Fermented garlic and honey is made up of two powerful health supporters, which, when combined, produce exponential benefits.

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Here we are discussing two powerful players in the field that is the battleground for your health and well-being. If you put them both on the field together, they will flatten the opponent. We’re talking about the super heroes garlic and honey. In this recipe we will combine the two in a fermented form that you can keep on the shelf and have it ready for cold and flu season. A spoonful a day keeps the doctor away!
So now let’s dive into it!
Jump to Fermented Garlic And Honey Recipe
Benefits of fermented garlic and honey

Before we get into the recipe, let’s explore why fermented garlic and honey is so powerful, and what it can do for you. All the information is from many sources and constitutes what I found, during my own personal research, much of it is actually supported by medical texts. However, over the millennia, people have recognized the health benefits of these two players and used them in sickness and in health as a preventative. So here is the rundown on the benefits of each ingredient:
Both, raw honey and garlic are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and are immune supporting. But they each have many other strengths as well:
Raw Honey’s power punches:
- Antioxidants that protect from cell damage, improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial great for sore throats and it can be used externally to help heal wounds, burns and cold sores for example
- High in Minerals like magnesium, potassium and phosphorus
- Contains Amino acids, the building blocks of protein
- Probiotics and prebiotics to support gut health
- Anti-cancer – Honey may prevent some cancers by interfering with cell signal pathways
- Energy boosting when taken on an empty stomach
- Sleep aid and relaxant – helps you sleep better and relaxes mind and body
- Anticonvulsant
- Anti-anxiety and Anti-depressant
- Calming for Coughs, honey can help suppress excessive cough and help with upper respiratory infections, and it can help with the healing process due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Helps with memory disorders
Please be aware that honey should not be given to babies under 1 year of age due to their susceptability to the possible botulism spores that honey can contain. They are harmless to older children though, so after one year of age it is ok to give honey.
Alright, now it’s Garlic’s turn:
- Powerful antioxidants for immune support and to help prevent sickness.
- Sulfur compounds – garlic forms sulfur compounds when you chop, crush, or chew a garlic clove. Sulfur is an important element for our health where it helps with fat digestion and absorption. It is also important in metal detoxification, such as in lead poisoning. Sulfur is needed for the manufacture of many proteins, including those forming hair, muscles, and skin and contributes to the production of collagen (MSM) that can support bone and joint health.
- Antiviral properties and Immune booster – Compounds in garlic help with boosting the immune system and preventing illness. It can keep viruses from entering host cells or from replicating within cells. In other words, it can prevent a flu virus from multiplying and thus prevent a flu in your body. It can also reduce symptoms of colds and flus and other infectious diseases if they do take hold. It is especially valuable for people with a compromised immune system.
- Heart health: Garlic is good for your heart and may lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels. Some people can replace medication with garlic supplements. Do consult with your doctor before doing so.
- Prolonged life – A chinese study revealed that people who consumed garlic regularly lived longer than those who ate garlic occasionally.
- Lowers blood sugar levels
- Anti-inflammatory – it might help relieve muscle and joint inflammation.
- Antibiotic properties – Garlic can inhibit and destroy parasites and fungus.
- Liver protection – It is said to protect the liver.
- Brain health – Garlic is considered a brain food that can help with cognitive functions. Garlic might protect against cognitive decline related to cell damage and aging. This might slow Alzheimer’s and prevent or reduce the chance for Dementia.
- Increased physical performance – This was concluded from animal studies.
- Garlic contains vitamins and minerals – mainly C and B6, manganese and selenium.
- Fermenting garlic adds probiotics and will increase some of these benefits.
I have a feeling there is a lot more to be found if one digs deeper. But I think these are reasons enough to hold both players in the highest regard. And I think they should both be admitted into the health hall of fame! In any case, I’ve been using this remedy for many years now and it’s doing its job for me.
Raw garlic has some immune supporting and disease fighting properties that diminish or disappear when garlic is cooked. However, raw garlic can be irritating to some and many people might not like the taste of raw garlic. But when we mix garlic and honey, the garlic gets tamed just a little bit and with the honey it can actually taste like a desert. My daughter doesn’t think so, but I love eating a spoonful of it. It’s like a candy treat!
Let’s make fermented garlic and honey

It is super easy to make this power duo. And it can also be enhanced with additional players, which can also lend impressive benefits to your remedy, I’ll cover a few below in the optional add-ons. But let’s start with the basic garlic and honey team. Here is what you’ll need:

