You will be amazed to know that garlic has been a part of many cultures for thousands of years. History of garlic use can be traced back to the time when the Giza pyramids were built. Garlic was given to labors in Egypt who were building the pyramids. It was given to them so as to increase the stamina and strength as well as to protect them from diseases. You can see the inscriptions on the Egyptian pyramid even today, mentioning the amount of garlic consumed by the workers and slaves. It was also used as a currency and ancient Egyptians use to swore oaths on it.

If we go by historical facts we will find that cultivation of garlic in China stared 4000 years ago. It was used as an aphrodisiac and to alleviate depression. Facts about garlic use are also mentioned in Bible. It states that somewhere around 1730 to 1330 B.C. when Israelites were slaves in Egypt and they were forced to build pyramids, garlic was a part of their diet to gain strength. Later, when Moses led them out of Egypt, they use to miss garlic became part of their diet during slavery.

Garlic was also used by many cultures to ward off evils. It was hung over the cribs of infants and also worn around the neck. Some also used it in the treatment of arthritis, leprosy and tuberculosis. Long before the vaccines were discovered for polio, garlic was often prescribed by the herbalist to ward off polio.

Although garlic was in use for medicines and cooking by many cultures, it was not approved in ancient Greece, Europe and North America. In Greece, anyone who consumed garlic was not allowed to enter temples. It was known as the diet of lower classes.

During WWI, when there was a shortage in supply of penicillin, garlic was placed on raw wounds to prevent infections and gangrene. Thus, garlic has been in the use since time immemorial and still finds an important place in culinary and therapeutic usages.

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