Garlic Honey & the Medicine of Garlic

Nov 15

The ground froze so early this year I didn’t get a chance to get my garlic in the ground! So, what to do with all that garlic? Make garlic honey of course! This is a super easy recipe and so useful to have around the house in the winter months. And it’s such a beautiful form of kitchen medicine, using just the familiar household ingredients of garlic and honey. Garlic is so incredibly medicinal and instead of trying to sum-up the medicinal properties of garlic in a few paragraphs, which would never do it justice, I’ve shared with you all the complete medicinal profile of Garlic below. Enjoy and happy medicine-making!

Garlic Materia Medica

Garlic (Allium sativum)
Family Amaryllidaceae

Other names: Knoblauch (German), Ail (French), Aglio (Italian), Som (Arabic), Da Suan (pin yin), The Stinking Rose

Part Used: Bulb, Scapes (the flower buds), Flowers, Leaves

Collection/Harvesting: The leaves may be harvested as soon as they sprout in early spring and throughout the growing season, although it may affect bulb production. The scapes are the flower buds and are ready for harvest in late spring/early summer before the flower opens, depending on your climate. The flowers are edible as well. The bulbs are ready in late summer/early fall when the leaves begin to yellow. It can also be harvested when the bulbs are just beginning to grow- known as “green garlic”- which are basically garlic scallions

Cultivation: Planting and growing your own garlic is super easy. It can be planted anytime between first frost and when the ground freezes. You can get garlic to plant from the farmers market or the grocery store. You don't have to specifically buy "seed" garlic- any will do as long as it’s pretty fresh. Seed garlic is simply garlic with very large cloves, which will yield larger heads. Plant in holes (add some compost!) that are a few inches deep, about 8 or so inches apart. The pointy end of the clove should be sticking up. Cover with soil first, then mulch with leaves, straw, etc. And you're done! Your garlic will be ready to harvest in mid-late summer. Be sure to harvest the garlic scapes (flower buds) in late spring to get a good crop of bulbs. I also love eating the leaves in the early spring as a substitute for Ramps- it's one of the first plants that will sprout in your garden in early spring! You will not regret adding this plant to your garden if you don't already grow

Taste: Bulb- Pungent, Sweet (gets sweeter when cooked or roasted). In Ayurveda its said to be a rashona- “lacking one taste” which breaks down as: bulb-pungent, seeds- sweet, stem- astringent, top of stem- salty, leaf- bitter. It’s only missing sour

Energetics: Hot, Dry

Constituents: Volatile oils, bioflavonoids, vitamins (C, B1, B6), minerals (especially calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, sodium, selenium, sulfur, zinc), many sulfer-containing compounds (including amino acids, peptides, thiosulfinates, sulfoxides, sulfides, diallyl sulfides and polysulfides

Herbal Actions: Aromatic, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, alterative, antioxidant, antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi, viruses), anticoaglulant, anticatarrhal, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, anthemintic, anti-tumor, antiseptic, antispasmodic, blood-sugar balancing, circulatory stimulant, cholagogue, cardiovascular tonic, carminative, diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypotensive/hypertensive (amphoteric), lymphatic, nervine, rejuvinative (rasayana), vasodilator, vulnerary

