Although garlic is most often used today to season foods, it had many other uses, mostly superstitious, throughout history.
The ancient Romans, for example, fed it to their soldiers because they believed it had the power to make the fighting men strong and courageous.
In the Middle Ages, garlic was eaten as a defense against the plague. It was also worn on the body to fight off vampires, werewolves, and the effects of a witch’s evil eye.
Many people still believe in garlic as an all-around medicine. They crush it and rub it on their skin to cure insect bites and stings; they make a syrup of it, which they drink to cure colds; and they wrap the cloves in moist cloths and place it on their chest to cure bronchial complaints.
Gardeners put garlic in the soil around peach trees to discourage borers from entering and damaging the trees.
Garlic actually does have some value as a medicine, for it contains the antibiotic allium, which lowers a person’s blood pressure!
Related Posts
-
Why is Fresh Garlic Better than Garlic Powder and How is Garlic Powder Made?
We share your love of garlic. When my foodie wife and I first met for a blind coffee date, she didn't ask about my religion, politics, or income. Practically her first question was…
-
How much Garlic should I use when Cooking and Why does Chopped Garlic have a Stronger Flavor?
When the cells of a garlic clove are broken open by slicing, crushing, or chewing, an enzyme (alliinase) in the cell vacuoles spills out and reacts with a precursor compound (alliin) in another…
-
How is Garlic Oil Made and Is Garlic Oil Toxic to Humans?
We must be careful to distinguish between garlic oil, the intrinsic essential oil of the garlic plant, Allium sativum, and garlic-infused oil, an edible vegetable oil (usually olive oil) that has been flavored…
-
What’s So Magical About Magic Squares?
All your troubles would be over if you had a magic square! At least that's what people believed long ago in China, India, Greece, and Rome. A magic square is an arrangement of…
-
What is mummy powder and how is the magical wonder drug good for you?
We'll get into how mummy powder is good for you in a minute. First, though, let's look at the mummy situation from a 12th-century, Egyptian point of view. Finding mummies in your garden…
-
What Was Excalibur and How Did King Arthur Find the Magical Sword Excalibur In the Arthurian Legend?
Although Arthur had proved himself king, many knights and barons refused to respect his rule. Arthur had to lead his army through several battles to crush his enemies and establish his power. With…
