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Garlic: A Vampire’s Worst Enemy And Your Best Friend

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According to legend, garlic is your best defense against vampires. While that is handy information to have with Halloween just around the corner, garlic will do much more than that. Garlic may also be your best defense against a host of physical maladies, including the common cold. Recent studies suggest that people who take daily garlic supplements will catch fewer common colds than people who do not supplement with garlic.

So exactly what is the magic behind garlic? Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years. It is a perennial that originally came from central Asia and is now cultivated throughout the world. There are more than 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide. American garlic, with its white, papery skin and strong flavor is one of the most common varieties. Italian and Mexican garlic, both of which have pink-to purple-colored skins, are slightly milder-flavored varieties. Garlic is part of the onion family Alliaceae, which also includes shallots, chives and leeks.

Medically speaking, the most important part of the plant is the bulb. Each bulb is made up of several cloves. When cloves are chewed, crushed or cut, they release a sulphur-bearing compound called allicin (the chemical that gives garlic its pungent taste and smell). Medical researchers believe that the allicin compound is responsible for garlic’s therapeutic qualities.

When shopping for garlic, be sure to select garlic heads that are firm to the touch, with no nicks or soft cloves. Do not purchase garlic if it appears to have dark, powdery patches under the skin because that is a sign that there is mold. Whole bulbs of store-bought garlic will keep for several months or more when stored at room temperature in a dry, dark place that has ample air circulation. To avoid mold, do not refrigerate or store garlic in plastic bags. Keep in mind that garlic’s lifetime decreases once you start removing cloves from the bulb. If you decide to add more garlic to your diet, invest in a good garlic press. Bear in mind that garlic’s healing properties are much stronger if it is eaten raw.

Garlic is also available in supplement form. The supplements are made from fresh, dried or aged garlic and some contain garlic oil. Because there are so many garlic supplements on the market, you should consult with your holistic health practitioner to determine the one that is best for you.

As the long dark nights of fall and winter set in, keep some garlic handy so you can keep both vampires and cold viruses at bay.