a long summer of harvesting. It always feels like a promise to my garden. I plant my carefully separated cloves, the biggest cloves, from the largest and best of the heads harvested. They get nestled under at least 4″ of mulch and left alone for winter. Those little cloves draw me back to the garden, even through winter. Just to check on them. They represent 5 years of breeding now, (hopefully) containing helpful traits to my particular micro-climate. Every spring they are a balm to my soul, just when I think I can’t stand another grey cold day, up pop the garlic shoots.
I use it in most of my cooking. Bulbs that get damaged in harvest go into the dehydrator, or chopped in some oil in the fridge, or tossed into what ever is getting canned that week. Or they get eaten… Mmmm roasted garlic.
Undamaged bulbs will last well into the next spring, if stored away from light in a cold cellar. No fancy equipment needed for harvest or storage, just some bags. For a year’s worth of eating, I would plan to harvest 12 heads for each family member. (Plus 2 or 3 heads per person to seed the next crop.)
It smells funny, so of course it’s good for you.
- High levels of Vit C.
- High levels of Potassium, this can aid in absorption of nutrients, and help avoid digestive problems and fatigue as well.
- An organic compound called allicin– which gives garlic its aroma and flavor – acts as the world’s most powerful antioxidant.
- Garlic assists some people in the management of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Modern science has shown that garlic is a powerful natural antibiotic, albeit broad-spectrum rather than targeted. The bacteria in the body do not appear to evolve resistance to the garlic as they do to many modern pharmaceutical antibiotics. This means that its positive health benefits can continue over time rather than helping to breed antibiotic resistant “superbugs”. Skin conditions caused by bacteria, virus, fungi or yeast can be treated by rubbing raw chopped garlic on the affected area.
The hydrogen sulfide in garlic is what makes it so effective at preventing a wide variety of cancers including, prostate, breast, and colon cancer.
Some people who want the health benefits without the taste prefer to take garlic supplements. These pills and capsules have the advantage of avoiding garlic breath. You can make your own capsules if you dehydrate some of your garlic crop. Eleanor Roosevelt would eat three chocolate-covered garlic balls daily to improve her memory.
- Calamity Jane
“It smells funny, so of course it’s good for you.”
Exactly. Do what your dog would do: if it stinks, put it in your mouth!
just harvested some yesterday… about 15 heads. Next year i will follow your recommendations by increasing the amount planted.
When we were kids my grandmother used to have us eat garlic when we got ear infections. She grew it in her garden and used it for all sorts of different medicinal purposes.
Totally agree with everything you said about garlic, the benefits are enormous. I use it quite often from scrambled egg whites to dinner.
I have a juicer & once decided to try a tiny little piece in my veggie concoction … SHTF, the taste nearly knocked me over! That experience taught me to stick to the raw, solid version …
Garlic scapes are yummy too.
Some people take garlic capsules ……..its good for you , but on the down side , they will make you stink .
you have completely overlooked the advantage of garlic and how it drives away vampires
+1
My favorite watering hole in the mountains of alpine has a much better way of getting your garlic. They make garlic fries with large chunks of garlic added! You leak garlic for 3 days. The only down side is your other half better eat some too or somebody is sleeping on the couch!
Pure superstition. You put people at risk by claiming garlic will cure anything. Voodoo magic.
How do you know?
PS
http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/garlic-health-benefits.html
If you read what this site promotes you will see a litany of quackism. This site is an example of the point I am making. Science does not support this belief that magical herbs will prevent disease and save lives. It is a form of a bizarre religious belief in pure superstition about herbs and potions making magical cures. It is illegal to sell this stuff and make these claims about them; it is fraud. It is immoral to make these claims and suck in stupid and low IQ people who actually believe it and use these magic potions instead of science based medicine. It is stupid superstition, voodoo and makes intelligent people question everything else you say. Do you still believe throwing virgins into the volcano will appease the volcano gods? Do you hang garlic around your neck? Why are otherwise normal people so easily sucked into this belief system? Give me a single verified example of garlic curing or preventing any disease. You can’t because it is all old wives tales and mysticism.
http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20000905071704data_trunc_sys.shtml
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/300.html
http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=21729
Off of the garlic subject but 2 extensive studies that prove that diet alone (no pharmaceuticals) can prevent & reverse diseases.
The China Study. Written by a doctor who conducted a 20+ year study with THOUSANDS of case studies that proved a vast, rural culture had NO historical cases of heart disease or cancer. None, zero.
Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease. Written by a well known cardiac surgeon & a former Olympic Gold Medalist who conclusively proved & documented in his book that heart disease can be reversed & is NOT genetic. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk with him, one on one, for several hours.
Also, I met the head of all research at the Jonas Salk Institute & is the foremost expert in the world with regards to diet as a prevention to disease & he independently confirmed the above.
I think these guys may have an edge over guys like you & me.
All of that aside, garlic is a fantastic & tasty food additive.
sillyMe -
Did you get a chance to refute the info provided in the links? Please let me know before I toss another virgin with a garlic necklace into the volcano.
I wish it were true. Wouldn’t it be great? All rainbows and unicorns. Take garlic and live forever. Not a single death from heart disease. Sounds great. How could legitimate honest scientists and doctors have missed this?? Why is it only the charletons and quacks are privy to this great discovery? But you found some “studies” you say! Just follow the links and refute it. But wait! But wait! I can google alien abduction and find over a million links. Does that make it true? Please tell me you don’t believe in alien abduction. If you do I promise not to try to change your mind. I will admit defeat and recognize I am wasting my time. By the way I worked with a guy, a Korean immigrant, who ate garlic everyday. In fact he smelled like garlic, you couldn’t even walk into his office it smelled so strong. He did indeed have a heart attack. He survived, probably thanks to the garlic and not the stent and excellent health care we have here in this country. To bad the hospital didn’t know all they had to do was tell him to take two garlic cloves and call in the morning. My bottom line on this is you can believe what you want to but to put these superstition based ideas out there as fact is a disservice.
I used to not believe in Alien abductions until the virgin with the garlic necklace whom I tossed into the volcano was rescued by an Alien before hitting the lava. What are the odds of that?
The links I posted were from credible & medical sources with which you requested but yet, your refutation is merely sidestepping with outrageous & silly examples. I guess these studies & there are plenty more, are wrong? Just because it does not fit your personal beliefs, biases or hang ups does not make them false.
Maybe read the books I included in my post for a different perspective. You can try to refute them with the same jaundice eye with which you read.
It’s ok to learn something new even at your age. Really, it’s ok …
I suppose next you will tell me there is nothing wrong with McDonalds burgers, in fact is healthy for you ….
I have always been stumped by the McDonalds bigotry. What, exactly, is bad about a McDonalds burger? Is it the beef? The bread? The lettuce, the ketchup, the cheese? What, exactly? And how many does it take to kill you? 1, 100, 1000? Pretty much McDonalds serves what we all eat at home and we have recently passed another record in longevity in this country.
Come on Gone With The Wind, you tried that silly argument before & too pinheaded to look outside of your very limited scope. Why don’t you provide me some credible study showing how McDonalds is good for you.
Heck, Morgan Spurlock’s documentary about how the steady diet of it nearly killed him you’ll say it all made up. And why did McDonalds eliminated the Super Size option & kids meals have 1/2 the fries & give sliced apples? Coincidence? Yea, right …
I know you won’t look anything up & will remain bullheaded & go back into your circle (lack of) logic statements like Aliens, Loch Ness Monsters, Unicorns or Big Foot.
You’re blind & just don’t know it.
What is “nearly killed”? What was it that “nearly killed” him? Was it hamburger? Should we all stop eating hamburger? Maybe it was the special sauce. No! It must be the buns, all that white flour! But wait, but wait! It’s the pickles. That’s it those pickles nearly killed him. What was it that nearly killed him? We all eat bread, hamburger, ketchup, lettuce, cheese, etc. What was it??? I know! It was bias pure and simple. You hate McDonalds and look for any reason to spread BS about them.
Maybe it’s those Idaho potatoes in the french fries…
Yes & like your alter ego – Gone With The Wind, you provide nothing but haute, stupid arrogance. Supply anything, anything from any credible source stating McDonalds is good for you. You did this nonsense before & you never will because of your desire to be blind.
You may want to do a little research as to the credibility of that movie & the number of experts that confirm his findings & you’ll …. probably fight like a mule to maintain a idiotic, baseless position.
You are amazing, I’ve never met a bigger fool.
Best of luck ~
Here you go smart guy – refute this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2diPZOtty0&feature=fvwrel
How can I possibly refute such an open minded and purely scientific study like that? Bwahahaha!
