We’ve got our garlic bulbs in the ground and our mouths are watering already! We are looking forward to harvesting this culinary staple. Is there anything more irresistible than the smell of roasting garlic? Now, I am a staunch supporter of measuring garlic with your heart (not the recipe) and that is just based on my taste buds. But, did you know there are endless benefits to garlic? It doesn’t just keep the vampires away, it can also keep diseases as bay!
Garlic, throughout history, has been highly valued for its numerous health benefiting properties, which are still followed in many cultures today. Our ancestors have used it as a bug-repellant, Medieval Europe against plague and the Egyptians would even bury it along with their dead!
Some of the benefits of garlic are credited to the presence of the sulphur-containing compound, Allicin, found in fresh, crushed or chewed garlic, due to which it has anti-bacterial and antifungal properties. Every 100 grams of garlic will serve you with close to 150 calories, 33 grams of carbs, 6.36 grams of protein. Garlic is also enriched with Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, Vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc. That is some potent stuff!
The high sulphur content in garlic gives it antibiotic properties, helping keep the digestive system clean by flushing out toxins. It also builds the immunity against common cold and prevents heart ailments by clearing up blocked arteries. It is great for rejuvenation and healing of skin scars and gives a glow to the skin as it keeps digestion in top-shape." -- Dr. Simran Saini
Several studies have indicated an association between daily consumption of garlic and prevention of stomach and colorectal cancers. It is said to strengthen the immunity of the body against cancer.
There are properties of garlic that protect the skin from the effect of free radicals and slow down the depletion of collagen which leads to loss of elasticity in aging skin. Applied topically, garlic does wonders to skin infected with fungal infections and provides relief from skin ailments like eczema. It is also an effective remedy for fungal infections like athlete's foot and ringworms.
Check out this video on making vegan garlic butter: We bet non-vegans cant tell the difference! Put it to the test and let us know the results!
Garlic powder, given in the form of tablets in our study, was well tolerated and only one subject reported increased belching and a garlic odor," explained Jain in the American Journal of Medicine (June 1994;94:632-5). Garlic is also an anticoagulant-a natural blood thinner. H. Kieswetter, M.D., of the University of Saarlandes, Hamburg, Germany, recently found that garlic could help patients suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease, characterized by blood clots in the legs.
The organization regeneration international defines regenerative agriculture this way:
The key to regenerative agriculture is that it not only “does no harm” to the land but actually improves it, using technologies that regenerate and revitalize the soil and the environment. Regenerative agriculture leads to healthy soil, capable of producing high quality, nutrient dense food while simultaneously improving, rather than degrading land, and ultimately leading to productive farms and healthy communities and economies.”
Permaculture gardeners may well want to make garlic a part of their plot design. In fact, if you cook with garlic – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t? – it is a good idea to grow your own. This is because the vast majority of garlic is imported, and usually treated with chemicals to preserve it during transportation.
Garlic prefers a well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Add compost – ideally one that is rich in manure – to the soil before planting your garlic, watering it well. Garlic also like a slightly alkaline soil, so if your garden bed has a low pH, you might consider adding organic agricultural lime to raise it a little before planting.
Plant garlic in mid-fall. This will give you a harvest at the start of the following summer. The plant goes dormant during the winter, be reinvigorates with growth come springtime.
Generally, garlic is one of the most beneficial of companion plants in the permaculture garden. Its chemical makeup means it repels a large number of potential pests, not only insects such as aphids but also larger mammals such as moles, squirrels and deer. Its pungent scent seems to be a primary reason for this, and its strong taste puts animals off trying garlic a second time. But garlic also protects plants around it by accumulating sulfur in the soil.
The DYGUP & SUSTAIN Program has many partnerships in the community including Taylor Hood Farms, Backyard Farms LC, First Christian Church, and Las Cruces High-School. Chihuahuan Desert Charities is proud to be the fiscal sponsor for DYGUP & Sustain and support their important work in the Las Cruces community.
DYGUP, an acronym for Developing Youth from the Ground Up, is available to youth ages 14-17. The SUSTAIN program targets adults over 18 and combines "Roots Of Success" Environmental Literacy Curriculum with intensive farmer training.
Roots of Success is an empowering environmental literacy and job readiness curriculum that helps young people increase their academic and professional skills, prepare for college and careers, and become leaders who can improve conditions in their communities.
Support the DYGUP & SUSTAIN Program at Legacy Farm in Las Cruces by visiting ChihuahuanDesertCharities.org
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