Garlic is a close relative to leeks, chives, and onions and it has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for ages. This vegetable is often used to boost the flavour of meals and make them healthier and tastier. However, these benefits are only available from organically-grown garlic, not the irradiated one which is being imported from China and sold throughout the U.S.
What Is Irradiation?
Irradiation is the exposure of raw and processed foods to ionizing radiation with the goal to destroy illnesses and pathogens and prolong the shelf life of the product in question by making changes in the plant’s sprouting. This is a huge advantage for manufacturers of garlic in China and unfortunately, this practice is also being done in the U.S. as the FDA approves it. This being said, make sure you always buy certified organic garlic or even better, grow your own supplies.
The Healing Properties of Garlic
Allicin, a sulphur compound present in garlic, is known to be 15 times more potent than penicillin; it keeps you safe from viruses, parasites, pathogenic bacteria, yeast infections, and cancer. In the body, this compound transforms into sulfenic acid and kills free radicals and elevates the number of T-cells in the body which are known to fight off viruses.
Even though there are garlic supplements available, there is nothing better than consuming raw, organic garlic. You just need to mash two cloves, leave the content for 5 minutes so that the allicin is released, and then swallow it. Or, prepare this delicious and soothing garlic soup!
The Healthiest Garlic Soup with 52 Cloves
You will need:
- 26 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- One onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 2 tbsp of butter
- Half a tsp of cayenne powder
- A tsp of turmeric powder
- Half a cup of ginger
- 2 cups of onions, sliced
- One and a half tsp of thyme, chopped
- 26 garlic cloves, peeled
- Half a cup of coconut milk
- 3 ½ cups of vegetable broth, organic
- 4 wedges of lemon
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Baking tray
- Aluminium foil
- Saucepan
The preparation:
First, preheat the oven to 350F and then place the unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking tray, sprinkle them with olive oil, and add a bit of sea salt. Cover the cloves with foil and put them in the oven. Bake them for 45 minutes. Then, turn off the stove, leave the garlic to cool down, and then squeeze out the cloves with the help of your fingers to remove it from the shell.
Next, melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat and add the onions, thyme, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper and cook them for 5 to 6 minutes. Then, divide the peeled cloves of garlic into two portions, i.e. 12 and 14. Mash 14 of them and add them to the onion mixture and add the roasted garlic too. Cook them for 3 more minutes and add the broth. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the content until the garlic softens, i.e. 20 minutes. Turn off the stove and with the help of a hand blender, blend the soup and pour in the milk and the remaining 12 garlic cloves and stir the mixture. Leave it to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes and then sprinkle salt and black pepper. Serve while warm and remember to sprinkle a wedge of lemon into the soup. Enjoy!