By Maryann Readal

Garlic, Allium sativum, is The Herb Society’s Herb of the Month for September. This is the time to get excited about garlic if you want to grow it, since fall is the ideal time to plant it for harvesting in early summer of next year. Garlic is in the Amaryllidaceae family along with chives, onions, leeks, and shallots. Scientific research indicates that garlic’s center of origin is Central Asia (Tokenova et al., 2022). Many scholars believe that garlic has been used as a medicinal and culinary plant for nearly 7000 years (Trincklein, 2015), but in earlier times, the healing properties of garlic were not well understood; people thought it was a magical plant and that its smell would ward off sickness and evil. 

There is much history surrounding the use of garlic. References to garlic have been found in early Sanskrit and Babylonian writings from 4,500 years ago. Even Confucius wrote about the uses of garlic for the treatment of high blood pressure, respiratory problems, and depression. According to the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus, written in 1550 BCE, garlic was prescribed for tumors, circulation problems, and to rid the body of parasites—it was a healing herb for a total of 22 illnesses. 

Ancient Egyptians fed garlic to workers who were building the pyramids believing that it gave them strength and would keep them healthy, while preserved garlic cloves were found in King Tut’s tomb. Hippocrates, the Greek Father of Medicine, recommended garlic to cleanse the body of impurities and for respiratory and abdominal problems. Garlic was given to early Olympians to enhance their performance, possibly making it the first performance-enhancing substance (Rivlin, 2001). It was also an essential part of the military diet in Greece.

The Romans, following Greek medical practices, fed garlic to their soldiers and sailors to keep their strength levels high. Dioscorides, Greek doctor to the Roman army, recommended garlic because it “cleans the arteries” (Rivlin, 2001). Pliny the Elder recommended 61 uses of garlic for treating various disorders (Hicks, 1986). It is interesting to note that both Greek and Roman upper classes did not eat garlic because of its smell.

The Bible mentions garlic in telling the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt with Moses saying, “We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt for Nought, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick” (Numbers 11:5). Some religious scholars also say that garlic was symbolic of cleansing, and followers believed that it gave protection from evil (Anderson, N.D.). Interestingly, “the Jewish Talmud advises husbands to eat garlic on Shabbat night in order to perform their marital duty with vigor” (Kresh, 2012). Again—a use of garlic to enhance strength.

The Romans brought garlic to northern Europe after which monks grew it in their pharmacy gardens and used it to treat the same conditions as the older cultures did. Garlic played a role in the prescriptive writings of Hildegaard von Bingen, who claimed that raw garlic was more effective than cooked. Charlemagne said that garlic was “the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks” and charged all of his subjects to grow garlic in their gardens (Hicks, 1986).

During the plague of the 1300s, four robbers were brought before a French judge for sentencing. The judge ordered these men to bury the dead as punishment. Legend has it that these four robbers survived that deadly duty because they drank copious amounts of wine saturated with garlic and spices and doused their bodies with the infused wine. The judge ordered them to reveal their secret for resisting the plague. Their secret was called “Four Thieves Vinegar” and can still be purchased (or made). During the Middle Ages, priests and doctors wore masks which held garlic and spices, believing that the spices gave them protection from the plague. After falling from favor because of its smell, garlic regained popularity in Great Britain during the First World War when doctors used it as an antiseptic for battle wounds.

Colonists brought garlic with them to the New World but Native Americans were already using a native garlic to treat many of the same illnesses being treated with garlic in Europe and Asia. The Shakers prescribed garlic as a stimulant. The popularity of garlic as a cooking spice began to take hold in the 1920s and continued to grow in the United States. Today, no American kitchen pantry is complete without garlic, and it is a staple in our cuisine.

Modern-day research verifies some of the ancient medicinal uses of garlic such as treating blood pressure, combating infections, treating fungal issues, protecting the liver, and treating sore throats and the common cold etc. This ancient herb still plays a role today in helping to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For more information about garlic, please see HSA’s Herb of the Month webpage.

Medicinal Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.

Photo Credits:  1) Garlic bulb and cloves (Wikimedia Commons); 2) Building the pyramids with garlic (Wikimedia Commons); 3) Young garlic seller (Wikimedia Commons, public domain); 4) Four Thieves Vinegar 17th c. (Wikimedia Commons); 5) Garlic bread (Creative Commons).

References:

Anderson, Michael. N.D. The spiritual significance of garlic in the Bible. Accessed 8/6/24. https://johnbaptistchurch.org/biblical-meaning-nature/garlic

Bayan, L., Koulivand, P. H., & Gorji, A. 2014. Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 4(1), 1–14. Accessed 8/8/24. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103721/

Garlic Gold. 2024. History of the ancient crop. Accessed 8/11/24. https://garlicgold.com/about-garlic-gold/history-of-garlic/ancient-crop/#:~:text=In%20Europe%20in%20the%20Middle,garlic’s%20antibacterial%20properties%20in%201858.

Hicks, A.H. 1986. The mystique of garlic: History, uses, superstitions and scientific revelations. In Oxford Symposium on food & Cookery, 1984 & 1985: Cookery: Science, Lore & Books Proceedings. Accessed 8/11/24. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Oxford_Symposium_on_Food_Cookery_1984_19/IUxSBQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=ebers%20papyrus%20and%20garlic&pg=PA140&printsec=frontcover

Kress, Miriam. 2012. Jews and garlic: love, hate, and confit.  Accessed 8/6/24. https://forward.com/food/155580/jews-and-garlic-love-hate-and-confit/#:~:text=The%20Talmud%20advises%20husbands%20to,were%20forbidden%20to%20eat%20it

Rivlin, Richard S. Historical perspective on the use of garlic. The Journal of Nutrition 131:3, 2001. Accessed 8/6/24. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622147760?via%3Dihub

Petrovska, B. B. and Cekovska, S. 2010. Extracts from the history and medical properties of garlic. Pharmacognosy reviews, 4(7), 106–110. Accessed 8/8/24. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.65321

Tokenova, Akerke, and G. Sitpayeva, N. Gemejiyeva, S. Suleimenova, N. Friesen, D. Batayeva. 2022. Wild Allium longicuspis Regel is a feral form of Allium sativum L. in Kazakhstan: A comparative molecular genetic analysis.Online J. Bio. Sci. 23 (1): 33.43. PDF accessed 8/30/24.

Trincklein, David. 2015. Garlic: A brief history. Accessed 8/6/24. https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2015/9/Garlic-A-Brief-History/

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Maryann is a member of The Herb Society of America’s Texas Thyme Unit in Huntsville, TX. She is a Texas Master Gardener and a certified Native Landscape Specialist with the Texas Native Plant Society and has received The Herb Society’s Nancy Putnam Award for Excellence in Horticulture. She lectures and writes about herbs and plants and does the herb training for several Master Gardener programs. She gardens among the pines in the Piney Woods of East Texas.