Wild garlic – properties and application. Why is it worth reaching for wild garlic?

Proven content

Wild garlic in late April and early May can often be found in home gardens and forests. An old folk legend has it that bears eat this valuable plant right after waking up from hibernation, and that is why it was called wild garlic. It is famous primarily for its numerous health properties, including cleansing the body of toxins. Due to its taste, it is often used in the kitchen as an ingredient of tinctures, sauces and salads.

Wild garlic – what is worth seeing about it?

Wild garlic has always been a component of the diets of hunter-gatherer communities such as the Celts and the ancient Romans. According to Charlemagne, Joannes Lonicerus and Hieronymus Bock, it has better health benefits than common garlic. In Poland, the seeds and bulbs of the plant began to be consumed in the early Middle Ages. Wild garlic is commonly known as “triple” or “dog’s garlic”.

The plant can be found in Polish forests. Bears eat it right after waking up from sleep. Wild garlic contains substances that purify the bear’s organism and is especially needed after the winter lethargy ends. It is also used in folk medicine and cooking, as it can also be used as an aromatic spice.

It grows in the Sudetes, the Bieszczady Mountains, the Kampinos Forest and the Białowieża Primeval Forest. However, wild-growing wild garlic is partially protected, but it can be planted in the garden or grown on the balcony – the advantage of wild garlic is its high frost resistance. The edible part of the garlic is the leaves that resemble the leaves of the lily of the valley. However, it is important to know that its white flowers contain poisonous substances during flowering.

Wild garlic should not be obtained naturally. Not only because it is partially protected, but also because it can be confused with the lily of the valley or the autumn wintertime – eating both plants can be fatal!

Wild garlic – what does it look like?

It looks nothing like common garlic and has no cloves. Bear’s garlic has lanceolate edible leaves, measuring approx. 30 cm. It is in the leaves that all its valuable nutrients are found. The inflorescences are white, spherical in shape and grow on half-meter long stems. In Poland, wild garlic shoots appear at the turn of March and April.

Wild garlic – healing properties

Wild garlic has similar healing properties to common garlic, but it does not burden the liver as the latter. What’s more, consuming it does not leave the mouth with the intense aftertaste characteristic of the aforementioned common garlic. Wild garlic contains vitamins A, B and C, has antibacterial and virucidal properties and strengthens the immune system. It also provides vitamin E and has a beneficial effect on the skin, hair and nails.

Wild garlic contains much more sulfur compounds than common garlic. Consuming it supports the work of the cardiovascular and digestive systems and helps to fight viruses, bacteria and Candida albicans, which cause mycosis of the digestive system that is difficult to heal. Wild garlic effectively eliminates pinworms, roundworms and tapeworms from the digestive system.

Thanks to its strong bactericidal effect, it is perfect for treating infections of the upper respiratory tract. In addition, it destroys bacteria and stimulates the secretion of mucus in the bronchi. Wild garlic also stimulates digestion, supports the treatment of atherosclerosis and hypertension. Regular consumption of the plant will be helpful for people on reducing diets.

Wild garlic – cultivation

Growing wild garlic in the garden or in a pot should not be a problem, provided that the plant receives the right conditions for development. Wild garlic has different requirements than common garlic, which is important to know before planting the plant. It likes fertile, humus and moisture-retaining soil, with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.

For wild garlic to develop properly, it must be provided with conditions similar to the natural ones. The plant likes loamy-sandy soil, calcareous and rich in nutrients. In the natural environment, bear’s garlic grows in moist, shady forest positions. Therefore, it is worth lining the stand where garlic grows with leaves of beech trees, i.e. trees in which it grows in natural conditions.

You can buy dried wild garlic at Medonet Market.

Wild garlic – use in the kitchen

Wild garlic is springtime super food. The plant works great in the kitchen because it can be used as an aromatic spice. It is suitable as an ingredient of salads, addition to soups and pesto ingredient. However, it is worth knowing that dried wild garlic no longer has the same health benefits as freshly picked garlic, but can still be used as a spice.

Bear garlic can be added to a variety of dishes. Plant enthusiasts use it as an additive to cottage cheese, egg pastes, cucumber salad, potatoes and meats. When grilling, garlic can be served with butter or flavored olive oil and also stuffed with mushrooms, brush on meat and grilled vegetables. Moreover, the leaves can also be pickled.

Wild garlic is a spice worth using. It contains many organic sulfur compounds, which are antioxidants, and their consumption reduces the risk of cancer. Wild garlic, like common garlic, is a natural remedy for colds, supporting the immune system, and killing bacteria and fungi. In addition, eating it lowers the level of bad cholesterol.

1. Pasta with wild garlic

Wild garlic is great for preparing dinner dishes, e.g. pasta, with wild garlic, which is one of the simplest dishes. The basic version of the dish consists of pasta mixed with chopped garlic leaves, fried in olive oil with salt and pepper. The pasta should be cooked separately, drained, put into the pan and mixed with wild garlic. The whole can be sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

1. Pesto

Wild garlic pesto takes a little longer than pasta, but you can always prepare a larger portion at a time. Garlic leaves should be washed, dried and blended with roasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds and sprinkled with lemon. Pesto tastes great with any type of pasta or baked potatoes.

1. Wild garlic tincture

To prepare the tincture, just pour the bear’s garlic with strong alcohol, which will bring out the most important properties of the plant. After pouring the liquid on the leaves, put everything aside for about 3 weeks in a warm place and in the meantime shake the bottle to mix its contents. The tincture should be drunk in small amounts, about 15-20 drops a day, diluted in boiled, cooled water.

How to store wild garlic?

Wild garlic is best stored in the refrigerator, because the plant under these conditions will not lose nutrients and vitamins. The wild garlic leaves with their stems should be wet first and then put in the refrigerator, so that they stay fresh longer. Wild garlic can also be dried, but the leaves in this form will no longer have valuable nutrients.