Read The Health Benefits of Garlic
Are you a garlic lover? If your answer is no, then you must really hate it. Garlic is just one of those things that you either love or hate. You might abhor its very intense flavor or hate having “garlic breath;” nevertheless, there are many who believe that the benefits of eating garlic far outweigh the negative side. The following facts would probably provide the reasons why:
- In the culinary world, the garlic can easily be one of the most utilized ingredients since it is found in almost all types of cuisine, whether Asian, European, North and Latin American, or African. Usually, it is used as a flavor enhancer rather than being the main dish component.
- Garlic is considered both an herb and a vegetable.
- The garlic’s pungent flavor comes from the chemical reaction that takes place when the cells of the garlic are broken. You might notice that garlic odor is as its strongest right after chopping it. Hence, if you want to maximize the flavor of garlic in your recipes, chopping it up as finely as possible will do the trick.
- Another name of garlic is the “pungent rose.” Cooking, however, tones down the pungency of raw garlic considerably and sweetens its taste.
- The garlic might be harmless but, believe it or not, there are people who fear it. Alliumphobia is a term denoting the fear of garlic and those who suffer from this disorder get anxious or fearful at the sight and smell of garlic.
- China produces 80% of the world’s supply of garlic.
- The medicinal properties of garlic have been known even by ancient civilizations. Egyptians, who believed that garlic increased strength, fed garlic to the slaves who built the pyramids. Greek athletes competing in the first Olympics ate garlic before the games to perform better. At the height of the Roman Empire, garlic was likewise recommended to Nero’s army, for the soldiers to have cleaner arteries.
- “Garlic and Shots” is the name of a restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, where every item on the menu has garlic as an ingredient, including dessert offerings of garlic cheesecake and garlic ice cream.
- The City of Chicago in the USA got its name from the Native American word for wild garlic, “chicagaoua.”
- Although the garlic’s ability to ward off evil spirits and vampires might be questionable, its ability to get rid of an aphid infestation in your rose garden is scientifically proven. Just mix a few cloves of crushed garlic with water and spray it on the flowers and leaves.
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