Garlic
大蒜 · Dà Suàn
Fights infections and keeps your gut in check
What it does
Garlic is traditionally used to fight gut infections, kill parasites, and clear digestive trouble. In TCM, it's a warming detoxifier that dries excess moisture in your stomach and intestines. Its compound allicin has well-documented antimicrobial properties. With 26 clinical trials, garlic is one of the most evidence-backed botanicals in both traditional and modern medicine.
How to take it
Crush 2–3 fresh garlic cloves, let sit 10 minutes (activates allicin), then steep in hot water with honey and lemon. Sip at the first sign of a cold.
Sip warm garlic-honey water at the first chill of a cold
Use raw, roasted, or sautéed. Add to nearly any savory dish. Pair with ginger and onion as a flavor base.
Mince a clove of raw garlic into salad dressing, or roast a whole head until soft and sweet
Safety
- Very safe as food, but concentrated supplements can thin the blood
- Stop garlic supplements 1–2 weeks before surgery
- Can cause heartburn and digestive upset in large amounts
- Talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you take medication
Where it comes from
Garlic has been used medicinally across virtually every culture on Earth. In China, it's been both food and medicine since at least the Han Dynasty. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, garlic prices in China surged as people reached for it as a protective measure. With 36 systematic reviews covering everything from blood pressure to antimicrobial activity, garlic bridges traditional and modern medicine more completely than almost any other botanical.