Garlic
Allium sativumGarlic is carried against the evil eye in both Anatolia and the Andes; the same plant has the same job on two continents.
What is Garlic?
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a plant of the Amaryllidaceae family. Traditions that use it: Anatolia and the Mediterranean, Andes. Part used: bulb (cloves).
What is Garlic used for?
Traditional use: Hung over doors and cradles against the evil eye and evil spirits. Scientific evidence: clinical. Crushing forms allicin.
Is Garlic safe?
Safety label: generally safe. Safe as food. High doses may strengthen blood thinners; stop before surgery.
Traditional use
Hung over doors and cradles against the evil eye and evil spirits. Eaten raw for colds and blood pressure.
In Peru and Bolivia, ajo is used in limpia rites and carried against the evil eye; eaten for colds.
In nature
Mix-up risk
Can be confused with wild garlic species and ornamental onions; poisonings have occurred when autumn crocus or lily-of-the-valley leaves were mistaken for wild garlic.
Preparation
Eaten raw and crushed; letting it rest 10 minutes after crushing increases the active compound.
What science says
Crushing forms allicin. Meta-analyses show garlic preparations lower blood pressure and cholesterol slightly. The NCCIH notes that these effects are small.
How strong is the evidence?
Claims often repeated online about Garlic, and what science says today.
| Claim | Evidence | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lowers blood pressure slightly | Clinical evidence | Small but significant drop in meta-analyses. |
| Lowers cholesterol | Limited evidence | The effect is small and inconsistent between studies. |
| Prevents colds | Limited evidence | Based on a single small study; Cochrane found the evidence insufficient. |
| Prevents cancer | No evidence | Observational studies exist but show no cause and effect. |
Common mistakes
- Taking high-dose garlic supplements while on blood thinners or before surgery.
- Raw garlic stored in oil: at room temperature it risks botulism; keep it in the fridge.
- Binding garlic to the skin for long to treat a wound: it causes chemical burns.
Frequently asked
Is eating garlic on an empty stomach beneficial?
There is no specific evidence for this; it causes heartburn in some people.
How much does garlic lower blood pressure?
Studies usually saw small drops of a few points; it is no substitute for blood pressure medicine.
Can I use garlic with HIV medicines?
Garlic supplements lower the levels of some HIV drugs; do not combine them.
Safety
Safe as food. High doses may strengthen blood thinners; stop before surgery.
Similar plants
Sources
- EMA monographAllium sativum bulbus değerlendirme raporu: European Medicines Agency herbal assessment
- NCCIHUS National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: use and safety summary
- BookBaytop T. Türkiye’de Bitkiler ile Tedavi: Geçmişte ve Bugün. 2. baskı. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 1999.
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Allium sativum
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe