Say goodbye to the flu shot. A simple ginger-garlic soup made of 52 cloves of garlic, some thyme, onions, and lemons will eliminate all the viruses that dwell in our body and it is especially effective against, flu, common cold, and norovirus.
This is the time of the year when people often get ill and if you are in a situation like this you’ve probably read about the benefits of taking garlic. Garlic has been known as a virus eliminator for a long time and one of the main reasons why this veggie is so efficient is the natural chemical known as allicin found in it.
According to a finding published not while ago at Healthy Holistic Living, garlic is about one hundred times more powerful than two of the most popular pharmaceutical antibiotics at combating bacteria that lead to food-borne ailments.
Garlic naturally contains alliin, but when this veggie is crushed alliin is turned into allicin. Several scientific studies have confirmed that allicin leads to the stabilization of cholesterol levels and blood pressure and it also keeps the body safe from the formation of blood clots.
This vegetable can lower the chances of developing thickening of the arteries also known as atherosclerosis. The compounds and substances found in this commonly used vegetable eliminate many microorganisms like viruses and bacteria that lead to colds, flu, and earaches.
These studies also suggest that this vegetable is very efficient in cases of digestive issues and diarrhea. In addition, researchers claim that this commonly used vegetable can protect our bodies from different types of cancer.
According to Helen Bond, an expert consultant dietitian and representative of the BDA 9 British Dietetic Association), scientists have been aware of the antifungal and antibacterial properties of allicin for a very long time.
Today, many people are convinced that it can improve the immune system. There are many people who are mashing up this veggie, add some olive oil to it, and put it on bread before eating it.
However, science still doesn’t have an answer to how exactly garlic works.
As a matter of fact, there are many scientists who believe that garlic doesn’t have some exceptional properties that can help people fight flu and colds. Last year, the Cochrane Database, a well-known international research organization, conducted an investigation that pointed out that by including more garlic in your diet during the winter period, people can reduce the time of cold symptoms and signs by one day.
However, the report which included the experience from other previously conducted studies focused on garlic, said that it was not possible for the scientists to come up with a clear conclusion because they need a larger investigation with more participants.
The main obstacle is that none of the major pharmaceutical companies are not showing interest in conducting large-scale, costly trials (like they usually do when there are some new drugs that have potential) because they simply can’t sell garlic as a patented product and make a profit.
Altered Ginger-Garlic Soup Recipe
(Four servings)
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- 26 unpeeled cloves of garlic
- Half a teaspoon of cayenne powder
- Two tablespoons of organic butter
- 2 ¼ cups of onions (sliced)
- Half a cup of fresh ginger
- 26 peeled cloves of garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh thyme (chopped)
- 3 ½ cups of organic veggie broth
- Half a cup of coconut milk
- Four lemon wedges.
Instructions:
Turn the oven to 350 F (preheat). Put 26 cloves of garlic in a clean glass baking dish. Pour two tablespoons of raw olive oil and use some sea salt on top of it. Use baking foil on top of the baking dish and bake the ingredients until the garlic gets golden brown color and becomes soft (about 45 minutes). Let the dish cool down. Use your fingers to squeeze the garlic in order to release cloves. Put the cloves in a small or mid-size bowl.
Take a large saucepan and melt the butter on medium to high heat. Put the thyme, onions, cayenne powder, and ginger and keep cooking until the onions become almost transparent (6 minutes). Put the roasted garlic and 26 raw cloves of garlic and cook everything for about three minutes.
After that, put the veggie broth, cover the saucepan, and simmer well. Wait until the garlic becomes soft and tender. It should take about 20 minutes to achieve this. Puree soup in a blender to get a smooth texture. Bring back the soup to the saucepan and pour some coconut milk. Heat to simmer. Use pepper and sea salt for flavor.
Take one lemon wedge and squeeze it into the bowl. Do the same for the other bowl. Enjoy!
This recipe can be prepared the day before you actually eat it. Cover it well and keep it in the fridge. Use medium heat to make it warm again. There is no doubt that garlic is a great natural drug. This inexpensive vegetable can be found in almost every supermarket and people can grow their own garlic in the yard too.
It is good to point out that garlic was used as a natural remedy for many centuries. Even the people of Ancient Egypt used it for more than 20 health problems. According to a document that is more than 3500 years old, the people who were working on the construction of the pyramids took garlic in order to boost their power and stay healthy.
In addition, Ancient Greeks praised garlic for its ability to heal infections, blood and lung problems, bug bites, and leprosy. Even the Ancient Romans used garlic. The Roman soldiers and sailors ate this vegetable to boost their immunity. The personal doctor of the famous Roman emperor Nero, Dioscorides, wrote an entire book dedicated to garlic.
Today, science confirms the positive effects of eating garlic. For instance, one finding that has caught the attention of the public was that this vegetable boosts the antioxidant levels of the human body. Garlic, or Allium Sativa, was used for the elimination of bacteria and viruses for hundreds of years. The famous French microbiologist and chemist, Louis Pasteur, confirmed that many harmful bacteria die when they were exposed to garlic.
Starting from the Middle Ages, people used garlic to heal wounds and to prevent the appearance or growth of infections. In Russia, garlic is known as Russian penicillin. Not a while ago, scientists found evidence that garlic has the potential to keep us fit and healthy in many different ways. 10 months ago, scientists from the University of Florida discovered that taking garlic on a regular basis can increase the number of T-cells in the blood. These cells are very important for the immune system and our ability to eliminate viruses.
Furthermore, pharmacologists that work at the University of California discovered that the active compound found in garlic – allicin – eliminates infection. Allicin also has the ability to dilate blood vessels, boosting blood circulation and aiding the body’s effort to prevent cardiovascular issues like high cholesterol levels. A scientific study conducted in Australia included 80 patients and the final conclusion was that those who practice a diet rich in garlic usually have more stable blood pressure.
About 8 years ago, Brazilian dentists found that gargling performed with garlic-based water can eliminate bacteria that lead to gum disease and tooth decay. However, they had a problem with this research because the participants in this experiment couldn’t go on because gargling with garlic water made them feel bad. Of course, you may feel the same when you take a look at the garlic soup recipe, but the presence of other ingredients should encourage you to try it.
Garlic is not good only for humans; it is good for crops too. It turns out that garlic has the ability to eliminate snails and slugs. Experts from the University of Newcastle claim that garlic has specific oils that affect the nervous systems of snails. There are many ways in which you can use garlic, but in most cases, experts agree that there are two ways that have proven to be most efficient when it comes to using the positive effects of this vegetable.
For instance, researchers from Argentina found that garlic sets the allicin compounds during baking. However, researchers from the South Carolina Medical University claim that peeling garlic and leaving it to sit still for about 15 minutes brings the highest amount of allicin to combat illnesses. In other words, you can take half of the garlic cloves, peel them and leave them like that and bake the other half. When the aforementioned soup is prepared, don’t forget to use a small amount of lemon juice on top of that.
The strong scent will probably make you curious and after you take one spoon the taste will convince you that everything is alright. This is a very healthy and tasty meal, but don’t forget that one big bowl of this soup can replace one meal. When it comes to its ability to prevent and heal colds and flu, you will have to wait and see. Nutritionists advise taking this soup almost on a daily basis in order to protect yourself during winter.
Don’t let the strong scent change your mind!
Via Healthy Holistic Living; Sources: NIH | HNN | Smitten Kitchen | Daily Mail | Wikipedia