Equipment:
2 large bowls for peeling the garlic – Read below how this works. It makes peeling a bunch of garlic much easier.
Pint size mason jar or other jar – I love using mason jars for most things, and have used them for so many years for fermenting, but lately I’ve come to prefer my hinged-top Fido jars for fermenting. It makes it so easy and I don’t need extra lids. Besides, they look super cool on my counter.
Standard mason jar lid – If you’re using a mason jar, you can use a metal 2-piece or a plastic lid. My favorite thing is to use the flat part of the 2-piece and cover it with a plastic screw-on-lid. Metal bands tend to corrode with fermented foods and they get rusty, staining the jar and making your fingers smell aweful, like corroded metal does.
Food processor or knife, optional – If you like your ingredients chopped, which is what I prefer, you’ll need an electric food processor, a manual food processor, or a knife. Some people like to leave the garlic cloves whole and just eat a clove at a time when they want to use the remedy. I cover both methods here. You can use the your knife to whack the garlic cloves so they peel easier.
A wide mouth funnel, optional – A funnel can help with getting your chopped garlic mix into the jar with less mess.
When you’re done eating the garlic cloves, the leftover honey is good to eat too or use it in salad dressing, smoothies, drizzle over meats, or use it to make a honey mustard sauce. It will have garlic’s benefits imparted on it. It can also make a great topical remedy for skin issues, burns and cold sores.
Ingredients:

4 heads of garlic – approximately. Do use organic garlic if you can. Peel enough to fill your jar about 2/3 full.
Raw, unfiltered honey – Raw organic honey is best if you can find it and even better is local organic honey. Raw is important, since you’ll want the bacteria that is naturally in the honey and the health benefits that would get destroyed in the pasteurization process.
Steps to making fermented garlic and honey:
01. Peel your garlic
This is the most tedious part of making fermented honey and garlic. However, here is a cool trick for peeling garlic: This works better for some types of garlic than others, but it always makes peeling easier.

First my tip for separating the Cloves: Whack the heads on your table with a board and they will come apart easier.
Next make yourself a Garlic Shaker Peeler:

Take two large bowls of approximately the same size rim. Separate the garlic heads into cloves and put them in one of the bowls. Next place the second bowl upside down over the one with the garlic cloves.
Then shake it vigorously in an up-and-down motion for about 20 seconds. Now when you open it, you should find most of the cloves peeled. If some aren’t, they are easier to peel after being bruised.
Alternatively you can whack each clove with the flat of a knife and then peel them. Try to whack them enough to bruise them but not to smash them.

02. Prepare to process or keep the cloves whole
Place the peeled garlic cloves into your food processor bowl if you’ll be processing them.
If you like to keep the cloves whole, just put them into your pint jar instead and skip the next step. Be sure they are a bit bruised though, because the little bit of garlic juice that oozes out of the bruised garlic will get the fermentation going. Honey needs that moisture to start fermenting.
03. Process your garlic cloves

Process your garlic cloves to small bits or the desired consistency. If you’re using add-ons, add them at this point and process them with the garlic or chop them separately.
04. Add Honey to the garlic and bottle

Add 1 cup of honey to your chopped garlic, mix well and pour it all into your pint jar.

Adding Honey to the whole cloves

If you’re using whole garlic cloves, just pour honey over them in the jar to cover. If you’re using vinegar, this when you’ll add it.
05. Seal the jar

Cover your jar with a lid just slightly loose to let the gasses escape. Or just clamp down your Fido jar lid. It is self venting.
06. Ferment the garlic honey

Now let it ferment at room temperature for a month. That is when it reaches its full potency.

While it is fermenting, turn the jar upside down or shake it once a day, or as you remember, for at least the first week to keep the garlic submerged. Be sure to tighten the jar before turning, then barely loosen the lid again after you flip it back to its normal position.
07. Start using the fermented garlic and honey
You can start using it at any time after about a week, but it won’t reach its full potency until after a month. You can just keep this at room temperature in a somewhat cool, dark spot for as long as you want and up to a year. It will probably keep longer, but the benefits might decline. You can keep it in the refrigerator too, where it can keep longer.

Take a teaspoonful for prevention each day. If you’re sick already take it as often as you feel you need it, to help support your immune system and to help with a sore throat or other symptoms.
Optional add-ons for your fermented garlic and honey remedy:

