Garlic! Pressed for Success!
Jun 23, 2023
What powerful herb has been found in Egyptian pyramids, Greek temples, and commonly prescribed in ancient Chinese medicine?
I just returned from Girl's Camp where I taught some very brave girls about some of my favorite medicinal herbs! I thought I'd expound a little bit on one that is my go-to herb when the first symptoms of illness emerge. Did you know garlic is a powerful antibiotic, antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial? Although those big words didn't exist two thousand years ago, there is excavated and documented evidence showing that ancient civilizations understood and used the power of garlic. It seems all around the world garlic was prized for its medicinal properties.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, utilized garlic as a cleansing agent, for pulmonary issues, and for abdominal growths. Ancient Egyptian medical texts also indicate the use of garlic for abnormal growths. Garlic is even mentioned in the bible as something Jewish slaves missed after leaving Egypt with Moses. We also know garlic was used medicinally in India, Europe, and early America. During the most recent World Wars garlic was employed by the British as an antiseptic for wounds.
So, what is so great about garlic? Garlic is like nature's penicillin. It contains the powerful compound allicin which activates when garlic is crushed. Allicin is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria strains. Now, without getting too deep, this just means it’s a very successful and powerful antibiotic. But there are two things you need to know about garlic. First, heating garlic negates its medicinal qualities so, cooking with garlic makes food taste Devine, but won't do anything to help your cold symptoms. Second, allicin is what gives garlic its distinctive odor. After crushing a clove of garlic It takes about 10 seconds for this chemical reaction to take place. So, don't be tempted to purchase garlic whose odor has been breeded out. Low odor garlic means low medicinal quality.
If you don't own a garlic press, maybe it's time to get one because fresh garlic is powerful! There are several varieties of presses out there. All of the presses I've tried do a pretty good job of crushing garlic. Something to consider might be the ease of use and how easy it is to clean. Each bulb of garlic contains many cloves of varying sizes. These presses work best if you remove the skin around the clove prior to pressing. Don't remove the outer papery skin until you are ready to press because air oxidizes and shortens shelf life.
Now that you've pressed the garlic out, its time to get it in. This is when I mention those brave young women at Girl's Camp again. They were really good sports! The quickest way to get garlic down is virtually painless. Add a little lemon juice to a small cup, crush in a clove of garlic. Make sure the garlic gets mixed in the lemon juice and doesn't get stuck on the side of the cup. You want it all! Now throw it back in one quick swallow!
If garlic shooters aren't your cup of tea, here are some other ways to consume raw garlic: Use your handy garlic press and crush garlic directly into:
- Warm soup
- Vegetable juice
- Hummus
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo or salsa
- Or simply garnish any meal
You can't over use garlic. If you feel something coming on, feel free to throw back one of these garlic shooters 6 or more times a day. The more the better! Now that you're pressed for success, you're sure to turn a few heads (and maybe a few noses).
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Kristi Taylor is a Master Herbalist, Clinical Herbalist and Natural healing Guide®. She endeavors to share her knowledge and passion of natural healing with whomever will listen – because nature’s wisdom never ceases to delight and amaze!
References
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Ebers papyrus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ebers-papyrus. Accessed 23 June 2023.
Richard S. Rivlin, Historical Perspective on the Use of Garlic, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 131, Issue 3, March 2001, Pages 951S–954S, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/131.3.951S
