When is National Garlic Day?
April 19th is National Garlic Day.
What is National Garlic Day?
Good for keeping vampires and heart disease away, garlic is the most, uh, fragrant member of the Lily family. National Garlic Day relishes the stench, the sharp zing, and the savory medical benefits of garlic.
Cuisines all over the world use garlic. Whether sautéed with some onions or baked into a dish, it adds a unique quality to savory dishes. Most people only use the bulbs, but the shoots of some hard-neck varieties can be used like garlic-infused scallions.
This fiercely odorous plant contains several organic compounds that combine to create allicin when the garlic bulb is cut or crushed. Allicin helps lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease by relaxing blood vessels, which lets more blood flow under less pressure. It even impedes the formation of cholesterol-friendly enzymes in the liver.
That smell can be overpowering. Not to worry though. Running cold water over your hands while rubbing a stainless steel object removes the odor. And don’t let bad breath get you down. Drinking milk or eating parsley might actually neutralize garlic-induced halitosis.
For some unlucky few, garlic is a bit too much. For the rest of the world, there are plenty of reasons and ways to enjoy National Garlic Day.
Fun facts about National Garlic Day!
- The juice in garlic cloves can work as an adhesive for fragile projects.
- The Ebers Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian manuscript that details 22 different medicinal uses for garlic.
- The allicin in garlic acts like a blood thinner.
- Allicin is antibiotic and antifungal too, so it works against cold sores and acne. Simply cut a clove in half and hold it directly to the skin—for as long as you can bear the smell.
- Leeches latch three times more quickly onto skin coated in garlic than uncoated skin.
How to celebrate National Garlic Day:
- Go to a garlic festival. Try the many ways of preparing and using garlic, and learn some tips to practice at home.
- Cook a delicious meal with garlic.
What’s the hashtag for National Garlic Day?
Share your love for garlic by using #NationalGarlicDay on social media.