Garlic & Onion Trivia
- The ancient Egyptians worshiped Garlic and Onions. There is evidence that pharaohs and other important figures were buried with Garlic and Onions in their tombs.
- In ancient Greece, athletes ate large quantities of Garlic and Onions. It was believed that this would give them strength and balance the blood.
- Roman gladiators were rubbed down with onions to firm their muscles. Roman soldiers ate Garlic and Onions to give them strength. In fact the Roman’s would plant fields of Garlic in conquered territories, perhaps to symbolize their dominance.
- In the middle-ages, Onions were so important that they could be used to pay ones’ rent or given as gifts.
- Worldwide production of Onions is estimated at 105 billions pounds a year.
- During the American Civil War, Onions were an important staple in the diet of the military on both sides. Field hospitals used Onion juice to treat and heal wounds and prevent gangrene. At one time General Ulysses S. Grant’s army was without Onions. Grant wrote Washington stating that he would not move his army another mile lest he had Onions. The War Department responded by sending a wagon train load of Onions.
- Native Americans from North America to South America used wild Garlic and Onions extensively, both in their diet and as a medicinal cure for many illnesses.
- Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, is known to have suggested Garlic in almost every natural cure.
- Garlic was used in both World Wars as a dietary natural antibiotic and rubbed on open wounds to prevent infection.
- In Russia, Garlic is used so extensively to treat and prevent infection and disease that it has been nicknamed “Russian Penicillin”.
- In 1858 Louis Pasture discovered that when bacterial cells were saturated with Garlic oil they died.
- The Greek philosopher Aristotle called Garlic a natural aphrodisiac.
Written by DMK of Seven Grains.