Medicinal Uses: Garlic has been valued for medicine across the globe for thousands of years from China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and beyond. Pliny the Elder recommended Garlic for over 60 different health issues. It’s native to Central Asia and Iran and spread across the globe from there. Garlic is the most medicinal when taken raw and the fresh juice is an especially potent preparation. Many of garlic’s medicinal action comes from its Sulfer compounds (allicin, especially), which are also responsible for its strong smell! These compounds have been shown to be beneficial for our cardiovascular system, immune system, digestive system, endocrine system, and detoxification systems. Garlic has been shown time and time again to be an amazing cardiovascular tonic. In 3000 BC Charak, “the father of Ayurvedic medicine” wrote of garlic to “strengthen the heart and keeps blood fluid.” Modern studies support this traditional use for garlic and it’s especially of benefit for heart disease associated with high cholesterol, fatty deposits, and atherosclerosis, helping clear fat accumulating the in blood vessels. It’s beneficial for both high and low blood pressure (an amphoteric). A team of researchers that looked into the Mediterranean diet (rich in garlic) concluded that if everyone in the world at 2 cloves of garlic/day the worldwide risk of heart disease would drop by 25%! It is blood-thinning and reduces platelet aggregation and many studies show its ability to prevent and treat atherosclerosis and reduce plaque, and lowers the risk of heart attack. It contains a compound called nitric oxide that relaxes and widens the blood vessels and promote more flexible arteries. Over-all, it’s a tremendous herb for the heart and vasculature! Another place garlic truly shines is as an antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-tumor herb. There are hundreds of studies that show the ability of garlic to prevent and treat cancer, including but not limited to cancers of the stomach, prostate, endometrial, colon, lung, brain. The powerful antioxidant properties are at least partially responsible for this and it helps stop carcinogens from damaging DNA (antioxidant), boosts the activity of enzymes that detoxify carcinogens, and clean-up free radicals, which are cell-damaging, cancer-causing molecules. Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s considered a Rasayana in Ayurveda, a rejuvinative herb that nourishes the vital essence of the body on all levels. It’s considered especially rejuvunative to the Vata dosha. Another area of powerful medicine is garlic’s antimicrobial properties, having shown activity against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. And bacteria do not develop a resistance to it. As recently as WWI, it was commonly used to help prevent gangrene and blood poisoning and was used so much by the Russians it was dubbed “Russian penicillin.” Garlic has been demonstrated to have antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including multidrug-resistant enterotoxicogenic strains of Escherichia coli. Shown to be potent against the “super-bugs” as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The antibacterial effects seem to be attributed in part to its compound allicin, which inhibits the action of a broad range of enzymes in bacteria. As if this wasn’t enough, it’s anti-viral too! Traditionally, garlic has been utilized for infections of infections of eyes, ears, throat, and lungs. Also for sinusitis, as an ear oil for ear infections, and for all respiratory infections-bronchitis, asthma, cough, whooping cough. It’s a powerful expectorant and helps loosen phlegm and ease coughs. Its an excellent tonic for the immune system and can also be used to prevent (and treat) colds and flus. It helps prevent catching airborne infection. Researchers in Finland gave air travelers a garlic nasal spray and the placebo folks who didn’t use it had 3x more infections after traveling. In a study in England of 146 people those taking the placebo had 65 colds, compared to those who were who only had 24. A study in Russia of 600 children age 7-16 showed that those taking the placebo had 4x as many colds as the children given garlic. Traditional use supports this and it’s also long used as a talisman in many different cultures to ward-off evil spirits, negativity, the evil eye, vampires- signatures for its powerful antimicrobial use. It was often either carried on the body or in bags and hung around homes and over doors. It’s an excellent digestive aid, containing carminative and anticattarhal effects. Can be used for gas and bloating, catarrh in the stomach, ears, throat, and lungs- and respiratory catarrh is generally linked to poor digestion. Also great as a decongestant for allergies and hay fever. It also stimulates bile, helping with the digestion of fats. Its also helpful for nervous digestion and has been shown to help lower resting blood glucose levels. It’s a circulatory stimulant, helpful for poor circulations and can be used topically for aches and sprains. This (along with the cardiovascular effects) help account for its ancient reputation as an aphrodisiac. There is a also some research and evidence that shows it helps treat Benign Prostate Hypertrophy. Its considered an alterative, meaning it helps all the organs of elimination do their jobs better. In Ayurveda its said to cleanse ama from the blood and lymph. As an antiparasitic and anthelmintic (specifically worms) it has powerful activity against parasites and worms (which are interestingly, considered to come from excess ama in Ayurveda). Has been shown to have activity against intestinal protozoan parasites including Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia. Powerful anti-fungal as well, especially for candida. Its of benefit to the liver, having protective properties and warming, opening, and stimulating bile. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it’s a liver dredger. Garlic has stronger, yet similar activity to onion and they are often used together.

Preparation: Elixir, Essential Oil, Glycerite, Honey, Infused Oil, In Food, Oxymel, Salve, Syrup, Tincture, Vinegar

Dosage: Tincture/Elixir- 1 tsp 3x/day, up to 6x/day if acute. Glycerite/Oxymel/Syrup/Vinegar- 1 tbsp 3x/day, up to 6x/day if acute. Honey freely. Food- at least 2 raw cloves/day

Cooking Suggestions: Garlic is found in virtually every cuisine around the world- Mesoamerica, the Mediterranean, China, India, Asia, and beyond. It’s super versatile in the kitchen and blends beautifully with all the Mediterranean herbs and the aromatic seeds spices like fennel, coriander, and cumin, as well. Garlic adds a depth of flavor to every dish and most of my favorite meals start with garlic and olive oil! It’s excellent in spice blends, sauces, marinades, with meat, stir fries, soups, and so on. A simple way to get the benefits of raw garlic is to use a garlic press to add a few fresh cloves into your food right at the end. Garlic is an ingredient in many sauces all around the world and recipes for sauces rich in garlic appear on your materia medicas for Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, and others, so be sure to look there! Examples of sauces, spreads, and condiments heavy on garlic include pesto, pistou, gremolata, persillade, and chimichurri .Also found in skordalia (a Greek garlic sauce), agliata (an Italian garlic sauce), mujdei (Romanian garlic sauce), toum (Lebanese and Middle Eastern garlic spread), hummus, harissa, chermoula (a Moroccan meat marinade), tzatziki, aioli, and guacamole. If you’re concerned about the dreaded garlic breath try eating it with parsley, or eating a few parsley sprigs, chewing on a few roasted fennel seeds, or chewing on a cardamom pod seeds after your meal.

Garlic Honey

Ingredients:
Whole, peeled fresh garlic cloves
Honey (preferably raw)

Directions:
Peel your garlic and put the whole cloves into a dry glass jar. I like to gently score the garlic to help with the extraction and you can even chop it up if you’d like- I just like having it whole so I can eat a clove as needed! Then cover the garlic with honey completely so all of the garlic is completely coated in the honey. It’s ok if some garlic is sticking out on top as long as it’s thoroughly coated in the honey. Let it all sit for about a month and then it’s ready to use!

Use:
To use simply pluck a clove out of the honey and eat as needed when you need an immune boost or are sick! And you can drizzle the honey on just about everything you can think of. Enjoy and happy medicine-making!