Garlic Day is celebrated every year on April 19, in honor of its wonderful bulbs. One can be an avid fan of garlic, and on the other hand one can also not tolerate it and say it stinks. Garlic is used as a spice plant and the part that is used is the cloves in its tuber that are edible (proper or cooked). Garlic also has many medicinal properties and is also attributed spiritual qualities such as protection against evil spirits and bad luck.
The garlic originated more than 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt and among the inhabitants of the Indus Valley. It was later discovered in ancient China and India and later in Europe. Only at the end of the 19th century garlic was recognized by culinary chefs. Before that it was used in small doses in sauces because it was considered the food of poor farmers, because technically it is just a root that has been removed from the soil.
The nutritional values of garlic
Garlic is rich in an allicin compound that gives it its aroma and spiciness. Allicin is attributed healing properties against many diseases including atherosclerosis, bacterial infections, as well as the ability to dissolve fats and as an antioxidant. Apart from allicin, garlic also contains essential minerals such as sulfur, phosphorus and fluorine, as well as vitamins such as carotene (pro-vitamin A), vitamin B1, vitamin B3 and more.
All this richness turns garlic into a natural remedy. It is good against colds and infections and also reduces blood pressure and cholesterol. Even modern science attributes it antibiotic properties.
Despite all these benefits, one should be careful about overeating the garlic. Some people are allergic to garlic. Consumption of garlic supplements may increase the risk of bleeding and they may also impair the effectiveness of certain medications and create interactions with other medications.
Garlic in culture
In many cultures it is believed that garlic protects against the evil eye. Because of the strong smell of garlic apparently, enormous powers were attributed to it: in medieval and Renaissance Europe it was believed to ward off vampires, witches, werewolves, demons and all the sick evils that could be encountered. To this day some people hang garlic tubes on the door to ward off bad luck and bring good luck.
There is a folklore legend that says that garlic grew from the left footprint of the devil when he left heaven. In Greece, midwives would keep evil spirits away from babies born by placing garlic in their cribs and Roman soldiers would eat garlic to be filled with courage.
In dreams garlic symbolizes good luck and if in a dream one eats the garlic, it may be a sign of hidden secrets.
There are places where throughout the year there are festivals dedicated to garlic like in Canada, Turkey, Australia, Italy, UK, USA and more.
Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world
The town of Gilroy in California is considered the garlic capital of the world. If you really like garlic and want to taste everything that can be prepared with it, this is where you need to go. The town's garlic festival has hosted over three million visitors in its thirty years of existence. The festival offers games, crafts, competitions and various other activities, all around the theme of garlic. They even serve garlic ice cream there! Even out of season, there is plenty to do, including shopping for garlic-related gifts.
How to celebrate Garlic Day?
Some people add garlic to everything they cook every day. Some people like to eat the garlic fresh. If you want to join the garlic day celebrations, do not forget to add it to the sauce or stew you make, to salads (it is recommended to chop it), to sandwiches and more. Keep in mind that after eating people will move away from you a bit because of the odor from your mouth ...
If you have a cold or inflammation, add fresh garlic to your menu, it should help.
Take a picture of the food you prepare and upload it to social media with the hashtag #NationalGarlicDay.
