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Karen Haralson

Garlic: Nature's Powerhouse for Health and Home Gardens


Marbled Purple Stripe (hardneck) garlic variety (Amy J Lombardi)



Garlic isn't just a pungent herb that’ll impress your dinner date—it's a garden superstar and a health hero! Whether you’re planting cloves in your fall garden or adding them to your meals for an immune kick, this little bulb packs a powerful punch. Let's dig into the dirt (pun intended) on how gardening with garlic and adding it to your meals can lead to a healthier, more flavorful life.


Gardening With Garlic

As with different kinds of mushrooms and honey, there are hundreds of varieties of garlic. So, let’s start by splitting garlic into categories to understand them better. As members of the lily family, these bulbous vegetables fall into two groups: hardneck and softneck. Each group differs in structure, flavor, growing conditions, and storage.


Hardneck Garlic

These varieties have a stiff, woody stem or neck running through the middle of the bulb and are aptly named hardnecks. An edible stem, called a scape. It grows straight and eventually will curl, making it ready to trim off. Scapes can then be added to recipes, much like the cloves themselves.


Hardneck garlic, which has bigger bulbs with larger but fewer cloves, is known for its complex and intense flavors and grows best in cooler climates.

In the kitchen, hardneck varieties stand out in savory stews, spicy sauces, or oil infusions. Plus, hardnecks tend to have a higher concentration of allicin, garlic’s main antioxidant, than their softneck relatives.


Popular types of hardnecks include Porcelain, Rocambole, and Marbled Purple Stripe.


Softneck Garlic

Softneck varieties are the types of garlic you’re likely to find in grocery stores. They have soft, pliable necks with smaller bulbs. Inside them, you’ll find smaller, more numerous cloves than those of hardnecks. Preferring warmer climates, they grow best in mild and temperate regions. Their necks can be braided together, making them easy to store and a beautiful kitchen decoration.


You’ll find the same essential nutrients in this variety, too. With a mild and even slightly sweet flavor, softnecks can be used in various dishes where garlic is a subtle note. However, because they are contained in a few layers of papery wrapper, they are more challenging to peel—nothing a quick smash with a flat knife can’t get through.


Artichoke, California Early (or Late), and Silverskin types are typical examples of softnecks.

Whichever variety you decide on, you can’t go wrong. Next, we’ll explore how simple it is to grow garlic at home.


When to Plant Garlic

Fall is the time to plant garlic, or allium sativum, as it's scientifically known. If summer's veggies need vigilance like a teetery toddler, growing garlic is as easy as a sleeping baby. Garlic is low-maintenance—perfect for beginning gardeners.

Unlike vampires, garlic loves full sun. Once you pick your plot, you can plant individual cloves in well-drained soil about 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Bury them with the pointed end facing up. While cloves will tolerate dry spells, you must water them occasionally.


If you've ever seen an onion plant, you can imagine the long, straight leaves that garlic bulbs produce. Each leaf corresponds to a protective layer around the bulb and reaches 1 to 2 feet in height as the plant matures. After the growing season, which is about nine months, you can finally harvest your bulbs after the leaves dry out and 4 to 6 green leaves remain.


There are many miracles in the world to be celebrated, and, for me, garlic is the most deserving — Leo Buscaglia

How to Cure, Store, and Inspect Garlic



Once harvested, it’s time to clean off the dirt and prepare the bulbs for storage (or eating!). First, they require a short curing period to dry out the outer skin. This improves their flavor and helps prevent mold growth.


You’ll want to keep the bulbs in a warm place with moderate humidity for about two weeks. During this time, hang the garlic in a mesh bag or braided, or lay them on wire racks to let air circulate around them.


Finally, after curing, you can store your garlic long-term in a cool, dark place such as a pantry or basement. This will prevent your garlic from sprouting and help maintain its freshness. Hardneck varieties can be stored for 3 to 6 months, whereas softnecks can be kept for 6 to 12 months.


Are you ready to start cooking? Before using the bulbs, inspect them to ensure no mold is growing. Once mold is present, the protective wrapper on the outside may appear wrinkled and dry. Inside the bulb, the mold may be white or blue.


After opening the bulbs, the cloves will stay fresh for about a week. Unused cloves should be refrigerated in an airtight container for two weeks. Chopped or pureed garlic should be saved in the freezer for no more than one month. Here’s a tip: After prepping, use ice cube trays to store them in the freezer.


Now, let’s turn to how this superhero can benefit your health.


