Stories Surrounding Garlic’s Origin And Consumption
Image Credit: In 2018, the total world production of garlic was 28,494,130 metric tonnes and China was by far the largest producer of this vegetable. (Picture Courtesy: Shutterstock)

Garlic’s strong pungent smell is something that most people can’t tolerate and hence keep a distance from it. I am not one of those people. I have always loved its smell and taste in any dish. Garlic is a must-have in my house not only because it enhances the taste of any food but also because of its medicinal properties. In the past and even in the preset, garlic was/is considered a perfect medium to ward off the evil eye, an aphrodisiac and a magic potion. 

Picture Courtesy: Shutterstock

Believed to be native of central Asia, garlic is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. The vegetable got its name from an Anglo-Saxon word, garleac meaning “spear leek.” Garlic is believed to be descended from Allium longicuspis which belongs to the Liliaceae family. 

This seasoning plant was domesticated during the Neolithic age, incorporating its medicinal properties and taste. In 3000 BC, it slowly spread in northern and Middle East Africa. Some Indian traders, when arrived in the region, introduced garlic to the Babylonian and Assyrian empires. They further spread it to their neighbouring civilizations. Some ancient records from Egypt suggest that garlic was used as a food seasoning, antiseptic, preventing gangrene and longevity by every section of society. 

Picture Courtesy: Pixabay

 Expansion of Muslim rule across Middle and Eastern Europe enabled the spread of garlic to central and Western Europe. There, garlic was considered and an excellent cure for smallpox and plague. During both World Wars, garlic was used extensively as an effective antiseptic and cure for dysentery. In 2018, the total world production of garlic was 28,494,130 metric tonnes and China was by far the largest producer of this vegetable.