Garlic has been used by humans for over 5,000 years, with early records from Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India showing it as both food and medicine.

Ancient Egyptian workers were reportedly given garlic to boost stamina and strength while building the pyramids, highlighting its early reputation as a performance enhancer.

Garlic belongs to the Allium family, making it a close relative of onions, leeks, shallots, and chives.

The strong smell of garlic does not appear until it is cut or crushed, which triggers an enzyme reaction that creates sulfur compounds.

Allicin is the main compound responsible for garlic’s aroma and many of its health related properties, but it exists only briefly after the garlic is damaged.

Whole garlic cloves have very little smell compared to chopped garlic, which is why intact bulbs can be stored without stinking up a room.

Garlic was used in ancient Greece and Rome to ward off evil spirits, disease, and bad luck, giving it a mystical reputation.

Olympic athletes in ancient Greece reportedly ate garlic before competitions as a primitive form of performance enhancement.

During the Middle Ages, garlic was believed to protect against the plague, and people wore it around their necks or rubbed it on doorways.

Garlic has long been associated with vampire folklore, especially in Eastern Europe, where it was believed to repel the undead. The modern image of garlic as a vampire deterrent became popular through nineteenth century literature and later Hollywood films.

China is the world’s largest producer of garlic today, supplying the majority of garlic consumed globally.

There are hundreds of garlic varieties worldwide, ranging in flavor from mild and sweet to extremely pungent and spicy.

Hardneck garlic produces a flowering stalk called a scape, which is edible and prized in cooking for its mild garlic flavor.

Softneck garlic is the type most commonly found in grocery stores because it stores longer and can be braided.

Garlic was once used as an early antiseptic, with soldiers in World War I and World War II applying it to wounds when medical supplies were limited.

Louis Pasteur studied garlic in the 1800s and confirmed its antibacterial properties, lending scientific support to ancient beliefs.

Garlic breath happens because sulfur compounds enter the bloodstream and are expelled through the lungs and skin, not just the mouth.

Drinking milk has been shown to reduce garlic breath because the fats in milk bind to sulfur compounds.

Cooking garlic mellows its flavor because heat breaks down harsh sulfur compounds into sweeter tasting ones.

Burnt garlic tastes bitter because overheating destroys sugars and creates unpleasant compounds.

Raw garlic is much stronger and sharper in flavor than cooked garlic due to intact allicin.

Black garlic is made by slowly fermenting whole bulbs under controlled heat and humidity, transforming them into sweet, umami rich cloves.

Garlic was introduced to the Americas by European settlers and quickly became a staple in many regional cuisines.

In ancient China, garlic was used to treat respiratory and digestive problems long before modern medicine.

Garlic can act as a natural insect repellent, which is why garlic sprays are sometimes used in organic gardening.

Some people experience mild skin burns from prolonged contact with raw garlic due to its potent sulfur compounds.

Garlic cloves are individual plant segments, and a whole garlic bulb is technically called a head.

Garlic reproduces asexually through cloves rather than seeds, which is why modern garlic is genetically very stable.

Elephants, horses, and other animals have traditionally been fed garlic to repel insects and parasites.

Garlic festivals are held around the world, celebrating the crop with food, music, and even garlic themed games.

The town of Gilroy, California, is known as the Garlic Capital of the World due to its massive annual garlic festival and production.