The History of Garlic Use

Like salt, garlic has been used from ancient times. It has held a place as currency, medicine and the warding off of all things evil. In some cultures, it was considered evil, but not by many. Here is a look at some of the historical uses for this versatile plant.

The cultivation of this herb may date back as far as 2000 B.C. in China. It was thought to provide more energy, alleviate depression and as an aphrodisiac. There may be a case for all of these, because of the blood thinning aspect.

Ancient Egyptians were very in to garlic. They used it as currency, swore oaths on it and fed it to their slaves to increase their endurance and ward off illness. In fact, the Israelites complained to Moses about missing the garlic given to them by their Egyptian masters.

Many cultures use garlic as a specific against all forms of evil and evil creatures. Braids of garlic were hung over the cribs of infants. It was hung in houses and other buildings to ward off the Plague, and worn around the neck for the same purpose. Witches, werewolves and vampires were said not to be able to stand garlic.

Perhaps they had something with the Plague, but not necessarily hung in bulbs from the doorposts. A concoction called Four Grave Robbers was a mix of garlic and vinegar. It is said that these men robbed the graves of those who died from the Plague but seemed immune to it. They rubbed it on themselves, their clothes and breathed through a mask soaked in the substance. It is conceivable that it helped.

Garlic was not universally approved of, however. In ancient Greece, the priestesses would not allow anyone who consumed garlic in their temples. King Alfonso of Castille (circa 1330) banned knights who ate garlic from his court for a month. I guess the garlic stench was just too much…

Herbalists who practiced prior to vaccines used garlic to ward off polio. Some cultures used it as treatment for arthritis, leprosy and tuberculosis.

The same is true for cooking. In most of Europe and North America, garlic was not an ingredient proper society would consume. Certain ethnic groups would do so, but they tended to be of the lower classes. In New York, garlic was called "Bronx Vanilla." It wasn’t until about 1925 that garlic began to creep its tasty way into polite cuisine.

Even though penicillin had been discovered, garlic had an important role during WWI. When the supply of penicillin ran out, field medics and doctors began to use garlic on the wounded to prevent infections and gangrene. It was placed raw on the wounds, and may have saved many lives.

Since ancient times, garlic has been used to ward off bug bites, especially mosquitoes and ticks. Those who eat garlic produce perspiration that the insects can’t stand. Even animals infested by ticks were given garlic, and in about half an hour, all of the bugs would be gone. However, garlic should never be given to a cat. Garlic is toxic to all felines.

There is a caution about placing garlic on the skin, however. Sensitive skin, particularly that of young children can suffer burns if raw garlic is used topically. Another potential problem with garlic is for those with disorders of clotting factors, or those taking blood thinners. The addition of garlic may thin the blood too much.

Some of the uses of garlic mentioned in this article should not be used in modern times. If you wish to find out specific information about any of these conditions and how garlic might affect them, please contact your doctor or a qualified herbal practitioner. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any new supplement program.

Garlic Information Page
This page will give you more information on the many uses of garlic.