Well known for its' culinary uses, Garlic is also an outstanding medicinal herb. Its' antibiotic properties make it useful for fighting a wide range of infections in both humans and animals, protecting and prolonging life for all concerned.
Garlic, which is widely cultivated commercially, may grow to be 1-3ft (30-90 cm) tall. The bulb below ground is the main part of the plant to be used medicinally and is divided into segments called cloves. Each bulb contains between 6 and 12 cloves, which often vary tremendously in size, depending on the soil conditions.
An erect stem grows from the garlic bulb to form an umbrella shaped arrangement of flowers clustered together, with linear leaves growing from the base of the stem. The flower cluster, swathed in a papery sheath, varies in colour from purplish white to pale pink or a reddish white, according to the species, soil and chemical influences.
The aromatic, attractive flowers have many small bulbils in between them. Black seeds, which form after flowering has finished (between July and September), ripen in wild Garlic species, but will not do so in cultivated varieties.
Garlic's familiar smell derives from its' sulphur containing constituents, which also give the herb its' medicinal properties. If you crush a clove, allicin is released, which converts to odorous diallyl disulfite.
A traditional antidote to the lingering smell of garlic is to chew a sprig of parsley.
There are many closely related species of Garlic. In Britain these include wild field garlic (Allium oleraceum), which is a common sight in the early summer and grows in damp hedgerows and along riverbanks. It has small but strong-smelling bulbs.
Ramsons (A. ursinum) is another common Allium species. It has very broad leaves that make it an excellent, pungent addition to a salad. Ramsons has many of the same medicinal uses as Garlic and a long history as a healing herb, as this ancient Old English rhyme attests:
Eat Leeks in Lide and
Ramsons in May
And all the year after
Physicians may play!
Definition
Botanical family: Liliaceae (though it is sometimes assigned to Alliaceae). Species: Allium sativum is the Garlic that is most frequently used medicinally and, unless otherwise stated, is the species referred to in this book. There are 500 other members of the Allium family, including leeks, onions, chives and shallots, as well as different types of garlic suitable for medicinal use in a similar manner to a. sativum.
Exploring Garlic
Garlic has a history of recorded use stretching back about 5,000 years. Some believe it originated in Central Asia, while others think it came from the Kirgiz desert in Western Siberia. Today it is widely cultivated around the world.
Where to Find Garlic
Both wild and cultivated varieties of Garlic grow all over the globe. The herb can be found growing in Asia, Egypt, Pakistan, China, Russia and the United States and in Mediterranean regions of Europe, for example, in Greece, Italy, Spain and France.
Field Garlic (A. oleraceum) can be found growing wild in parts of Britain, notably in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, but Ramsoms (A. ursinum) is the most common type of wild Garlic in Britain. It grows on rich, loamy, mildly acidic soil and is self-pollinated. Unlike Garlic, Ramsons is used mainly for its' leaves.
In the United States, Field Garlic (A. vineale), known as Crow Garlic in Britain, can be found in the fields of Massachusetts, Michigan and New York State. It has attractive pink and white flowers and reaches a height of 1-3ft (30-90 cm) depending on the soil. A similar looking type of wild Garlic (A. canadense) grows in meadows in Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as in southern Ontario and Quebec in Canada. It has fewer flowers than Field Garlic and only grows to1-1 ½ feet (30-45cm) in height.
Commercial Growers
Two countries produce the bulk of commercially grown Garlic, namely the United States and China. Other countries also produce large amounts, but primarily for their own needs with only a small quantity reserved for export.
Soil Requirements
Although Garlic will grow almost anywhere, it thrives best in well-drained soil, preferably sandy or silty loam that is rich in organic matter. Ideally the PH should be neutral or slightly acid. This type of soil is particularly suitable because it enables Garlic to establish a good root system, producing roots that can grow down for 2-3ft (60-90cm) and draw up plenty of moisture and nutrients. These nutrients are invaluable to the plant: they ensure that Garlic is rich in vital vitamins, minerals and other important plant chemical constituents.
Probably one of the oldest 'cure-alls' in the world, Garlic was used by ancient cultures in many of the same ways as it is used today, to combat coughs, colds and a host of other infections.
Names and Folklore
One of Garlic's common names is poor man's treacle. 'Treacle' derives from the Chaucerian word theriac, meaning 'heal-all' - 'poor man's heal-all' sums up Garlic's cheap, all-round healing properties.
