Garlic Skin Has A Surprising Benefit That Most People Don't Even Know About

Just about everyone has fresh garlic (and onions) in their house to cook with. And just about everyone knows they have paper skin covering the cloves and bulb, which most people discard. However, what if I told you that those garlic and onion skins have a super useful purpose?

We're talking household, garden, and natural and medicinal personal care for those garlic skins, including a recipe for a skin-scrubbing natural tonic that helps people with fungal infections, eczema, rashes, bug bites, and acne.

Save those skins!Photo byRichelleg

Garlic Skin Information

Similar to the garlic bulb, garlic skins provide a multitude of advantages. Allicin, a substance found in garlic, has the ability to relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.

Allicin from garlic dramatically lowered lead levels in those who had lead poisoning; it's strong detoxifying effects are enhanced when combined with cilantro. Additionally, garlic can strengthen immunity, particularly when paired with honey.

Garlic also has anti-inflammatory qualities. Additionally, it might lessen the body's synthesis of inflammatory chemicals, which could aid with ailments like arthritis and other inflammatory disorders.

Yeah yeah, just get to how to use it!

Tea: Make a "tea" out of garlic peels by soaking them in hot water. You can drink this tea straight, as it tastes delicious as is. Garlic tea, like many hot drinks, can help you sleep. For best results, try mixing it with a spoonful of manuka honey.

GarlicPhoto byRichelleg

Soups and Stock: Freeze the skins to improve the flavor of your soups, stocks, and brines. Freeze them with onion skins, carrot skins, and other veggie "trash" in a gallon-sized bag, pull out, and boil when you want a hearty fresh stock on demand.

Skin-Scrubbing Natural Tonic

If you've ever experienced dry, itchy, or inflamed skin, this recipe is one you'll want to keep!

Due to its antifungal properties, garlic skins can treat a variety of skin conditions, including candida and athlete's foot. It's not strong, so anyone can use it, and you can use it just about anywhere externally except for private areas and eyes.

Allicin, rich in antioxidants, can prevent free radical damage and keep skin looking young. The only drawback is that garlic obviously has a smell, especially when it gets on your face or near your nose. However, this mix provides relief from rashes, bites, bruises, eczema, acne, redness, small abrasions, sunburn, sun spots, blemishes, age, fungal infections, and more.

Redness, rash and age eraserPhoto byRichelleg

Chamomile And Green Tea

Among the most often used herb combinations for skin treatment are green tea and chamomile. The Greeks were the first to use chamomile as a cure, applying a paste made of chamomile and water to their faces. Chamomile can be just as efficient as over-the-counter skin-healing ointments for things listed above. In addition to its ability to soothe skin, chamomile is an excellent sunburn remedy. This plant also encourages cell renewal, which aids in the healing of the skin. *If you are allergic to anything in the Daisy family, do not use chamomile.*

Green Tea

Green tea and green tea extract may help prevent melanoma and nonmelanoma in addition to treating acne and making your skin appear younger.

Recipe for Skin-Scrubbing Tonic

I kept things straightforward with pure water and did away with drying additives like witch hazel. I suggest using organic if you can, for obvious reasons.

Ingredients:

• Three garlic bulbs' worth of skins
• Four cups of water
• 1/2 cup of dried chamomile flowers
• 1/2 cup of green tea leaves
• OR
• Four to eight green tea chamomile teabags

Chamomile and green tea bagPhoto byRichelleg

Directions

• Put the dried chamomile and lavender flowers OR chamomile and green tea teabags, water, garlic peels, and a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
• After bringing to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the liquid becomes a different color, around 15 to 20 minutes.
• Take off the heat and allow to cool.
• Using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer, pour the tonic into a large glass jar or bowl. Squeeze out the herbs or teabags.
• Put the contents in a spray bottle and use where you need it!

For a cooling effect, refrigerate it. In the refrigerator, it keeps for up to a week.

Dried chamomilePhoto byRichelleg

Attributions:

LaVolpe, N. (2023, November 8). 10 Good Reasons To Save Those Onion and Garlic Skins. Farmers’ Almanac - Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/uses-onion-garlic-skins#:~:text=Onion%20and%20garlic%20skins%20have,Freeze%20them!

Eby, M. (2022, June 17). Save Your Garlic and Onion Peels. Food & Wine. https://www.foodandwine.com/seasonings/alliums/save-your-garlic-and-onion-skins