Garlic

Closed or opened onion garlic (Allium sativum )

Garlic ( Allium sativum ) is a plant of the genus Allium (Allium ). It is used as a spice and medicinal plant.

The German term " garlic " is derived from the Old High German word " klioban " (= " split " ) from; In the Middle Ages called garlic according to this word or chlobilou chlofalauh, based on the " cracked " appearance of his toes (see today, the term " mouth " in animals ). Other colloquial names are Knobi, chnobli ( Switzerland ), Knofi, Knowwlich or Knofl.

Garlic was elected in Germany medicinal plant of the year 1989.

• 4.1 Kitchen 4.1.1 garlic sprouts
• 4.1.2 Chinese garlic

Description

The ordinary garlic is a perennial herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth from 30 to 90 cm. The flat, bluish - green leaves are up to 15 mm wide. As Überdauerungsorgan an onion is formed, which is surrounded by a thin, white or reddish shell and consists of a Hauptzehe are arranged around the five to 20 extensions toes. The taste of garlic is very hot and aromatic, the juice of the toes of a sticky consistency. From the mean Hauptzehe drives from a stalk round stems.

The stalk round inflorescence stem carries a scheindoldigen inflorescence with few flowers. The white or pink blooms are triple. In addition to the barren flowers develop in a cylindrical hat about ten to 20 round bulbs.

System

The first publication of Allium sativum took place in 1753 in Species Plantarum, 1, pp. 296-297. Synonyms for Allium sativum L., for example, Allium pekinense Prokh, Allium controversum Schrad. ex Willd., Allium longicuspis rule.

Allium sativum Allium belongs to the section in the subgenus Allium within the genus Allium.

When garlic (Allium sativum ) are two varieties indicated:

• Allium sativum L. var sativum, the actual culture garlic
• Allium sativum var ophioscorodon (Link) Doell ( syn. Allium ophioscorodon link), sometimes called snake garlic or rock Bolle ( Rocambole )

Schmeil - Fitschen classifies the two varieties as subspecies ( subsp. ) and called Allium sativum var ophioscorodon as " Pearl Onion ", which can lead to confusion with the often processed into pickled pearl onions, where it is a leek variety. The term " serpent garlic ' can lead to confusion with snakes and leek (Allium scordoprasum ).

The two varieties of Allium sativum differ in the following features:

• Allium sativum var sativum: mostly low Blütenstandsschäfte, straight or initially whip-like curved; Leaves with a rough edge, elongated bulblets.
• Allium sativum var ophioscorodon: higher Blütenstandsschäfte, curved serpentine at the beginning, leaves with smooth edge, roundish - ovoid bulblets.

Both varieties are numerous varieties for autumn and spring planting in cultivation. You are under favorable climate ( wine regions ) in Central Europe occasionally also found wild.

Cultivation

The plant possesses perennial onions that are exclusively vegetatively propagate in two ways: On the one form around the onion daughter bulbs, called cloves. For other forms at a fraction of the population in the summer a stalk, (also called bulbils ) a package of significantly smaller bulbils formed.

In both propagating methods, there are always conflicting opinions as regards the duration of the culture. Basically, there is the possibility of garlic in the fall or in the spring to push into the ground, because it is permanent and so hardy. An earlier harvest is when plugging in the fall possible, and income will be higher. Part of the growing ends reported already to get after one growing season, the desired tubers, which are divided into toes, others report only then to obtain the so-called " round logs " onions, which have not yet been divided into toes and are also much smaller. It is possible that at the designated below in the section "kitchen", " Chinese garlic " to the same species in this younger stage. If toes are already formed, which may be the cause for the formation of a stem in the following summer. Alternatively, there is the theory that the variety is crucial for the formation of the stem.

Garlic should be placed at a distance of 20cm. The harvest can be made if a third of the foliage is withered. Growing end often report that the onions the umbel need more than a year for development.

The caterpillars of the leek moth ( Acrolepiopsis assectella ) eat up to 25 mm thick transitions in the garlic leaves, resulting in the death of the plant. The white rot is caused by a fungus. Most other pests are distributed by the smell of garlic; this can also be exploited deliberately by placing garlic as a natural means of defense alongside other crops.

Cultivation worldwide

Production in tonnes, 2004-2007 Source: FAOSTAT ( FAO)

Neighbors in the co-culture

Garlic is compatible with different neighbors that grow directly adjacent, differently well. One important factor here is the allelopathy.

• The good neighbors include strawberries, cucumbers, raspberries, roses, carrots, fruit trees, roses, beetroot, tomatoes and tulips.
• As bad neighbors peas, cabbage and green beans are.

Use

Kitchen

Garlic is known in much of the world as a spice and vegetables and disseminated. Garlic cloves are fresh or pickled in a brine or in oil available in many countries. Of special importance he enjoys in the kitchen the entire Mediterranean, the Middle East and much of Asia. It comes in dishes with a distinct garlic flavor, such as the Italian spaghetti aglio e olio, the Spanish Gambas al ajillo, garlic bread, various sauces or dips such as aioli and tzatziki before, but also acts generally taste improving or reinforcing and will therefore be varied Roast, stews, fish or added to stews. When frying it must not be too brown because it can taste bitter otherwise. With a garlic press to leave the garlic cloves finely divide. Should order to optimally benefit from the active ingredients of garlic are added crushed, but are left only briefly simmered and then drag.

In some parts of Austria garlic is also referred to as " the poor man's vanilla or the poor woman ." The known there " vanilla roast " is therefore not flavored with vanilla, but with garlic.