The Anglo Saxons called the plant garlic or garleac, based on a visual description of the leaves: gar means 'spear' or 'lance and lac means 'plant'; leac means 'potherb'. Ajoene, one of Garlic's chemicals, takes its' name from the Spanish for Garlic, ajo.
Traditional Uses
Garlic has a long history of medicinal use. Archaeologists found evidence of the herb in Egyptian tombs dating back to 3750BCE, and slaves in Egypt were given Garlic as part of their daily food ration. Garlic is not, however, mentioned in the records of Chinese medicine until 500CE.
The ancient Greek scholar and herbalist Pliny listed 62 medicinal uses for Garlic, and Aristotle recommended it as a treatment for rabies. Other historical uses for Garlic include the treatment of leprosy, scorpion bites, scrofulous sores, smallpox and anthrax.
The Vikings and Phoenicians put Garlic in their sea-chests before starting long voyages, and in Romany lore it is one of the five healing foods (the others are onion, lemon, chilli and honey).
Garlic's anti-infective properties have long been put to good use. In medieval times, the famous French 'Four Thieves' Mixture' which contained Garlic, is said to have enabled grave robbers to plunder graves without contracting the plague. In World War I, sphagnum moss, which has antimicrobial properties, was soaked in diluted Garlic juice and bandaged onto wounds to help control infection and assist healing
During World War II, the Russians practiced the same methods. Furthermore, syrup of Garlic was, for many centuries, used to treat respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, colds, asthma, coughs, tuberculosis and whooping cough.
Garlic is a traditional worming remedy. In India and the West it is added to milk and drunk to expel intestinal worms. In India, Garlic has been used in a variety of other ways, in particular to treat diabetes.
In the past, Garlic was used to treat skin disorders such as acne, as well as high blood pressure, low blood pressure and a range of heart complaints including angina. Garlic has also been a circulatory remedy since Roman times.
The Garlic bulb is used medicinally. Other parts of the plant have the same constituents, but to a lesser degree. Generally the leaves, flowers and stems are not used medicinally, although they are a healing food.
Bulbs
Garlic bulbs can vary tremendously in size and colour, according to the soil in which they have been grown. The alum sativum bulb, when fresh, is held together by several layers of whitish to pinkish purple skin (the colour depends on the species).
Inside the skin lie a number of cloves, of varying sizes and shapes. These plump, half moon-shaped cloves are enclosed in membranous white coverings. After being peeled for consumption, the cloves inside are smooth and pearly-white in colour.
Chemical Constituents
Garlic's main active constituent is alliin, which is contained in its' volatile oil. When crushed, alliin converts to allicin. Allicin and other constituents include minerals such as zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and trace minerals; vitamins (mainly A, B, C and E); and enzymes, carbohydrates, essential oils, fatty acids, sterols, flavonoids, nucleosides, anthocyanins and more than 200 other sulphur compounds. Garlic also contains 17 amino acids, which include lysine, arginine and cysteine.
Stems and Leaves
Similar in appearance to grass, the leaves of Garlic are long, narrow and flattened. The leaves form a point and at their base they wrap around the stem until one side of the leaf meets the other. Garlic stems and leaves have some of the same constituents as the bulb and may be eaten as a healing food.
Flowers and Seeds
The flowers, which bloom in the summer, are located at the top of the stalk, which rises straight from the bulb. The flowers are grouped together in a spathe, which is a rounded globular head with a translucent whitish-green cover that resembles a pixie-hat. The delicate flowers come in a variety of white and cream shades, although occasionally they are lilac or pink. The flowers look pretty in salads and are a useful tonic food. Alternatively, they can be left to bloom and seed for decoration well into the fall, or can be used dried in floral arrangements.
Garlic is one of the most popular and well-established healers in the herbal repertoire. In Germany, Garlic preparations outsell all other herbs and so important is the plant that one pharmaceutical company even made a bid to patent some of its' constituents. Among its' many actions, Garlic reduces blood cholesterol, stabilizes blood-sugar levels and is an important natural antibiotic. It also helps people with allergies by clearing allergens and heavy metals from the body.
How Garlic Can Help
Eating garlic regularly can help to ease circulatory and heart complaints, ranging from high or low blood pressure, to angina. Heart disease can arise for many different reasons, but one common cause is excessive amounts of cholesterol in the blood, which build up into plaque deposits that block the coronary arteries. These can cause angina, a severe pain that indicates the heart is not receiving sufficient blood.
