Garlic! Allium Sativum

       Our Hardneck German White garlic has been harvested, cured, cleaned, and is ready for sale.  this precocious plant is a force to be reckoned with, not just as a culinary ally.  Cooking with the beautiful bulb ads robust flavor to many meals, yet is also a health booster.  Garlic has been used orally as an antioxidant; to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides; to reduce hardening of the arteries and blood clotting; to reduce blood pressure; to prevent cancer; to protect the liver; as an antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal; to increase the effects of the immune system; to reduce blood sugar levels; and to reduce menstrual pain. Garlic has also been used topically (on the skin) to treat corns, warts, calluses, ear infections, muscle pain, nerve pain, arthritis, and sciatica.

     Garlic contains many active constituents, including volatile oil with sulphur-containing compounds (allicin, alliin, and ajoene), enzymes (allinase, peroxidase and myrosinase), glucokinins, B group vitamins,vitamin C and flavonoids, citral, geraniol, linalool, aphellandrene and B phellandrene. Garlic also contains a wide range of trace minerals. These include copper, iron, zinc, magnesium, germanium, andselenium. The key therapeutic ingredient in garlic is alliin. Alliin is an odorless sulfur-containing chemical derived from the amino acid cysteine. Allicin is formed when alliin, a sulfur-containing amino acid, comes into contact with the enzyme alliinase when raw garlic is chopped, crushed, or chewed. Allicin is what gives garlic its antibiotic properties and is responsible for its strong odor. Allicin is said to be stronger than penicillin and tetracycline, and microbes do not mutate when repeatedly exposed to garlic. Allicin is further broken down to a compound called ajoene. Ajoene contributes to the anticoagulant action of garlic. It may be the substance that inhibits blockage in blood vessels from clots and atherosclerosis.

      

     When taking garlic, the fresh clove is the most effective way to ingest high levels of Allicin, Alliin, and Ajoene.  There are however other ways to take in the product such as by capsule, tincture or oil.  Yet with all options beware, large intakes of garlic may result in stinky garlic sweats.