No other herb has such a rich history of use in every single culture on this planet than garlic. Ancient civilizations of Rome, Greece, China and Egypt devised stellar stories about its origin. Ayurveda, the oldest medical system of the world relates its own - garlic grew as an offshoot of drops of amrita which fell on the earth during the epic battle between gods and demons. Surrounded by an aura of magical and medicinal mysteries, charm of garlic has remained undiminished over the centuries of its use. Garlic’s Sanskrit name rasona literally means lacking one taste; it contains all the six tastes except sour .

Ayurveda has described it as hot in potency and pungent in post digestive effect. Garlic is unctuous, sharp and heavy. It pacifies kapha and vata, but aggravates pitta. Modern analysis of garlic shows it to contain water contents, protein, carbohydrates, and other substances like calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B complex besides traces of iodine. Garlic also contains volatile oils and sulphur compounds of which some are responsible for its sharp odour.