Especially people from cultural areas in their traditional cuisine little to no garlic is used, the physical emanations of people who have eaten him, bothersome; however, the smell is not attached any significance in many cultures. The pungent substances not come of it, as is often assumed, from the stomach. In fact, the sulfur-containing degradation products via the pulmonary alveoli to the respiratory air are discharged. The medical term for this is halitosis. These odors are only weakly or not at all perceived by oneself and by others who have eaten garlic.

Garlic Sprouts

In Spain also garlic sprouts and garlic seeds are used, such as Tortilla Española in some dishes instead of the garlic cloves. Green garlic sprouts have a mild but distinctive flavor and is visually similar fine green beans. In Spain, garlic sprouts are inserted in the glass commercially available.

Chinese garlic

Chinese Garlic is a Lauchart. The leaves are not round, but broad and square and taste of garlic - but without the garlic smell. The bulb does not consist of individual toes, but is more like an onion.

Chemical ingredients and medical use

The often perceived as unpleasant odor after eating garlic is caused by the degradation products of sulfur-containing substances such as alliin, which is converted to allicin ago. Garlic is an important source of selenium. It is antibacterial and is the formation of thrombi prevent.

The garlic bulb contains storage carbohydrates (especially fructans ) and sulfur- containing compounds such as the odorless alliin and their precursors, Gammaglutamylalkylcysteine ​​, an adduct with thiamin ( Allithiamin ), adenosine and alliin lyases. These enzymes only reach (for example, the pressing or squeezing of the toes ) are in contact with the alliin, wherein the connection is terminated and the actual active substances formed allicin and other derivatives, and only converted to hydrogen sulfide by the red blood cells by violating the dye. Allicin starting material for several other sulfur-containing compounds which are formed especially during the heating of garlic. These include diallyl disulfide, Diallylthiosulfonat and especially ajoene, which has the property of preventing the aggregation of platelets, and therefore has an antithrombotic effect.

A variety of studies have shown that the ingredients could reduce blood lipid levels and therefore have a preventive effect against atherosclerotic changes in the blood vessels. Although a reduction in harmful LDL cholesterol could not be detected, however, meta-analyzes showed that garlic significantly lowers total cholesterol levels.

A study with 192 participants, which dosage form is most efficient, however, came to the conclusion that garlic, no matter how administered, has no significant effect on HDL, LDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Meta-analyzes of statistical surveys of preventive nutrition and animal tests suggest a preventive or palliative effect against colon cancer.

History

Garlic is a crop and came from the steppes of Central and South Asia across the Mediterranean to Europe; the wild type is considered to be extinct.

Garlic has been known since ancient times as a food and medicinal agent. Egyptian slaves used garlic to expel as a tonic and to lice and intestinal parasites. It is known that the workers were given a daily ration of the pyramids, and it is recorded that in the reduction of the ration, the workers stopped work.

Romans and Greeks also knew about the healing possibilities of the plant. In the Talmud be continuous enjoyment is recommended, because the garlic saturate the body, giving the spirit of clarity, strength and virility pastimes parasites from the intestine. The explanations in the De materia medica of the ancient physician Pedanios Dioscorides in the 1st century, the ( in Book II, Chapter 152) had the garlic recommended length for a variety of uses in medication, were also decisive for the entire Middle Ages, where about bite wounds (such as dogs or snakes ), hair loss, dental pain, skin rashes, lung disorders or menstrual disorders have been treated with it. In the late Middle Ages, the garlic, which was quite generally as detoxing was also applied against the plague.

Furthermore, it was made ​​out to be and in many countries and regions (eg in Asia) an aphrodisiac.

Nicholas Culpeper advised according to the four humours theory: because of his " tremendous heat" should be eaten " with extreme moderation" garlic.

In the region of present-day Germany, the garlic got most likely by the advancing Romans and was then quite soon spread through the cultivation in the monasteries. Even in the best end of the 8th century by Charlemagne adopted Capitulare de vel curtis imperii villis the garlic is called ( in Chapter 70) among the crops to be cultivated.

Trivial names

More in part only regional common names for the garlic are or have been: But garlic, Chlobaloch ( Old High German ), Chlobeloch ( Old High German ), Chlobelouch ( Old High German ), Chlofolouch ( Old High German ), Chloviloich ( Old High German ), Chlovolouch ( Old High German ), Chnobeloch ( Old High German ), Chnobleich ( Old High German ), Clovalouch, Clovelouch, garden garlic, Gruserich (Northern Bavaria), Klobelouch ( middle High German ), Kloblauch ( middle High German ), Kloblouch ( middle High German ), Kloflok ( middle Low German ), Kluflock ( middle Low German ), boy Lach ( middle High German ), Kniuwleng ( Transylvania), Knobel ( Schwaben), Knobelouch ( middle High German ), Knoblech ( Aargau, Grisons ), Knoblich ( Aargau, Grisons ), Knoblecht (St. Gallen), Knobleig ( Transylvania), Knoflak (Göttingen), Knuflak (Göttingen), Knufflóek ( middle Low German ), Knuflock ( Pomerania, Mecklenburg, Bremen), Knuftlók ( middle Low German ), Kruftlók ( middle Low German ), Loech ( low German ) and look ( Altmark).

Superstition

The garlic is meant to ward off demons and spirits, but especially vampires.

Odor

The consumption of garlic usually leads to the fact that in human breath after a characteristic odor is wahrnnehmbar, which is perceived by fellow human beings, who himself does not consume garlic, as unpleasant. This is due to the sulfur-containing allicin contained in garlic. According to a study at Ohio State University 's milk is the best remedy for this odor, it neutralizes 50 percent of the sulfur compounds in the breath. Another good remedy for garlic odor is chlorophyll, such as parsley. Also ginger is recommended against garlic smell, especially in Asia, but the smell of garlic can generally not be completely neutralized, since odors are partly released through the skin.