Garlic Makes it Good

GARLIC MAKES IT GOOD!!!

 

Shallots are for babies; onions are for men; garlic is for heroes. 
- Unknown

Everyone is aware that a necklace made of garlic wards off vampires, right?  Anyway, it's strongly insinuated that garlic has powers to stave off the most wicked of creatures!  If one smells strongly enough, one can get anything one wants, I suspect!  Garlic keeps me from wanting to talk or kiss anyone who has eaten it.  Where there is garlic breath, there should also be a sufficient stash of breath mints. 

But is garlic the super food that everyone thinks it is?  I thought today, on NATIONAL GARLIC DAY we should get the real story about it.

There is no such thing as a little garlic.  - Arthur Baer

Garlic is part of the onion family and is closely related to leeks, shallots and chives.  Known as a sulfurous food, it has been used as a bug repellent and treats bug bites and minor infections.  It's also been said that garlic heals severe acne. 

It has been used in herbal medicine, phytotherapy and other alternative medicine as well.

Because the aging process is actually just oxidative stress happening in our bodies, antioxidants combat that oxidative stress and protect us at the cellular level. The whole idea behind eating an alkaline-based diet is to slow down the inevitable aging process as much as possible. I'm not saying it's going to keep us from getting those dreaded crow's feet, but I am saying that the antioxidants help to protect us from the more deadly disease processes.

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good. 
- Alice May Brock (of ‘Alice's Restaurant’ fame)

Since garlic is alkaline-based, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, It has been credited with helping with the following conditions:

1. Lowers blood pressure.
2. Prevents atherosclerosis and coronary blockage.
3. Reduces blood clot formation.
4. Lowers cholesterol LDL levels.
5. Stimulates the pituitary gland.
6. Regulates blood sugar.
7. Reduces risk of certain types of cancer.

Many cultures have embraced garlic as their aphrodisiac of choice.  Which leads me back to the well-stocked supply of breath mints. 

But people who love each other find a way, right???

The humble garlic clove deserves another chance to be part of your arsenal of healthy foods if if isn't already. 

Garlic Linguine With Mushrooms (serves 4)

Ingredients:

Salt
Water
1lb. Linguine
1 oz. Butter
3 oz. Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb. Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbs. freshly chopped Parsley
Black Pepper

Instructions:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

2. Add plenty of salt and the linguine and cook for 8-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic in a saucepan then add the mushrooms and sauté gently until golden, stirring from time to time.

4. Add the parsley, salt and pepper to the mushroom mixture and mix well.

5. Drain the cooked pasta well, return to the rinsed out pan and stir in the oil and garlic mixture, tossing to coat well. Serve immediately.

Make something amazing for National Garlic Day!!!!!!!!!!!!

*No copyright-protected material used.