Regular ingestion of Garlic can help to lower blood cholesterol levels significantly. This in turn can drastically reduce angina and in some cases may even help to prevent heart attacks.
Garlic is able to improve the quality of the blood by raising the level of haemoglobin and the red blood cell count - this is very helpful for people with anaemia.
Statistics show that in countries where Garlic is eaten frequently, the immune systems of indigenous peoples are generally more active in fighting off cancer; in particular, fewer deaths from stomach cancer are recorded.
Garlic appears to block the formation of cancer-causing compounds, preventing their ability to form tumours.
The Nobel Prizewinner Dr. Arther Stoll proved that Garlic is an important antimicrobial agent. It can treat a variety of disorders from whooping cough and colds, to candida and salmonella infections, worm and parasitic infestations, dysentery, diarrhea and constipation. Old remedies abound for using Garlic to treat respiratory problems varying from the common cold or sore throat, to emphysema, pneumonia and tuberculosis.
Particularly now that overuse of antibiotics is becoming increasingly common, Garlic is most useful as a natural antibiotic.
Garlic is helpful for diabetics too because it helps to stabilize blood-sugar levels and encourages the pancreas to produce insulin. It is also a fine anti-allergy food that helps to ease hay fever, asthma, allergic rhinitis and food allergies.
Garlic is helpful for diabetics too because it helps to stabilize blood-sugar levels and encourages the pancreas to produce insulin. It is also a fine anti-allergy food that helps to ease hay fever, asthma, allergic rhinitis and food allergies.
Garlic seems to normalize the metabolism and it also helps to detoxify the body's systems by binding with heavy metals and other harmful pollutants and destroying them.
Garlic is an antibiotic. It destroys a range of invasive microbes, including the bacteria that cause anthrax and tuberculosis. It also helps to fight infections of the digestive tract.
Effective antiparasitic
An effective antiparasitic agent, Garlic helps to displace parasitic infestations such as Giardia lamblia and Endameba histolytica. These organisms are sensitive to the sulphur compounds (particularly allicin) in Garlic.
Blood Improver
Some of Garlic's healing abilities are due to its' fibrinolytic action, which increases the speed at which blood flows around the system, making it less likely to clot and resulting in faster circulation and better metabolism of oxygen. The compound in Garlic that achieves this is ajoene.
Immunity Enhancer
Garlic has the ability to improve the number of 'helper suppressor cells' and blood platelet count in the body. It also increases the levels of globulin (protein from which antibodies are made) in the blood and stimulates macrophage activity (scavenger cells that destroy bacteria).
Antifungal Agent
Partly as a result of its antioxidant properties, Garlic has effective antifungal properties. In the case of the candida fungus (which causes thrush), Garlic attaches itself to the fungus and destroys it.
Digestive Remedy
The healing compounds in Garlic can both soothe an upset stomach and activate bowel movements by encouraging peristalsis (the wave like action of the gut that propels food through it). Garlic destroys a range of bacteria, viruses and fungi infecting the gut and boosts levels of beneficial intestinal bacteria, making it a good remedy for all-round digestive health. Digestive remedy
The healing compounds in Garlic can both soothe an upset stomach and activate bowel movements by encouraging peristalsis (the wave like action of the gut that propels food through it). Garlic destroys a range of bacteria, viruses and fungi infecting the gut and boosts levels of beneficial intestinal bacteria, making it a good remedy for all-round digestive health.
Cancer Preventative
Garlic inhibits the formation of nitrosamine (cancer-inducing compounds) by stopping nitrosamines, which are toxic chemicals found in food and the environment, from binding to healthy cells. Garlic also stimulates liver enzymes that are thought to be partly responsible for anticarcinogenic reactions.
Heart Health and Blood Pressure
Allicin (a sulphur compound) accelerates the livers' ability to break down lipids (fatty substances called cholesterol and triglycerides), which will otherwise build up on the inside of artery walls and result in heart disease. Garlic also contains anticoagulants that thin the blood and thereby reduce high blood pressure.
Lung Medicine
The sulphur compounds in Garlic work together to give the herb an expectorant action. Garlic reduces excessive mucus levels in the lungs, thus alleviating many bronchial disorders such as chronic catarrh and bronchitis.
Degenerative Diseases
Garlic has minerals and other constituents that act as antioxidants. They mop up free radicals (harmful particles) that would otherwise damage the body. Thus Garlic helps prevent a range of degenerative diseases.
Male Sexual Dysfunction
According to Peter Joshling, author of The Complete Garlic Handbook, studies have shown that Garlic in certain forms can stimulate the production of nitric oxide synthase, which is primarily responsible for the mechanism of penile erection.
Adrenal Gland Support
Garlic increases production of monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes are responsible for breaking down and excreting adrenaline and other harmful chemicals from the blood. In this way, Garlic supports the systems and organs of the body, helping them to work efficiently.
Summary
Garlic should feature regularly on everyone's menu. It benefits a wide range of metabolic, cellular and chemical processes in the body. In particular, it helps the digestive, circulatory and immune systems to function at optimum level and it destroys harmful bacteria and free radicals. Truly, Garlic deserves its' ancient reputation as a 'cure-all'.
Most Europeans consume large amounts of Garlic without problem - it is a very safe herb. However, because of its' stimulating qualities, practitioners of some forms of yoga are warned against eating it. Garlic can also occasionally damage blood cells and lead to anaemia in some sensitive cases or where a person already suffers from ill-health. Bernard Jensen, the renowned American healer and herbalist, warns that eating more than one clove of raw Garlic a day on a long-term basis can irritate the bowel wall in some people. He also cautions that raw Garlic can cause heartburn, stomach ulcers and wind.
People suffering from colitis may wish to try small amounts of Garlic first to make sure that it does not cause irritation.
When chopping very large quantities of Garlic, take care not to let it remain in contact with the skin for any length of time, because it can burn. In small amounts, however, Garlic oil penetrating the skin will have a beneficial effect in the body.
With an ancient history and remarkable properties, Garlic engenders a range of emotions and has an important place in folklore. Garlic is unparalleled in its' strength, enabling the body to protect itself and taking over when the body is too weak to look after itself. It has long been believed that Garlic can ward of evil and in some cultures it has been adopted as a good-luck amulet.
Taste
Hot, spicy Garlic has a central place at the heart of cuisines all over the world. Its' powerful taste has always exerted an important influence on the emotions. In Chinese medicine, Garlic is viewed energetically as hot and spicy, with a particular affinity for the lungs, kidneys, spleen, stomach and colon. It is a very stimulating powerful, tonic food that benefits the whole digestive system from mouth to bowel.
Smell
Many people find the smell of Garlic unpleasant on the breath. Country, family and social rituals must be taken into account when considering opinions on the odour of Garlic, but suffice to say that many Europeans are extremely relaxed and happy with its' sulphurous smell.
The chemicals that give Garlic its' smell also impart its' healing properties, so 'odour-free' products do not work as well as raw Garlic. It is possible that just inhaling Garlic's odour can help in the cure of some diseases, for example, tuberculosis.
In traditional folklore, Garlic is held to protect against vampires, bats and dark forces. It represents redemption from terrifying, otherworldly forces. Any truth in this reputation lies in the fact that Garlic helps to guard against physical, emotional and mental disturbances. In some parts of the world, for example South America, Garlic is used to repel vampire bats, and it is fed to horses, cows and other livestock to protect them against attacks from bats.
Garlic is a safe herbal remedy that is usually ideal for everyone. However, if you find that it upsets you, follow your body's warning signs and omit it from your diet.
Pregnancy
Garlic can be enjoyed safely throughout pregnancy. It promotes good health in general and in particular it boosts the digestive and immune systems. It is sometimes not advisable to prescribe antibiotics for pregnant women and in these cases Garlic is a natural antibiotic alternative.
Research has shown that Garlic has a growth promoting effect on the placenta, an action that can help prevent or lessen the effect of some pregnancy complications. By improving the functioning of the placenta, which nourishes the fetus, Garlic is believed to help prevent low birthweight, so if you cannot give up smoking, adding Garlic to your diet may alleviate some of the effects.
Garlic can also reduce other placental problems, such as pre-eclampsia (raised blood pressure and protein in the urine). Some of Garlics' effectiveness appears to be due to the reduction of activity of key enzymes that are produced in abnormal pregnancies.
