The plant that protects you from evil. It has been known for over 4,000 years and is recommended by doctors.
Known for over 4,000 years, garlic, which we are talking about, is a food with origins in Central Asia. It is mentioned in ancient manuscripts from Greece, Egypt, and India as both an ingredient for cooking and a treatment for diseases. But let’s delve deeper!
The medicinal properties of garlic are legendary
It was used to treat colic, menstrual cramps, liver diseases, parasitic infections, the flu, herpes outbreaks, and skin diseases. Eastern European folklore considers garlic to be apotropaic, meaning it is a product that can ward off evil spirits, demons, and vampires.
Garlic is one of the most commonly used ingredients in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. It is a crucial element in many recipes. Some well-known dishes you love could taste completely bland without garlic, notes Dr. William W. Li in his work “Eat to Beat Disease” (Lifestyle Publishing, 2024).
Allicin, a powerful compound that acts as an antibiotic and helps heal skin infections. Interestingly, allicin is formed only when garlic is chopped or crushed.
Furthermore, Dr. William W. Li
Strong-smelling garlic is clean, chopped, sliced, or grated and sautéed to flavor cooking oil before adding other ingredients. Additionally, garlic is added directly to soups and stews and can be roasted whole alongside other ingredients or used as a filling. Like onions, garlic contains allicin, which gives it fat-fighting properties and activates the body’s defense mechanisms. Researchers in Iran studied the effect of garlic on 90 middle-aged men and women who were obese and suffered from metabolic syndrome, according to Dr. William W. Li.
Waist reduction
They administered to half of the participants garlic powder equivalent to half a teaspoon of freshly grated garlic (one and a half to two), which they had to consume daily. The other half of the participants received a placebo without garlic.
After three months, garlic consumers observed a significant reduction in waist circumference by 1.25 cm, compared to those who received the placebo, who showed no change in waist size. The reduction in waist circumference reflects a decrease in harmful visceral fat in the abdomen, Dr. William W. Li adds.
Delicious stalks
Garlic is available year-round in the form of bulbs with several cloves tied in a bunch, under a parchment-like skin. In summer, you can find garlic stalks at the market. These are the flower stalks of the garlic plant, which form artistic curls resembling a cowboy’s lasso. Although they do not contain as much allicin as the cloves, the stalks are delicious, and consuming them is a way to sustainably use the entire plant, concludes the specialist.
