There are no miracle foods, but a few melodic foods synchronize resonating health benefits with an ensemble of flavours. Garlic is one of those pitch-perfect foods. It’s part of the onion family and key to Mediterranean cooking.

Health Benefits

Manages Cholesterol

Garlic increases good cholesterol, HDL, by 10%. There is no prescription drug as effective as garlic to increase your good cholesterol. Garlic also cuts bad cholesterol by 10%, making it a potent medicine. Take 1,000mg daily to get this beneficial effect.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Adding garlic to your routine can lower your blood pressure if you have high blood pressure. Garlic seems to make your blood vessels more flexible, which, in turn, lowers blood pressure.

Protects Against Colds

Taking garlic every day cuts the number of colds. It also drastically cuts the length of sickness. It works to build up the immune system’s natural killer cells and antibodies. These natural killer cells also have a role in fighting tumours, so garlic may offer some protection against cancer.

Toxin Cleanse

One study showed that garlic could reduce lead poisoning. It reduced lead poisoning in battery factory employees more effectively than a prescription heavy-metal toxicity drug with fewer side effects.

Garlic Harmonizes

Garlic adds flavour to almost any meat or vegetable. It can be added to almost any sauce. When you fry meat, you can always sauté some minced garlic in the pan before adding the meat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, heat the pan for 2 minutes on medium-high, and sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds, until golden. Then, add other liquid or remove from the heat. Take care that you don’t smoke the olive oil. It smokes at a lower temperature than many other oils, and smoke means that it is burning. Microwaving is the worst way to cook garlic as it damages some of the beneficial compounds.

Cloves for Powder

Instead of using garlic powder, mince up a few cloves to get the maximum health benefits. Anytime garlic powder is called for, you can substitute cloves. For every 1/4 tsp powder, use 1 clove. You can also buy pre-minced garlic in jars. It makes it easy to add to any recipe. Ideally, garlic is stored in a cold cellar. Room temperature is too warm, and fridge storage reduces the garlic flavour to an onion-like flavour.

Garlic Breath

Eating a lot of garlic gives you garlic breath. An apple after eating garlic can help, as it has compounds that break down the odour. Garlic has other potential downsides. It is high in what are called FODMAPs. Dried garlic has more than fresh garlic. Many foods contain FODMAPs---foods like onions, most fruits, beans, many vegetables, and many grains. FODMAPs are only a problem for some people with irritable bowels. In that case, it may be worth limiting FODMAPs. It’s also possible to be allergic to garlic. For most people, garlic offers too many benefits to give up.

Growing Garlic in Canada

Garlic grows well in the Canadian climate, even in northern areas. Cool weather produces a more intense flavour. It is easy to grow and doesn’t have many pests. Ideally, plant it in the fall, six months before frost, but it can also be planted in the spring. Don’t use a clove from a grocery store to plant. They are the wrong variety for Canada. Suitable varieties are Porcelain (Music) and Rocambole (Spanish Roja) but check with your local nursery for varieties that grow best in your area. Once harvested, the cloves store for months.

Garlic Pills

Garlic can also be taken as a pill. 1,000mg a day gets you the health benefits. And like any potent medicine, in extremely high doses, it is toxic. Make sure you buy good quality. One brand we recommend is Kyolic. It is made by a Japanese company that has been selling garlic since 1955.

Garlic Rhapsody

In Eastern European folklore, garlic was thought to ward off evil spirits. I’m not sure about that, but it is super, natural food. Garlic harmonizes a symphony of flavours with a chorus of health benefits. Jazz up your cooking and tune up your health with garlic.