[1]
Garlic is one of my all-time favorite spices. I add it to almost everything from pizza to roasted vegetables [2] and broccoli [3]. Not only does garlic add exceptional flavor [4] to food, it also has several other super powers. Here are a few of the many uses for garlic.
Home remedy for acne
Garlic is know for its antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Slice open a clove of garlic and rub onto the effected area. You can also crush the garlic and apply the garlic juice. You might want to shower after this one!
Garlic as glue for glass or paper
Yes, you read that correctly. Garlic can be used as glue since it’s a natural adhesive. Take a few garlic cloves and crush them. Rub the garlic juice on the paper, porcelain or glass and voila! In China, where over three quarters of the world’s garlic crop is grown, the sticky liquid that comes out of the cloves is used as glue for glass and porcelain.
Cold sore treatment
When cold sores decides to make an appearance we will do almost anything to make them go away. Next time a cold sore shows up give raw garlic a try. Cut a clove of garlic and place it directly onto the cold sore for 10 minutes at a time. Do this three to four times a day.
Sore throat
Sore throats can be incredibly painful. Here’s a home remedy that will hopefully help. Take two cloves of garlic and crush them. Place the raw garlic in your mouth and chew and swallow.
Another option is making a garlic tea to sooth a sore throat. Take several cloves of garlic, whole (2-4 depending on the amount of water) and add
- several pieces of fresh ginger
- as much cayenne pepper as you can take
- a flavored tea bag (for taste)
- honey (to taste)
My kids get a lot of splinters and they are no fun. When the tweezers come out they run the other direction. Garlic can help with the splinter removal process. Place a thin piece of garlic over the splinter and place a band-aid on to hold it in place. Leave it on for a few hours. The garlic naturally draws the splinter out [5] and because of its antibacterial properties will help prevent infection.
These are just a few of the many ways to use garlic. What are some of the other uses for garlic?
Use organic garlic whenever you can. Please be sure to check with your physician before trying any of these home remedies.
Photo credit: Dade Freeman [6] via photo pin [7] cc [8]
Linked up with Seasonal Celebration Sunday.