Garlic: properties and uses and why it is important for health

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Friends, friends, people passing through this blog, sooner or later I knew I would have to come out… Well yes, one of my favorite dishes is BAGNA CAUDA!

What is bagna cauda?! No, come on so you hurt me, it is a typical Piedmontese specialty of garlic, garlic, garlic, oil and anchovies.

A delicacy that originated as a poor peasant food.

Let’s say that once you have eaten you need to put yourself in self-quarantine so that people around you do not faint because of your breath.

But, if you just can’t resist, I will give you some good reasons to feel less guilty if you are garlic addicted like me.

First of all, you will be totally immune from a vampire bite…eternal life is tempting, but do you want to sunbathe by the sea?

Joking aside, garlic is truly a wonder food, used since ancient times as an anti-infective and strengthening agent, it has been found by archaeologists in caves 10,000 years old.

What is the history of garlic?

Garlic was revered by the Egyptians and was also found in the grave goods of pharaohs such as Tutankhamun.

Greek athletes would eat a wedge of it before competitions and soldiers would chew it before battles as a tonic (or perhaps to make the enemy lines retreat with breathlessness…).

In Europe garlic took the name of the poor man’s cure-all, and peasants hired it to be able to work the fields for hours in the hot sun.

Properties of garlic

It must be said that our ancestors were onto something since garlic, rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, PP and C (read the article on Vitamin C here), is scientifically proven to be a very powerful natural bactericide!

In colds and allergies, it is an excellent expectorant; that is, it thins or increases bronchial secretions as needed. (Read the article on how to fight colds with Vitamin C here )

And to top it off, among its various beneficial properties, it can also boast of keeping circulatory pressure under control, stimulating the heart and purifying the blood.

A curiosity

On my balcony I sprouted small garlic seedlings (it’s easy, just plant a clove in the ground, the rest comes by itself) and placed them near the other flowers; this is because the pungent smell of garlic drives away aphids and slugs.

If, on the other hand, there is already an infestation going on, you can simply spray your plants with a mixture of water, garlic and chili pepper to ward off the pests and also have a fungicidal action.

In conclusion, a question arises for me: can my fondness for garlic dishes be directly related to my being an unrepentant single woman…?

See you in the next article! ^ ^