Garlic is present in almost every kind of cuisine on earth. Not only is it flavorful, it’s also incredibly powerful at healing common ailments. Although garlic is often served cooked, eating it raw can actually transform this popular spice into a potent medicine (1). When it comes to heart health, garlic helps to lower high blood pressure (2) and cholesterol, prevent coronary heart disease and heart attack as well as reverse the effects of atherosclerosis.
The bulb is also great for everyday health problems like hayfever, traveler’s diarrhea, cold and flu (3), bug bites and fungal infections. When it comes to common health problems, eating garlic regularly can help manage the symptoms of oestoarthritis, diabetes and an enlarged prostate. The bulb also helps boots your immune system and your body’s ability to get rid of toxins. Combined with ginger and onion, it can even help you detox from chemotherapy.
How To Use Garlic. It’s better to eat garlic raw, since it’s active ingredient, allicin, is denaturalized by heat. For best results, crush and chop up the clove and leave it for 15 minutes before eating. Crushing the bulb activates a chemical reaction that make allicin more bioavailable.
As for why you should eat it on an empty stomach, it’s quite simple really: When your stomach is overwhelmed with food, it can be harder for your body to process and absorb all the nutrients the food has to offer.
A great way to add raw garlic to your diet is to mix it with honey:
- Take 2-3 cloves of garlic and chop them into small pieces.
- Mix it with a spoonful of honey.
Eat this mixture every day and you’ll feel more energized and healthy within a week.
How To Make A Garlic Flu Tonic
Please consider wearing gloves if you have sensitive skin, and try not to rub your eyes as you put this tonic together, as some of the natural oils can causes a skin rash or burn.
Ingredients
- Half a yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 red chili peppers, roughly chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon of ginger, roughly chopped
- Juice of one lemon
- Apple cider vinegar, organic, unfiltered and raw
Instructions
- Start with a 350 mL to 500 mL mason jar and fill with the roughly chopped onion.
2. Add the roughly chopped garlic next.
3. Follow with the red chili peppers, seeds and all.
4. Then carefully layer some chopped ginger
5. Squeeze you lemon into a separate bowl, discard the seeds and pour the juice next.
6. Top off mason jar with apple cider vinegar, leaving about a cm of room at the top.
7. Cap your jar and leave on your counter or in a pantry.
8. Your sore throat, cold, and flu tonic is ready for use!
