Is Garlic Considered a Vegetable or a Herb?

Garlic is a usually herbaceous plant grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal. Garlic is a vegetable.

Is garlic a vegetable? Yes, garlic is a vegetable. It fits the dictionary definition of "vegetable", and scientists refer to it as a vegetable. Is garlic an herb? Maybe. Garlic is not leafy like most herbs, but it is often used like an herb. Chefs flavor food with small amounts of garlic, and people take garlic pills to receive associated health benefits. The same scientists who refer to garlic as a vegetable also talk about garlic's use as an herbal supplement. 

Merriam-Webster defines a vegetable as "a usually herbaceous plant grown for an edible part that is usually eaten as part of a meal". 

The word "herbaceous" means that the plant shrinks or shrivels following the growing season. Garlic fits into this category; you harvest it when the tops begin to turn yellow or fall over.

Almost every inch of garlic is edible, although the bulb (the underground part) is by far the most commonly used. Other edible parts of a vegetable may include:

• The root: beets, carrots, radishes
• The leaves: cabbage, lettuce, spinach
• The flower: broccoli, cauliflower
• The fruit (the part of the plant that contains the seeds): cucumber, peppers, tomato, squash
• The seeds: peas, beans
• The bulb: garlic, leeks, onions

It depends on who you ask. Botanists (scientists who study plants) define an herb as "a plant that does not produce a woody stem." By that definition, garlic is an herb, but so is pretty much any plant that isn't a bush or tree.

Some sources consider herbs to be leafy parts of plants that are used to flavor food. A lot of the time, when people talk about herb gardens or cooking with herbs, they are thinking of the leaves of plants like rosemary and basil. When cooking with garlic, we usually use the bulb, the underground part of garlic. Under this definition, garlic would not be considered an herb.

Then again, one of the dictionary definitions of herb is "a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities". "Savory" means having a distinctive flavor, and garlic is commonly used to add a sharp tang to all kinds of food dishes. Chefs typically use herbs in small amounts for flavor rather than to add bulk to the meal. Garlic has a powerful flavor, so cooks add it in small amounts as well.

Garlic has also been used as a medicine since ancient times. The Egyptians gave garlic to the laborers who worked on the pyramids to give them strength and protect them from illness. Hippocrates, the so-called Father of Medicine, prescribed garlic for lung problems and abdominal tumors. In ancient China, doctors treated indigestion, diarrhea, and depression with garlic. Still taken today as an herbal supplement, garlic is clearly valued for its medicinal purposes. 

Garlic is a vegetable belonging to the same plant family as onions, leeks, shallots, and chives. It has been used as both food and medicine for over 7000 years, making it one of the earliest vegetables in recorded history. Garlic plants form bulbs underground that can be dried or used fresh. The bulbs break easily into sections called cloves that are safe to eat raw or cooked. Dried garlic is often ground into garlic powder, which is used as a spice or mixed with salt to make garlic salt. 

The freshest garlic has the highest concentration of active ingredients and the best flavor. When shopping for garlic at the grocery or the farmer's market, watch out for garlic that has soft spots, dried-out parts, or any hint of mold. Sprouting is a sign that the garlic is too old, as is a strong, garlicky odor. The smell of garlic comes from an ingredient called allicin, which only appears once the garlic has been cut or crushed. That's just fine if you are chopping it to cook with it, but it's not as great if the smell means it was bruised on its way to the store. Pick full, firm bulbs with tight skin.

Minced garlic—garlic cloves cut into very small pieces—is an ingredient in lots of tasty recipes:

• Make garlic oil by gently warming peeled garlic cloves in olive oil until the garlic is soft. A splash of garlic oil adds a kick to salad dressings, pasta sauce, stews, eggs, mayo, and hummus. 
• For garlic bread, crush garlic cloves and mix them into softened butter. Spread the butter on thick slices of Italian bread, sprinkle the bread with Parmesan cheese, and broil it until it is lightly browned.
• To roast garlic, cut off the top of the bulb just enough to show the cloves inside. Drizzle it with olive oil, wrap it tightly in foil, and roast it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 60 minutes until it is soft. Roasted garlic is delicious on pizza, hamburgers, corn, and mashed potatoes.
• Harvest the leaves of young garlic plants and try adding "garlic greens" to salads and soups. 
• Enjoy "garlic scapes" by picking the flower stalks off garlic plants before they bloom. Cut the flowery part off the top and throw it away. Chop the garlic scapes and blend them into pesto or salsa or sprinkle them onto stir-fries or omelets.

Garlic has gained quite a reputation over the years. Along with the preceding list of its uses in ancient times, garlic has been given as a cure for animal bites, intestinal worms, joint pain, seizures, and other health problems. 

More recently, scientists have been conducting studies to see if garlic can help prevent heart disease, stroke, and cancer. So far, they have found that taking garlic pills may help lower total cholesterol by about ten percent and might bring down high blood pressure by a few points. These benefits may stem from the allicin that is released when you cut or crush garlic. 

Additionally, garlic helps your body absorb iron and is a good source of vitamins and minerals, including:

• vitamin B6
• selenium
• manganese
• sulfur

To get the most out of garlic, eat it raw. If you are cooking your garlic, cut or crush the cloves about 10 minutes ahead of cooking them to release the allicin. Then, if possible, add the garlic in at the last minute, when the food is almost done cooking. Enjoy the spicy, savory flavor of garlic knowing that it's healthy as well as a delicious one.