Garlic's Natural Healing and Wellness Benefits




Garlic has been used throughout history for its myriad healing properties. For example,

  • Healers in ancient India used it to remedy problems of the joints, lungs, and skin, and in China, it was said to cure depression

  • The ancient Egyptians fed garlic to pyramid builders to increase their strength

  • Louis Pasteur observed that garlic was effective against H. pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers, in the mid-1800s

  • In the early 1900s, garlic helped ward off the ‘Spanish flu’ pandemic


How is garlic such a versatile healer? Garlic contains many potent plant compounds, such as allicin, a well-researched antioxidant. Other abundant bioactive ingredients include amino acids, sulfur-containing compounds, vitamins A, B, and C, and minerals, such as zinc.


The Linus Pauling Institute, which researches nutrition's role in promoting longevity and health, highlights the benefits of these nutrient-dense bulbs. Please note that while studies on garlic are promising, more studies are needed to confirm its health benefits.


Heart Health

First, garlic supplements may lower high blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. They may also reduce blood clots and blood vessel stiffness. By doing so, garlic may help reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes, both diet-related chronic diseases. One study review of 12 trials examining over 500 patients suggests garlic supplements have a comparable effect to blood pressure-lowering medications.


Cancer Prevention and Immune Support

Second, garlic's powerful antioxidants and sulfur compounds may boost the body's immune system, critical for recognizing and killing cancer cells. For example, potent garlic compounds show promise to prevent defective cells from multiplying by causing cell death and limiting their growth mechanisms.


Preliminary studies suggest that garlic may prevent the formation of cancer-causing agents or carcinogens. Pastuer, however, would probably be sad to learn that human studies could not prove garlic's ability to cure H. pylori infections, a risk factor for stomach cancer.

Garlic also has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects that help the body fend off germs. Supplements may increase the number of immune system cells, which may boost the body's ability to fight off infections. At least one study demonstrated that garlic could ward off the common cold.


Tissue Protective Effects

Lastly, garlic's antioxidants may help neutralize highly reactive chemical compounds—such as free radicals—naturally formed during metabolism. When these reactive compound levels build up, and there aren't enough antioxidants to combat them, tissue damage occurs. This is called oxidative stress, which increases the risk of many diseases.


Poor diet, smoking, and exposure to environmental toxins are some of the factors that increase oxidative stress. Garlic's antioxidant allicin may help limit the formation of reactive compounds, enhance the body's antioxidant capabilities, and limit inflammation.

These are only some of garlic's benefits. Keep reading to discover how to get more boost out of your bulbs!


Get Maximum Benefits from Garlic




To maximize the benefits of these compounds, eat garlic by mincing, chopping, or crushing the cloves first. Then, give the garlic pieces 10 minutes to rest. This provides the antioxidant allicin time to develop fully.


During cooking, add prepped garlic towards the end to help preserve the effects of allicin. When exposed to heat, the allicin compound will break down.

You can also eat garlic raw, but start with one chopped clove a day, as some people have digestive side effects. Prepared garlic can be eaten raw in salad dressing or honey, or swallowed with plain water.


Ask your doctor for any considerations you need to know before using garlic to prevent or treat health conditions. High amounts of garlic may interact with some medications, such as blood thinners.


Finally, here’s a recipe to excite your taste buds and use your bountiful bulbs.


Garlic Harvest Recipe (of course, store-bought is ok, too!)

Bold garlicky pesto is quick and easy to make. You can spread it on pizzas or sandwiches, dip in your favorite veggies or crackers, or add it to your favorite soup.


You can easily swap ingredients to make this pesto lighter or more traditional.

  • Not enough basil, no problem! Switch out your greens with different herbs such as parsley, cilantro, fennel, mint—or scapes! Other options are greens such as kale, arugula, and spinach. You can mix them in various amounts, too.

  • Any hard, salty cheese will work. Try pecorino, romano, or aged cheddar. For a vegan alternative, skip dairy and try nutritional yeast.

  • Instead of expensive pine nuts, substitute hemp or sunflower seeds, walnuts, peanuts, or macadamia nuts.


Garlicky Pesto



Using a magic bullet or food processor, pulse, between gradually adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil:

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 small cloves fresh garlic

  • 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and pepper

When combined, add in:

  • 2 cups of basil or other fresh greens

  • 1/2 cup of toasted nuts or seeds


Pulse again until you reach your desired consistency. Adjust the taste to your liking by adding more or less of any ingredient. Enjoy!


Conclusion

Great things indeed come in small, bulbous packages. Garlic’s ease in the garden makes this jewel a must-have in the kitchen. These hearty cloves prove themselves, whether you’re adding intense flavor to meals or revitalizing your immune system, heart health, and overall well-being. Its potent compounds, such as the antioxidant allicin, make garlic an essential kitchen ingredient—just as ancient healers knew all along.



Robin Fillner, RN, BSN, CMSRN is an Oncology Nurse and Health Writer. Using her Functional Nutrition Health Coach Certification and healthcare expertise, her passion is writing about food and lifestyle through the functional lens. Find her at robinfillner.com or linkedin.com/in/robinfillner/

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