Garlic

Garlic, a perennial herb of the lily family Alliumceae, irritates the stomach mucosa and is subdivided into sclerophyllous and soft-leaved garlic, the most common type of garlic in China being the sclerophyllous variety. It is usually made up of numerous small, fleshy, clavate bulbs arranged in close proximity and covered with several layers of white to purplish, membranous tunics. The leaves are broadly striped to lanceolate, flattened, the scape solid, terete, the involucre caducous, the umbel densely beaded with buds, interspersed with several flowers, the pedicels slender, the ovate bracteoles large. The flowers are often pale red, the style does not extend beyond the perianth, and flower in July. Originally from western Asia or Europe, garlic was brought to China by Zhang Qian around 139 BC, the second year of Emperor Wu Jian Yuan's reign in the Western Han Dynasty. It has a long history of cultivation in the world and is commonly cultivated in the north and south of China. When damaged, garlic immediately breaks down the pungent allicin, releasing a strong scent of sulphide, as part of its naturally evolved self-defense and protection mechanism. While humans are naturally sensitive to sweetness, the taste experience and preference for garlic are entirely acquired. Garlic produces different flavors depending on how it is prepared and is present in the food cultures of almost every country. In addition to its food value, people were also interested in the defense mechanisms of garlic, which were used to ward off insects and pests, and later further extended to ward off evil. Garlic is also a versatile medicinal herb, with properties such as food stagnation and insecticide.