The garlic (Allium sativum) is one of the most cultivated plants throughout history. Since antiquity it was already used as a medicine in Ancient Egypt; its beneficial effects on the heart and blood circulation were known since the Middle Ages. An example of the great popularity of garlic in the past is the fact that, with 7 kg of its bulbs, it was possible to buy a slave in Egypt; and the Siberians paid their taxes in garlic.
The bulb (garlic head) is composed of scaly leaves (cloves), which are edible and used for various purposes. From the bulb a stalk develops; at its end is a flower. There are over 500 well-differentiated garlic species. The garlic plant needs light soils, rich in organic matter and well drained to develop, in addition to adapting better to low temperatures.
Garlic has good nutritional value, with vitamins A, complex B and C, as well as mineral salts, including iron, silicon and iodine. Garlic has an antihypertensive and anticholesterolemic effect, in addition to being indicated in the treatment of hypertension and in reducing cholesterol levels.
In cooking, garlic is widely used as a seasoning or even as a main ingredient in many dishes.