Children
If all children eat Garlic from an early age, they will accept it as a normal part of life, as children do in southern Europe. Garlic keeps children in good health. I particular it is a natural antibiotic and will make them less prone to coughs, colds, flu and other common infections. This is of great importance now that doctors are reluctant to prescribe antibiotics. Cooking with Garlic is safe for children of all ages, but consult a herbal practitioner before giving children under 12 medicinal doses of Garlic.
Elderly People
The immune, circulatory and digestive systems all become weakened with age. The elderly are advised to use Garlic both in cooking and medicinally, to help slow down or reverse this effect. Unlike children, the elderly are likely to have antibiotics prescribed for them by doctors, but increasingly antibiotics are not working in the same way as in the past, now that antibiotic resistant bacteria are emerging. Garlic has a great role to play in preventing the need for such antibiotics. It is also an excellent remedy for heart health and can help to reduce blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
Garlic has nearly 20 major chemical actions in the body, all with profound effects. To date, 33 sulphur compounds have been found in Garlic, the largest quantity so far discovered in a plant. Each of these have different roles. Among sulphurs' many attributes is its' ability to break down cholesterol - good news given the high fat diets that so many people consume today.
Garlic has the following chemical properties and other components:
Alliin: A sulphur that contains an amino acid from which allicin is made. Alliin can kill a wide spectrum of unfavourable microbes and bacteria.
Allicin: Responsible for Garlics' odour, it contributes to the plants' effectiveness as an antibacterial agent. Allicin also have anti-inflammatory abilities, which makes it useful for many auto-immune diseases. Allicin is activated only when the cloves are cut or crushed (it eventually becomes diallyldisulfide oxide, in a series of natural reactions). However, it is best not to crush Garlic.
Allithiamine: formed when vitamin B¹, or thiamine, in Garlic reacts with alliin. Vitamin B¹ naturally contains sulphur.
Biotin: another B vitamin found in Garlic which also contains sulphur. Vitamin B¹ and biotin both nourish the nervous system and brain. This happens partly because the sulphur they contain can force lecithin (needed for brain chemistry) into the brain and nervous system. They also help prevent cholesterol from depositing in the arteries.
Essential oil: Lowers cholesterol and lipid (fat) levels in the blood. It has an extremely strong, long-lasting odour, which is not necessarily a bad thing because the odour also heals the body.
Selenium: A useful sulphur-type trace mineral that has antioxidant properties. Selenium may help inhibit cancer formation. It also helps prevent heavy metals from damaging the body.
Germanium: A trace mineral with a number of positive attributes, one being that it is a powerful antioxidant.
Gurwitch rays: Emitted by Garlic, these are an unusual type of ultraviolet radiation called Mitogenic Radiation. The rays have stimulating growth capabilities and can rejuvenate the whole body.
Louis Pasteur was one of the first people to discover Garlics' remarkable properties - he found that it has a very similar antibiotic effect to penicillin. Currently scientists are researching Garlics' antibacterial and antifungal qualities and investigating it as a remedy for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Japanese research, for example, shows that Garlic is rich in germanium, a trace mineral that can help treat and prevent low blood sugar, diabetes and cancer.
Researchers in the United States and in Oxford, United Kingdom, have found that Garlic supplements help to reduce high blood cholesterol levels. In trials a reduction of 12% was achieved after four weeks. Garlic also significantly lowered triglycerides (potentially harmful blood fats).
Research by Dr. Paavo Airola, in Kerala, India, showed that Garlic reduced lipid fat levels in the blood and in the liver. Dr. Airola also reported on clinical trials on 114 patients in Germany that proved Garlic can reduce high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis.
Garlic also reduces blood-sugar levels. In a German study there was an 11% reduction in the blood sugar levels of people taking Garlic. Research in the United States showed that Garlic releases 15 different kinds of antioxidant chemicals. According to research, the plant also improves male fertility and libido levels and can help to strengthen or induce erection.
Taking Garlic during pregnancy may cut the risk of pre-eclampsia. Research at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London, United Kingdom, also found that if pregnant women regularly ate Garlic, they were less likely to have a low birthweight baby.
A Russian electrobiologist, Professor Gurwitch, discovered that Garlic emits a type of ultraviolet radiation called Mitogenic Radiations. Now referred to as Gurwitch rays, they have a cell-stimulating growth capability and a generalized rejuvenating effect on the body.
Finally, Bernard Jensen at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that Garlic extract retarded the growth of skin cancer cells.
