Garlic Detox

I am always looking for different ways to improve my health and my research always leads me to try something new. Last month, I found a recipe from Deep Roots that I wanted to try. With her permission, I am posting her recipe for Fermented Garlic in Raw Honey! Sounds delicious right? I thought so too, so
here I sit patiently waiting for the process to complete! It won’t be ready for a few more weeks but I know it will be worth the wait.

Here is a quote from the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often called the father of Western medicine: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Words of wisdom!

Garlic is often used as a powerful antibiotic. It contains compounds with potent medicinal properties. A study from Pub Med central states that garlic can combat the common cold. In a 12-week study, a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63% and symptoms of a cold by 70%! Garlic is said to reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol. Garlic contains antioxidants and may
improve athletic performance, detoxify heavy metals in the body and improve bone health. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-health-benefits-of-garlic#section10

Honey has so many health benefits and is delicious too!! Honey is said to help heal wounds and burns, reduce the duration of diarrhea, prevent acid reflux, fight infections, relieve colds and their symptoms, used as a remedy for stress, weakness, sleep disturbances, vision problems, bad breath, teething pain in
children and coughs. Do not give honey to children under 1, it can cause botulism. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/264667#benefits

For my personal use, I use honey as an antibiotic, anti- inflammatory and anti-fungal. I use it both topically and internally. I typically use raw, unfiltered local honey but when I need that extra boost for medicinal purposes, I use Manuka honey. I recently purchased Pine Manuka Honey and WOW, did it ever tame a cough!!

Well, there you have it! A great and easy way to keep your immune system in check.

Below is the recipe from Deep Roots. If you haven’t already liked her page just like her on Facebook or go to her website www.deeprootsathome.com she shares a wealth of valuable information that I know you will love.

This process is pretty straightforward:
- Find a pint sized glass jar (you will need a tight fitting lid)
- Fill it half way with peeled garlic cloves, just slightly bruised – cover with
honey and remove air spaces with spoon
- Repeat adding cloves and cover over with more honey, leaving that 1 1/2 –2″  air space at top
- For a pint, you will need ~4-5 full, large bulbs; for a quart, ~8-9 bulbs

Fermented Garlic Tips

1. Leave a couple of inches of headspace at the top of the jar.
2. Seal the jar but not so tightly that pressure cannot escape.
3. Place the jar on a saucer because it’s going to leak honey as it ferments and bubbles – a positive sign of fermentation!
4. At first, the garlic cloves will float up to the top of the jar.
5. Give it a stir (or tighten cap and shake) every few days to coat all the cloves. 
6. The honey will liquify as it starts to ferment. Eventually all the garlic sinks to bottom.
7. The actual fermentation will slow down after the first couple of weeks.
8. I recommend changing to a plastic lid at this point, because this ferment seems to commonly form rust on the lid.

Use &  Storage of Fermented Garlic
At 4-6 weeks you can start taking it, 1 clove a day as a preventative or 2-3 cloves
when fighting something. Following with hot mint or green tea is very pleasant, and science shows it deodorizes garlic breath – even after fresh garlic! Traditionally, chewing parsley is another effective way.

Your jar will store very well for (at least) over a year out of the refrigerator. I’ve
never experienced any mold forming. When it comes to taste, fermented garlic doesn’t have the distinctive sharp flavor of raw garlic – it tastes sweeter. And it smells more like roasted garlic. We love it – even my husband, which is saying a lot!

This 6 month old batch is pretty mellow, getting more pleasant as it ages.