Fermented garlic and honey is a traditional natural remedy that has many health benefits, is easy to make, and can be a great addition to your natural medicine cabinet.
This simple mixture of honey and cloves of garlic can help:
- boost/ support your immune system
- aid digestion
- support healthy blood pressure levels
- help achieve or maintain healthy cholesterol levels
- fight cold and flu symptoms
- aid is your body’s detoxification
And so much more!
In this post, we’ll go over fermented garlic and honey benefits, the best ways to use them, along with safety and storage information.
Don’t forget to grab your free printable recipe at the end!
If you’re ready to add this super simple, yet incredibly effective honey ferment to your list of natural remedies, keep reading!
Health Benefits Of Fermented Garlic And Honey
Raw garlic and raw honey have been found to have a number of health benefits for both men and women, one of which is that it is an excellent immunity booster.
These two products have been used since ancient times and are great examples of traditional medicine.
Using a combination of honey and garlic is a great way to stay healthy during the winter season and can help:
- coughs
- colds
- skin infections
- asthma symptoms
- infections
- sore throats
- high blood pressure
- arthritis
And it isn’t just helpful if you’re feeling under the weather, it is also good for overall health too!
Health Benefits Of Garlic
Garlic contains powerful medicinal properties and has been used by civilizations such as the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese throughout history.
The reason people of the past (and present) choose to include garlic among their often used natural ingredients is that this plant contains helpful organosulfur compounds along with amino acids, vitamins, and minerals such as vitamin c, manganese, vitamin b6, selenium, and many others.
Garlic has been clinically studied and found to be a great way to:
- boost the immune system
- reduce the incidence of cold and flu
- reduce the duration and severity of sickness
- lower blood pressure
- improve cholesterol levels
- reduce oxidative stress
- improve exercise capacity
- reduce and protect against heavy metal toxicity
Those are some amazing benefits! But let’s move on to raw honey.
Benefits Associated With Raw Honey
Raw honey is a very ancient food and medicine known to be a natural preservative that also has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
It is also naturally high in antioxidants and can help fight free radicals, inflammation and balance the immune system!
Much like garlic, clinical studies have shown honey to:
- be a healthier sweetener
- lower blood pressure
- lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL)
- be effective for wound healing
- suppress coughs
- help relieve a scratchy throat
- is a helpful flu remedy
Now that we know a few of the benefits of both garlic and honey, think of how effective they can be fermented together!
Best Ways To Use Fermented Garlic And Honey
If you feel run down or like a cold (or other illness) is starting to come on you can eat a clove of the fermented garlic and take a spoonful of honey, or both!
But you don’t have to limit yourself to just eating plain garlic in honey.
You can reap the great health benefits of fermented garlic and honey by using them in:
- marinades
- sauces
- glazes
- salad dressings
Or any other delicious recipe you can create!
Is Fermented Garlic And Honey Safe?
For most people, fermented garlic in honey is safe.
But, just like anything else, there are certain people who should be cautious since allergic reactions or side effects are always a possibility.
People with these issues should avoid this recipe. As with any natural remedy, it’s also a good idea to speak to your health care provider before adding it to your health routine if you
- have an allergy to garlic or honey
- are taking blood thinners
- are on medication for HIV
- have diabetes
- babies under 1 year of age (the main concern is that honey could contain botulism spores that can make babies sick)
Fermented Honey And Garlic Recipe
Ok, so we’ve gone over the medicinal properties and health benefits of both garlic and raw honey, how to use it, and safety info, that means it’s time to get to this simple recipe and start the fermenting process!
There are only two ingredients so this is going to be SUPER easy to make 😉
Ingredients
- 1 cup of fresh, whole garlic cloves (slightly bruised or crushed, not too much though!)
- 1 cup of raw honey
Instructions
- Peel fresh garlic cloves and crush slightly
- Place garlic in a clean glass jar (a pint-size mason jar works great)
- Add raw, unpasturized honey and completely cover the garlic
- Be sure to leave a little room at the top of the jar, don’t fill to the top
- Cover with the lid loosely on and store at room temperature
- After a few days, tighten the lid and flip the jar upside down
- A few days later, flip the jar again and loosen the lid. Repeat this for up to a month of fermentation.
- You will notice tiny bubbles start to appear after a few days. This is totally normal.
The finished product will be honey that is a little thinner with sweet and slightly spicy garlic cloves.
Helpful Tips
The best way to store your fermented garlic and honey in a dark, cool place.
This product can last for quite a long time if stored properly (but it doesn’t usually take long to use it all if you are taking it often).
A lot of commercial honey is pasteurized and does not contain minerals, nutrients, enzymes that provide all of the wonderful health benefits.
If you need help finding pure raw honey, check with your local beekeeper association!
Well, that’s all the important points!
If you would like a printable recipe to help you make your own combination of garlic and honey, you can find it below.
Happy Fermenting!
Printable Easy Fermented Garlic Honey Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This easy to make, immune-boosting fermented garlic and honey recipe has powerful medicinal properties and is great to have on hand for cold and flu season as well as everyday health and wellness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of whole garlic cloves (slightly bruised or crushed, not too much though!)
- 1 cup of raw honey
Instructions
- Peel garlic cloves and crush slightly
- Put into a pint-sized mason jar
- Add honey and completely cover the garlic
- Cover with the lid loosely on and store in a dark, cool place
- After a few days, tighten the lid and flip upside down
- A few days later, flip the jar again and loosen the lid. Repeat this for up to a month.
You will notice bubbles start to appear after a few days. This is totally normal.
Notes
Store your fermented garlic and honey in a cool, dark place. This product can last for many months in these conditions (but it doesn't usually take long to use it all if you are taking often).
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Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697022
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24035939
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8169881
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16335787
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15881870
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22151785
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12358452
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3005390/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28901255
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20618098
