Just like people, vegetables also have the effect of attracting or repelling us, until we discover their uses that change our perception of them. Pungent-smelling garlic is no exception. The strong taste and awful smell definitely put you off, but once you get to know its uses; varied uses; you’ll start to think that garlic isn’t so bad after all.

Garlic or Allium Sativum belongs to the onion and leek family. The active compound in garlic is allicin which is released when garlic is cut. Did you know that garlic was rarely used in English cooking, although on the Mediterranean side it was quite popular even among the ancient Greeks and Egyptians?

Health & Beauty

This is a popular use of garlic that you have probably heard of many times before. Rubbing a raw garlic clove helps you kiss pesky acne goodbye. It has blood-cleansing properties, keeps the digestive tract healthy, and is also an effective antibiotic. Garlic prevents cancer, keeps the cold at bay, helps maintain a healthy heart, and is good for the liver. Garlic also works on itchy skin and fungal infections.

Mosquitoes and Fleas

You can put garlic cloves next to your bed or rub its juice on your skin to repel mosquitoes. Ticks and fleas also flee from garlic, so you can also rub garlic juice on your pets. If you don’t want your pet to have that bad smell, you can make sure to include a small amount of garlic in your pets’ diet.

Pesticide

Garlic is also a good green pesticide. It is eco-friendly and also quite effective in warding off whiteflies, cabbage worms and other irritating pests. All you have to do is mix garlic with pepper and soap to protect your vegetables.

Disinfectant

Mix minced garlic with vinegar and lemon juice for an effective disinfectant or cleaner.

fishing bait

You can try this next time you go fishing. Top those marshmallows generously with crushed garlic. Apparently this makes fishing easier.

Adhesive

Garlic works on paper and even on glass. You can use the juice as glue.

Aphrodisiac

Like cardamom, garlic is also an aphrodisiac. What a difference between the two! Garlic helps blood circulation and hence the effect, so they say. If you are worried about garlic breath, you can drink some lemon juice to cure it.

melting snow

You can use garlic salt to thaw ice on your driveways or roadsides in winter. In fact, in 2008; In Ankeny, Iowa, garlic salt donated by spice producer Tone Brothers Inc. was used to melt snow and ice in suburban Des Moines.

remove splinters

Cut a piece of garlic and put it on the splinter. The splinter will come out on its own but it will take a few hours.

Protecting from evil spirits

Garlic is supposed to defend you from evil spirits and even vampires. Forget garlic juice, some people hang a garlic garland on their windows to ward off demons.

With so many benefits, don’t overindulge in garlic in your diet. Take it in moderation and enjoy this versatile medicinal plant.