"Ouch, your breath smells of garlic!" I once told my BFF who is a garlic freak.

"Oh yeah, I am protected in many ways you know. Even Dracula and ghosts won't come near me!" she retorted.

Haha, she is an absolute garlic advocate and defender of this smelly bulb vegetable. What do you think? Do you agree with her? Anyway, I agree with her 100%.

During my teenage days, I did string up some bulbs of garlic and hung them on the windows and door of my rented room. I would do this after watching horror movies as I was staying out alone in a rented room at the age of 15 only then! Did it frighten away any ghosts? I don't know, but all these silly actions did give me some peace of mind and less fear back then. Oh, those were the days when I was young and naive... But garlic did have many good medicinal properties and was packed with anti-oxidants.

Garlic has many benefits and has been known for its medicinal properties since the Egyptian era.

Here's a list of the benefits of garlic: (everydayhealth.com )

1. Helps to prevent flu and the common cold

2. Contains phytochemicals (or plant compounds) that are anti-inflammatory and support the immune system.

3. May reduce blood clotting.

4. Lower cholesterol and promotes good cholesterol.

5. Nutritional with fewer calories.

6. Add flavour and makes food taste better.

I vouch for the benefit of garlic number 1, that is it helps to prevent flu and command and cold. This is my personal experience and recipe: as soon as I feel under the weather and coming down with flu, I would just peel a build of garlic and chopped it up roughly. Then toss it in a pan lightly first and add a beaten egg into the pan - omelette style. This dish is not only delicious and nutritional but also prevents me from getting the flu. Another healthier and easier way is of course to just roast garlic and just eat it as it is, or accompanied with rice and other dishes for dinner.

Roast Garlic Recipe

Ingredients

3-5 whole bulbs of garlic olive oil SeaSalt

Method

1. Peel the outer skin and wash it.

2. Cut the bulb of garlic about 1 cm around the stalk ( as long as you can see some of the flesh).

3. Place it in a tray or aluminuin foil

4. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle sea salt on the garlic

5. Place it inside the air fryer

6. Roast for 12-15 mins at 160 C or until the garlic turned slightly brown.

7. Check regularly as different air-fryer brands may need a slight difference in temperature and time.

Roasted Garlic can be eaten as it is with a texture like any normal boiled nuts. The big plus point is now there is no more pungent smell!

Remember to add garlic to most of your dishes such as stir-fries, pasta, pesto, hummus, sauces, soups, and roasted vegetables. Although this is only a small amount of one or two cloves, it will yield health and nutritious benefits in the long run. 

"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food"

-Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine

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