Explore the health benefits of garlic, from its ancient medicinal uses to modern research.
Learn how this versatile ingredient can enhance flavor and promote well-being.
Culinary Medicine
Garlic, one of the first plants cultivated by humans, has been used to flavor food around the world for over 4,000 years.[1,2] For much of that time, it has also been used for its curative properties. [1] Today, we continue to use garlic for both its culinary and medicinal benefits.
The Stinking Rose
Garlic is often referred to as “the stinking rose,”; a name linked to French writer and physician, Henri Leclerc in the early 1900’s. He translated this from garlic’s ancient Greek name.[3] Despite this nickname, the garlic plant is not a rose; it is a member of the lily family, a group which also includes onions, chives, and leeks. Most of the fresh garlic we use comes from the bulb or head of the plant. This underground structure is an expanded part of the stem, from which the roots grow. Each bulb is composed of 10 to 20 cloves enclosed in a papery cover. Garlic bulbs are harvested in late summer when the foliage starts to turn yellow.[4] There are two main types of garlic, softneck and hardneck. Softneck garlic bulbs are what is typically sold in the grocery store because they have a longer shelf life. Hardneck garlic has a milder flavor, and is often grown in home gardens. Hardneck garlic plants also produce green stalks, called scapes, which are developing flower buds that resemble large chives or scallions. The scapes are harvested in the early summer and can be used in cooking the same as the cloves.
How We Consume It
Garlic is used in cuisines around the world from Asia, to Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. Koreans eat a whopping 22 pounds of garlic per person per year while Americans consume about 2.5 pounds per person annually.[5] We use garlic to spice up our food; the distinctive flavor and odor of garlic are released when the garlic cloves are damaged by cutting, chopping, mincing, crushing, pressing or puréeing.[6] Garlic provides a pungent flavor to sauces, soups, stir-fries, and marinades; it can also be roasted whole and smeared on bread. Garlic is even added to sweets like ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. Many people also consume garlic as a supplement; the potential health benefits of garlic have created a $3.31 billion market for garlic supplements.[7]
Health Benefits of Garlic
Garlic has been said to ward off sickness, plague, and even vampires.[8] While there is no evidence for the vampire claim, garlic has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Garlic was administered as a remedy for depression in China and for weakness, cough, and rheumatism in India. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks consumed garlic to increase strength and Romans used it to cleanse the arteries and maintain the fluidity of blood. [9] In early Britain, garlic in teas and tinctures was used to treat colds, fever, and diarrhea. In the 1700s, garlic was attributed to saving hundreds from a plague outbreak in southern France. During WWI it was used to prevent infections and during WWII, despite the availability of penicillin, the Russian army continued to use garlic, earning it the name Russian penicillin.[1]
Today we know that garlic supplies vitamin A and vitamin B6 as well as the minerals calcium, selenium, and phosphorus, but because we only use it in small amounts, it does not add significant nutrients to the American diet. Garlic does, however, provide a wealth of phytochemicals, notably sulfur-containing compounds that have antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-cancer properties.[10] Allicin, the phytochemical that gives garlic its sharp flavor and pungent odor, is thought to provide much of its antimicrobial activity.[10] The phytochemicals in garlic may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease; there is evidence that garlic, primarily as supplements, can lower blood pressure as well as total and LDL cholesterol. [9,11,12]
While the amounts of garlic we consume in food are safe, some people may experience heartburn and stomach upset, particularly from consuming raw garlic.[12] Allergic reactions are also possible. Garlic, when taken as a supplement, may increase the risk of bleeding so should be avoided by those taking blood thinners or planning for surgery.[12] Supplements may also interfere with the effectiveness of some drugs, including those used to treat HIV infection. The most common side effect of garlic consumption, from both food and supplements, is a garlicky body and breath odor; the sulfur compounds in garlic are absorbed into the bloodstream and released in sweat and exhaled through the lungs. [12]
Bottom Line
When garlic became known as the stinking rose, the name was not meant to be a term of endearment, but it is used as one today. So, don’t shy away from garlic. Enjoy it in your spaghetti sauce, stir-fry, or kim chi; it will make your food tastier and provide health-promoting phytochemicals.
References
[1] Petrovska BB, Cekovska S. Extracts from the history and medical properties of garlic. Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2010;4(7):106. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.65321
[2] Simon P. Simon: Garlic Origins : USDA ARS. Usda.gov. Published 2016. https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/madison-wi/vegetable-crops-research/docs/simon-garlic-origins/
[3] Garlic: The Stinking Rose. In the Garden. Published October 11, 2011. https://joansbolton.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/garlic-the-stinking-rose/
[4] From Garden to Table: Garlic! NDSU Agriculture and Extension. Published January 31, 2022. https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/garden-table-garlic
[5] All About Garlic! Pocket Guide. NDSU Agriculture. Published July 17, 2024. https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/all-about-garlic-pocket-guide
[6] Lornec, C. Stinking facts about garlic. MSU Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/stinking_facts_about_garlic
[7] Market. Garlic Supplement Market Size, Share, Growth | Report 2034. Marketresearchfuture.com. Published 2025. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/garlic-supplement-market-26929
[8] Tauber J. Booseum: Vampires! Carnegiemnh.org. Published 2020. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://carnegiemnh.org/booseum-vampires
[9] Sleiman C, Daou RM, Antonio Al Hazzouri, et al. Garlic and Hypertension: Efficacy, Mechanism of Action, and Clinical Implications. Nutrients. 2024;16(17):2895-2895. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16172895
[10] El-Saber Batiha G, Magdy Beshbishy A, G. Wasef L, et al. Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Garlic (Allium sativum L.): A Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(3):872. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030872
[11] Sun YE, Wang W, Qin J. Anti-hyperlipidemia of garlic by reducing the level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Medicine. 2018;97(18):e0255. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000010255
[12] National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Garlic. NCCIH. Published December 2020. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/garlic
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