Autumn is the time for planting garlic in the Northeast. Fittingly, it
is also Scorpio season, traditionally associated with
transformation and regeneration. Buried in the darkness of the
earth, a single clove of garlic endures the winter before giving rise
to an entire bulb by summer.
A Brief History of Garlic
Garlic’s appeal crosses cultures and centuries. Civilizations that
had no contact with one another recognized many of the same
qualities in garlic and used it for similar medicinal purposes. [4]
2600–2100 BC Ancient Sumer
Among the earliest civilizations to cultivate and use garlic
medicinally, the Sumerians valued it for its healing properties.
c. 1550 BC Ancient Egypt
The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest surviving medical
documents, records garlic in approximately 22 medicinal
formulas. Garlic bulbs were also discovered in the tomb of
Tutankhamun.
5th-4th century BC Ancient Greece
Garlic was given to Olympic athletes for strength and endurance.
Hippocrates recommended it for various ailments, including
intestinal parasites.
1st century AD Ancient Rome
Roman soldiers and sailors reportedly consumed garlic for
strength, stamina, and courage. Pliny the Elder documented
dozens of medicinal applications.
Middle Ages European Folklore
Garlic was hung in doorways and worn as protection against evil
spirits and the evil eye. Central and Eastern European folklore
later associated it with protection against vampires.
1653 Nicholas Culpeper
English physician and astrologer Nicholas Culpeper assigned
garlic to Mars, associating it with heat, strength, action, and
defense.
1858 Louis Pasteur
Pasteur described the antibacterial properties of garlic and onion
juices, providing an early scientific observation of their
antimicrobial effects.
1914–1918 World War I
Garlic juice was reportedly used in battlefield wound dressings
when conventional antiseptics and medical supplies were limited.
1939–1945 World War II
Garlic was used by Russian medical personnel in treating
wounded soldiers and became known as “Russian penicillin.”
The Science Behind Garlic
Garlic contains a variety of sulfur compounds. When the clove is
crushed or chopped, a reaction takes place that produces allicin,
the compound responsible for garlic’s distinctive smell and known
for its antimicrobial effects. [3] Research has examined several
potential health benefits:
- Blood pressure: Clinical trials suggest garlic
supplementation can produce modest reductions in blood
pressure, particularly in people with hypertension. [1] - Cholesterol: Studies have reported reductions in total and
LDL cholesterol, especially in populations with elevated lipid
levels. [1] - Immune function: Research on aged garlic extract has
found changes in the activity of natural killer cells and other
immune cells. A clinical trial also reported reduced cold and
flu symptom severity, although the overall incidence of illness
was not significantly different. [2] - Antimicrobial activity: Laboratory studies have
demonstrated antibacterial and antifungal effects of allicin.
[3] - Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects: Clinical
research has reported improvements in some antioxidant
markers and reductions in certain inflammatory markers,
although results vary by marker. [1]
Of note, much of the clinical evidence involves concentrated garlic
supplements or prepared extracts rather than ordinary culinary
amounts. These findings are promising, but we cannot assume
that eating garlic in everyday amounts produces the same effects.
We Take on the Qualities of an Herb
In herbal medicine, we don’t simply look at what a plant contains,
but also its character. Examples include ginger being warming
and stimulating, peppermint cooling and clearing, and chamomile
calming and settling.
Garlic’s defining quality is defense. When we consume garlic, we
draw on its resilience and protective character, qualities embodied
in the clove itself, which endures the harshness of winter and
carries the promise of new growth.
Selected References
- Behrouz V, et al. Effects of Garlic Supplementation on Cardiovascular
Risk Factors in Adults: A Comprehensive Updated Systematic Review
and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrition
Reviews, 2026. Read the study - Nantz MP, et al. Supplementation with Aged Garlic Extract Improves
Both NK and γδ-T Cell Function and Reduces the Severity of Cold
and Flu Symptoms. Clinical Nutrition, 2012. Read the study - Borlinghaus J, et al. Allicin, the Odor of Freshly Crushed Garlic: A
Review of Recent Progress in Understanding Allicin’s Effects on
Cells. Molecules, 2021. Read the review - Rivlin RS. Historical Perspective on the Use of Garlic. The Journal of
Nutrition, 2001. Read the review