Discover the Flavor: 9 Surprising and Fun Facts About Garlic You Never Knew

1. Roman Garlic Charms

When ancient Romans felt a little "garlic and water" mixed with their spirit warding practices, they knew just what to reach for: garlic was used by Roman soldiers and civilians as charms and remedies, believed to protect against evil spirits, though no evidence suggests it was consumed to boost strength or courage before battle.
Source => nutritionalgeography.faculty.ucdavis.edu

2. Garlic: The Anti-Vampire Superfood

Garlic - often touted as the ultimate weapon against vampires, bad first dates, and your high school crush sitting two desks away. But wait, there's more: this mighty bulb also packs a punch with allicin, a compound that shows potential in treating drug-resistant infections, functioning as an antioxidant, and may even play a role in future drug development. Not too shabby for a little stinky kitchen staple!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth I played a role in popularizing gingerbread cookies shaped like VIPs, and that gingerbread houses first emerged in 16th century Germany? Discover more fun facts about these delightful desserts and their history!

=> Fun Facts about Gingerbread-Houses

3. Egypt's Long-Lasting Garlic Export

Forget ancient mummies and pyramids, Egypt has another gift for the world that lasts just as long: Egyptian garlic boasts one of the longest shelf-lives among garlic varieties, making it a popular export and a vital income source for dedicated farmers in the land of the Pharaohs.
Source => specialtyproduce.com

4. Japanese "Vegetable Viagra"

You won't find garlic in ancient Japanese love potions, that's for sure: in fact, garlic was considered to have negative effects on the body and didn't even make it onto their dinner plates, earning it the ironic nickname "vegetable viagra" thanks to its circulation-boosting properties!
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

5. Garlic: Dracula Slayer & Antibiotic

Garlic: Dracula's Nightmare and Your Friendly Neighborhood Antibiotic! In the age of blood-sucking superstitions, garlic was trusted as a vampire repellent due to the potent antibiotic compound allicin found within it, which was believed to kill vampires with blood diseases: in fact, people with porphyria—a blood disorder mimicking vampire traits—were known to avoid garlic as it aggravated their symptoms, reinforcing this belief.
Source => carnegiemnh.org

6. Record-Breaking Garlic Bulb

Hold your cloves, garlic enthusiasts, because this next fact is sure to leave you allium-azed: The largest garlic bulb in recorded history tips the scales at a whopping 2.625 pounds (1.19 kilograms), courtesy of a stinking brilliant chap named Robert Kirkpatrick, who grew this behemoth bulb in the United States back in 1985.
Source => giantveg.co.uk

7. Health Benefits of the Stinking Rose

Vampires beware, for the humble stinking rose might just be your undoing: garlic, known for its pungent aroma and flavorful culinary uses, has been found to have numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and even potentially reducing the risk of colon cancer by 35% in women who eat it regularly - not to mention its ancient reputation as a powerful antibiotic.
Source => spiceworldinc.com

8. Garlic: The Pungent Superfood

Garlic: the ultimate vampire repellant and dinner party staple that's left many longing for a mint afterwards. But there's more to this smelly, yet delicious ingredient than just fending off the undead: it contains organosulfur compounds which give it its signature scent while delivering antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties - making it essentially a superfood that keeps both vampires away and health problems at bay!
Source => pubs.rsc.org

9. Garlic: Nature's Magical Elixir

When life gives you garlic, make a potion to ward off the undead and boost your physical capabilities: This magical elixir from nature's apothecary has been revered for centuries, with its medicinal qualities being praised by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and Indians, and even being featured in biblical texts as a powerhouse remedy for ailments and an enhancer of strength and work capacity.
Source => sciencedirect.com