Seriously, do you REALLY think this needs to be refuted??? It was a transparent effort by Spurlock for attention. No one thinks there is any redeeming social or scientific value in this. Well no one who has successfully graduated from high school. Ask yourself why he didn’t pick Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. The answer is simple; more bigots/haters blindly hate McDonalds so it was an easy win. Had he choosen something from Whole Foods the loony left food bigots would have booed him. He took the easy target. My guess is next he will go after Walmart…
So you still haven’t even attempted the two big and I might add, easy questions: 1. What, exactly, in a McDonalds meal is gonna kill me? 2. How long does it take or how many Big Macs does it take to kill me?
Silly – see 2 comments above ^
The answer is easy; McDonalds hamburgers and fries are just food. It won’t hurt you and certainly won’t “almost kill” you. There are no magic foods or “bad” foods. A good and healthy diet is a diverse diet with a variety of vegetables, fruits and meat. Don’t self limit foods as in low carb or vegetarian diets and avoid fad diets and so-called health foods and supplements. If you have allergies then avoid those foods and if you have health issues where a specific diet would help you then by all means follow your doctors advice. If you are a little overweight, say 10-30 lbs, then reduce your calories and start a reasonable excercise program. If you are a lot overweight, say 30-60 lbs, your challenge is greater but it’s still possible with a good diet and excercise to lose the excess pounds. If you haven’t been in an excercise program in the past then start very gradually and avoid the tendency to overdo excercise as your strength and condition improves. If you are obese, that is 100 or more pounds overweight, you probably have a genetic predisposition to be obese and you will be fighting a losing battle to ever reach normal weight. But you can reduce your weight through diet and excercise and you may have to commit to a lifetime of watching your calorie intake and getting excercise everyday and still never reach a “normal” weight. Mcdonalds or pizza or ice cream won’t kill you and whole foods or organic foods or secret supplements won’t make you healthy. Be skeptical of the latest food trends and fad diets. These things come and go and famous people and even doctors sometimes fall prey to the seductive message of some new berry or juice drink or secret Asian supplement and how they will give you perfect health, avoid diseases and live to be 100 years old. The propaganda is often very convincing and the superstar endorsements can be appealing. But whatever the latest fad in so-called health food is next year it will be something else and after that something else ad infinitum. Don’t be an easy mark, be skeptical and use common sense.
I guess we all need to justify & rationalize our choices independent of your definition of common sense. You simply enjoy being contrary & argue for argument sakes.
Sorry pal but I have spoken, personally, to some of the most renown people in the world regarding this subject & you are sadly mistaken. Any reasonable cardiologist or oncologist in the world will tell you that you are misguided if not, they are the quacks.
Best of luck & end of discussion for Jason.
as a cure for everything i consume two very large bulbs (not cloves) of fresh, crushed, organic garlic. it must be organic and we buy local california garlic. i mix it with various things; one avocado combined with the crushed garlic is a good way to consume it. of course you must build up to such a large dose, perhaps over one year of eating smaller quantities because you really do not want to overload your system. and everyone is different, so use caution when trying new things. but this works for me and i have not even had a mild cold since 1989. it is also important to do this on a day that you can rest and drink plenty of water. takes a couple days to work through your system and you must not take this dose of garlic with any sort of medication. the garlic thins the blood which combined with certain medication is not a good idea. it is also workable to mix the garlic with thick organic plain yoghurt with some added olive oil and a bit of sea salt. it takes about 30 minutes to consume the dose by one spoonful at a time. the garlic must be crushed and eaten right away because the active ingredient allicin springs out of the garlic approximately 20 minutes after it has been crushed and fades away after that. allicin has been clinically proven to destroy cancer cells. so you want to have the benefit of allicin in your system during the active period. never use packaged or pre-peeled garlic. use with caution. and after a couple days be sure to eat plenty of plain organic yoghurt with live cultures to replace any healthy bacteria that the garlic may have carried away.
How often do you do this? I am very interested.
Also, does it make you stink? I have experienced being around people who have consumed garlic & their odor enters the room before they do physically, if you get my drift – ha, ha.
Just got this from Amazon – read about & it has the same benefits without the odor & has an interesting taste. A bit pricey but am willing to give it a go ~
http://www.amazon.com/Rare-Tea-Cellar-Black-Garlic/dp/B006O02832/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1342491017&sr=1-1&keywords=black+garlic