Serious Medicine in a Bowl: 52 Clove Garlic Soup Defeats Colds and Flus
Winter always brings with it the usual suspects: colds, flu, and various respiratory infections. But this winter, consider embracing the incredible immune-boosting powers of garlic. As temperatures drop and seasons change, safeguard your health and bolster your body’s defenses against seasonal ailments with the warmth of spices and nourishing dishes like the 52 clove garlic soup.
Always remember, the most effective remedies are often found in real food. The kitchen, not the pharmacy, holds the key to your winter wellness!
Garlic: The Ancient Superfood for Modern Health
Throughout history, garlic has been revered as a powerful medicinal tool. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans utilized it for treating infections, digestive issues, and even hypertension. In Italy, it was common for children to wear garlands of garlic to school as a preventative measure against colds.
In World War I, British medics discovered the life-saving properties of garlic, using diluted raw garlic juice to treat severe infections on the battlefield. This practice was also adopted by Russian medics during World War II, who additionally incorporated garlic and onions into soldiers’ diets for enhanced health benefits.
The secret to garlic’s remarkable health properties lies in allicin, its active ingredient. Allicin not only imparts garlic’s distinctive aroma but also contributes to its potent therapeutic effects.
Allicin, found in garlic, is a compound of remarkable potency. Just one milligram of allicin has the strength equivalent to 15 times that of penicillin. This powerful substance offers extensive protection against a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, antibiotic-resistant MRSA, yeast infections, and even plays a role in combatting cancer.
Garlic is rich in 33 sulfur-containing compounds. Upon consumption, allicin transforms into sulfenic acid, an incredibly efficient free radical neutralizer. This transformation highlights garlic’s unparalleled ability to combat oxidative stress in the body.
Research from the University of Florida has shed light on another benefit of garlic: it boosts the body’s immune response. Their studies revealed that consuming garlic leads to an increase in T-cells, which are crucial for fighting viruses in the bloodstream.
The Best Way to Consume Garlic in 52 Clove Garlic Soup
Savvy health experts increasingly promote eating whole foods as a foundational healing method as opposed to taking supplements, especially when it comes to garlic. Eating garlic is by far the best way to ensure garlic’s numerous health benefits.
Most consider the proper way to eat garlic for health purposes is to first smash a whole fresh clove with a garlic press, chop it, or smash it with the back of a knife. Then wait about 5 minutes before consuming.
This ritual activates the potent, medicinal allicin in garlic. Caveat: If you buy powered or jarred garlic, you will not experience the full spectrum of medicinal benefits that garlic offers.
There are two other schools of thought regarding the best way to prepare garlic for health purposes. Argentinian researchers discovered garlic releases allicin when you bake the cloves, while other scientists advise peeling garlic and letting it sit uncovered for 15 minutes to release garlic’s full medicinal potential.
It is important to note that the garlic should be fresh. Some argue that the active ingredient is destroyed soon after smashing the garlic. Compress the garlic with a spoon before swallowing it if you are not going to juice it. If you don’t use crushed garlic cloves and decide to swallow the clove intact, allicin may not convert to its active ingredient.
52 Clove Garlic Soup Recipe
This soup recipe incorporates all the above-recommended methods of maximizing garlic’s health benefits, and it’s delicious! This should serve 4 people.
Ingredients
- 26 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
- 2 tablespoons genuine olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) organic butter (grass-fed)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon of
turmeric - 1/2 cup fresh ginger
- 2 1/4 cups sliced onions
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 26 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk (homemade is best)
- 3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth
- 4 lemon wedges for lemon juice
- (Optional) add coconut milk.
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place 26 garlic cloves in a small glass baking dish.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and toss to coat.
- Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes.
- After cooling, squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to a small bowl.
- Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, thyme, ginger,
turmeric , and cayenne powder and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. - Smash 12 raw garlic cloves and set aside.
- Add roasted garlic and 14 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes.
- Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth.
- Return soup to a saucepan; add almond milk or coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
- Add 12 smashed garlic to the finished soup and stir. Season with sea salt and pepper for flavor.
- Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.
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