Looking for a natural immune booster to fight off colds and flu? Keep a jar of honey infused garlic in your fridge. It’s cheap, easy to make and together honey and garlic make the perfect combination for helping you stay well. Both garlic and honey have thousands of years of history as medicinal remedies and make a very potent combination together when consumed.
Why should you try honey infused garlic?
Garlic benefits you the most as raw food, not as a supplement. Even if you love garlic, it’s almost impossible to consume enough raw garlic. By combining the honey and garlic, the intensity of the garlic flavor mellows, making it more tolerable to eat raw garlic in high quantities. The honey is also loaded with health benefits and the two together can keep your immune system operating at its best.
Health benefits of honey infused garlic
The two ingredients together become a powerhouse to boost your immune system to fight off colds, allergies and flu. Here are health benefits of the honey and garlic. Combine the two ingredients and you’ve got a natural remedy to strengthen the immune system.
Why honey:
Honey is an antioxidant that is antibacterial and antimicrobial. It’s loaded with vitamins and minerals and almost acts as a multivitamin itself. It can be used to help boost energy, boost the immune system, reduce allergies, soothe coughs, soothe sore throats, fight infections and prevent cancer. Learn more about honey.
Why garlic:
Garlic is great for its anti-inflammatory benefits and it is antibacterial and antiviral. Garlic contains high amounts of manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Use garlic to decrease blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, lower total cholesterol, prevent cancer and metabolize iron. Learn more about garlic.
Ingredients and items you’ll need:
- Honey
- Garlic
- Mason Jar
- Knife
- Garlic Peeler
How to make honey garlic
- Clean and sterilize the jar and lid.
Use a jar size appropriate for the amount you are processing. You’ll need the honey to completely cover the garlic while leaving a little headroom in the jar. - Prepare the garlic.
Peel the fresh garlic. You can crush the garlic cloves or leave whole. With crushed garlic cloves (just smashed with a flat side of a knife, NOT minced), the honey will infuse the garlic more quickly. The whole garlic cloves remain a firm consistency after sitting in the honey for weeks. Trim the garlic ends, as needed.
You can add crushed garlic and whole garlic cloves to speed the process. Just use the smashed garlic cloves first. - Place cloves in a jar and cover with honey.
Leave space in the top of the jar. If you are using raw honey, delicately raise the temperature of the honey to melt it. You can do this by placing in a warm water bath. Do not overheat, destroying its health benefits. - Secure the lid and let sit for a few days at room temperature.
- Store in refrigerator.
You can use the garlic after a few days, but the flavor mellows after a week or two. The cloves will last in the honey for months. Some will replace cloves as they eat them.
You may notice the honey bubbling, and that’s part of the fermenting process. If you’re concerned about bacteria in the infusion, remember honey is a natural preservative and is antimicrobial. Just be sure to use clean jars.
How to use honey garlic infusion
Eat the garlic cloves!
While your body is feeling compromised, eat a clove every hour or two. You are trying to eat about 5 cloves a day. Once you feel you’ve boosted your immune system, reduce the number of cloves. But, continue to eat for health maintenance.
Use the honey.
Use in cooking, tea, tonics or as a cough syrup.