Impress your friends: 5 strange facts about garlic

Monday marks National Garlic Day

(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Did you know? Monday is National Garlic Day: a “holiday” that should be celebrated by all, considering how valuable the stuff really is (well, to everyone except vampires, that is).

So, what do we know about garlic?

Recommended Videos



Other than it being the kryptonite to those vampires? A lot, actually. Whether it’s for consumption, medicinal or other uses, garlic definitely deserves its own day of recognition.


Garlic can help with repairs.

Next time you’re in a junkyard or you’re thinking about demolished cars, consider that garlic is a remedy to help make them new again.

Garlic is a natural adhesive that can be used as glue or repair material for glass. Heck, maybe garlic can surface as more of a common cure at auto shops, for cracked windshields.

Pest control

Garlic can be used to drive away those annoying mosquitos, since they are afraid of garlic.

As for the best way to drive away mosquitos, experts recommend leaving cloves anywhere you fear the pesky guys might be gathering -- or just rubbing some garlic on your skin, if that doesn’t sound too strange.

Medicinal purposes

Believe it or not, garlic can serve as great medicine for a variety of health problems, thanks to its antibacterial properties.

Garlic can be used to treat acne, cold sores, athlete’s foot and even coughs and colds.

Health benefits

Do you realize how much garlic improves your everyday health? It is filled with vitamins and antioxidants.

Consuming it can help your heart and liver, prevent cancer, fight against bacteria and be an essential source of iron, to boost your metabolism.

It flavors foods

There’s a reason why garlic bread is so popular as a side to Italian dishes: because well, it’s GARLIC bread and not another type of bread.

Garlic also brings out the best in baked potatoes, chicken, stir fries, soups and countless other foods.

What is your favorite garlic food or recipe? Share with us in the comments below!

All photos from Getty Images. This story was first published in 2018. It has since been updated.


About the Author

Keith is a member of Graham Media Group's Digital Content Team, which produces content for all the company's news websites.

Recommended Videos