This second thing to have in your medicine cabinet is actually two different things but since we are going to put them together we’re just going to call it one.
Garlic and Honey!
Both of these are great for you just by themselves. When I feel like I might be getting sick, or have been exposed to sickness and just want to boost my immune system and be on guard I take a clove of garlic, mince it up and mix it with a teaspoon or two of raw honey and then put it in my mouth and chew as fast as I can and swallow…it’s kind of garlic-y spicy, not super pleasant.
I actually USED to do that…this winter I’ve taken it one step further and made…
Garlic Fermented Honey OR Honey Fermented Garlic…whichever you prefer
The first time I heard about this concoction was at a friend’s house when their 6 year old was pulling garlic cloves out of a jar of honey and eating them up like they were the best snack ever.
I was intrigued. After looking it up I found that garlic fermented honey can be kept on your countertop for sometimes up to a year, the older it is, the more candy like it becomes.
Raw honey is simply unrefined, unheated or treated, filtered honey that is great for your health. It has all of its natural healing properties intact and contains many antioxidants that fight disease.
The antioxidants support enzyme activity and have been shown to induce programmed cell death of many types of cancer cells. (Source -Josh Axe)
I use raw honey often, topically, on burns and wounds because of its bacteria fighting, healing properties…although that’s a whole different topic because we aren’t going to be using garlic fermented honey on wounds.
Honey can be used as a cough syrup…
“Increasing scientific evidence shows that a single dose of honey can reduce mucus secretion and coughs. In one study, honey was just as effective as diphenhydramine and dextromethorphan, common ingredients found in over-the counter cough medicines.” Source -Josh Axe
Garlic is used to support and treat a whole host of health issues including prevention of the common cold and fighting bacterial infections.
Garlic is antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial. It produces a chemical called allicin, which is its protection system. Allicin, is thought to be responsible for killing infections like the common cold. It releases the chemical when the plant is being attacked, which is why, when consuming raw garlic it’s important to smash it a little bit before putting it in your mouth or swallowing chunks of it whole. “Fermenting garlic makes its nutrients more accessible to your body during the digestion process. It also adds an abundance of probiotics to your diet, which in turn provides added support to your gastrointestinal tract and immune system.” source
The nice thing about fermenting the garlic and honey together is that unlike eating raw garlic the fermented garlic is way less potent and won’t be so stinky.
As the mixture breaks down the honey becomes more liquid and the garlic turns darker in color and starts to sink to the bottom of the jar. This is good!
Here’s the recipe…don’t blink it’s pretty short and sweet
Ingredients:
1. Enough garlic to fill a glass jar 3/4 of the way full (You can use a pint or quart jar, I suggest a quart because you’re going to want to have it on hand)
2. Enough raw honey to cover the garlic
Unwrap your garlic cloves. Take a large knife and lay it flat over a clove or two and gently press down on the clove (the sharp side of the knife should not be making contacting your hand or garlic, we are just using the knife to apply pressure), the clove should flatten and crack open a slight bit.
Do this to all the garlic cloves then place in the jar.
Drizzle honey over the garlic and leave about two inches of head space.
Set on your countertop and let it start fermenting! Once or twice a day (for about a week) tip the jar upside down a few times to get all the cloves covered with honey. This will be easier once the honey thins out a little bit from the garlic releasing liquid.
Every day or two for the first few weeks open the lid to release the air (burp the jar)
After about a month my jar didn’t smell so potent upon opening (it was pretty strong for a while)
I started eating garlic cloves on a spoon of the honey from the jar after mine has fermented for a month. I plan to let it keep fermenting for at least 6 months or until I’ve eaten all the garlic!
The garlic cloves in the jar haven’t become very candy life so I’ve taken to just eating a spoonful or two of the honey instead of whole cloves.
You can also use the garlic and honey for any cooking that you want garlic and a little sweet although keep in mind if you heat it, beneficial components of the raw food will become ineffective.
When I feel like I’m getting a sore throat, I start eating garlic and, in my opinion it is one of the most beneficial things that keeps me from getting more sick!
Have you used garlic or honey to ward off sickness? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!
I first read about the wonders of garlic on this blog post (HERE) about how to use garlic and apple cider vinegar to ward off strep throat. I wish I would have known about this remedy sooner and could have avoided using antibiotics for strep throat, years back.
Make this mixture to have on hand for the next winter season (or this one) or the next time you get sick! You’ll be happy you planned ahead!
While up was looking up info on honey fermented garlic I came across THIS VIDEO. He has a great visual explanation on the process of combining the garlic and honey!