I could write a whole other post or two about all the optionals and the benefits of optionals such as ginger, turmeric, and cayenne pepper, and in time I might. But here is the quick rundown as they relate to colds and flus mostly, and this list is by no means exhaustive.
Other helpful herbs you can include are citrus rinds or slices, onions, cloves, oregano, sage and thyme. All of these have flu fighting, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic or antioxidant substances. Onions are famous for helping with drawing out infection and helping with congestion.
Vinegar: Use raw apple cider vinegar if your honey has a high ph and you worry about botulism or if you like to add some for health benefits.
I usually add some fresh, raw, grated or chopped organic ginger and organic turmeric (fresh, or powdered if I can’t get fresh). And I like to add a bit of cayenne powder or fresh cayenne peppers if I happen to have some.
Ginger:
I recommend using fresh ginger if you can get it. Add some to strengthen your immune system. It is great for inflammation and an inflamed, sore throat. It is antibacterial and can help protect against colds and it can help ease congestion. Ginger is drying, and so it can also help break up mucus and expel it from your lungs.
Ginger showed a higher antibacterial effect than antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, which causes strep throat. Fresh ginger is antiviral and can stop the reproduction of respiratory and other viruses. However, dried ginger did not in studies. It can also help reduce pharyngitis, a respiratory inflammation.
Partnered with honey, it appears that ginger’s antimicrobial effect is even stronger. You can read more about ginger in the benefits of ginger and making ginger beer.
Turmeric with black pepper:
I use turmeric most for it’s anti-inflammatory properties, which helps with inflamed joints. But it is also good for inflammation during colds and flus. When you add turmeric, always add some black pepper with it, to make the properties of turmeric bioavailable.
Turmeric has some of the same properties as ginger as they are related. It is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It’s antioxidant properties can help fight infections, colds, coughs and it can help reduce cold and flu symptoms. Turmeric also is rich in phytonutrients that protect the body from cell damage. It is anti-cancer and can help prevent heart disease.
It’s anti-inflammatory properties, can help your inflamed respiratory passages, but it can also help with arthritis and other joint disorders, colitis, allergies and other infections. Turmeric might also be helpful for degenerative eye conditions, cholesterol in the blood, anxiety, muscle soreness, and kidney health.
Cayenne pepper:
Raw cayennes are rich in vitamins, such as Vitamin C, A, B6, K and many more. Cayennes have strong anti-cancer properties and can help lower blood pressure and ward off heart disease. They are a great source of antioxidants that can prevent cell damage and keep our cells young and it can help ward off flus.
As a flu remedy, cayenne peppers can help clear up congestion, help with coughs, sneezing and post nasal drip. It can also reduce headaches due to sinus congestion. It also has antibacterial properties against strep throat and other diseases. Capsaicin can also help with muscle pain taken internally or more commonly as a salve externally.
Some questions about fermented garlic and honey answered:
What about botulism?
This is a concern that arises often. Honey can contain botulism spores and that is why it should not be given to babies under 1 year old. Botulism does not grow and produce toxins in low acid or high sugar environments according to the USDA. When fermenting honey, we don’t normally need to worry about botulism. Honey has a high sugar content that discourages botulism and the ph in honey is under 4.6 in most cases, below which the botulism bacteria can’t multiply. You can test it with litmus paper. You can add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar if you’re concerned, but it is not normally necessary. However, vinegar can also add its own benefits in fighting colds. There has not been a case of botulism poisoning associated with fermented honey and garlic.
What are the benefits of garlic and honey?
Garlic and honey are great together, they are both frontline cold and flu fighters. They contain antioxidants and other compounds which can keep viruses from replicating in your body. Both have antiviral and antibacterial properties, they support the immune system and they can help with cold and flu symptoms such as sore throat. They are anti-inflammatory and can soothe inflamed respiratory passages. You can also put a dab of garlic honey on your cold sores and other wounds and burns, to help soothe and heal them. These two partners are also supporters of heart health and memory and brain functions.
That is all there is to making fermented garlic and honey!

But make no mistake, its simplicity belies its power. Sometimes we overlook the simple things in favor of complicated concoctions that aren’t any better or sometimes don’t address the thing we want to address effectively, because they are too broad. With garlic honey you have a great remedy on hand to get you through the cold season and to fend off those viruses and bacteria that can make you sick. And if you do get sick, garlic honey is a great remedy for helping to speed recovery and to soothe, lessen, and heal the symptoms.
My cold and flu regimen consists primarily of fresh garlic every day. Another way to have raw garlic on hand is by making my fermented garlic recipe, it makes taking garlic convenient. I like to add foods to my meals that help boost and support the immune system, especially during the winter months.
During the winter season I take a spoonful of fermented garlic and honey each day and sprinkle fermented garlic over my savory foods. I also drink a few cups of my antioxidant and flu fighting spice tea with elderberries, and I like to make some fire cider and elderberry syrup for more immune-supporting remedies. Those recipes will follow soon. Stay tuned by subscribing to Food For Life Garden News! You’ll receive my newsletter with links to new posts and you’ll get helpful hints and tips for the homestead.
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Fermented Garlic And Honey Recipe
Equipment
- 2 large bowls for peeling the garlic
- Pint size jar – A mason jar or aย hinged-top Fido jarย or similar works great for fermenting
- Standard mason jar lid
- Food processor or knife – optional If you're chopping the garlic, you might prefer to use aย food processor, which is what I like. I used myย manual food processor when I made this recipe. Or just use a knife.
Ingredients
- 4 heads of garlic – Try to get organic garlic.
- Raw, unfiltered honey – Raw organic honey is best if you can find it and local honey is a bonus.
- Optional Add-ons – See the notes below
Instructions
- Smash your garlic heads with your palm or a wooden cutting board, to separate the cloves.
- If you're using the garlic shaker peeler method, place the cloves into one of your bowls. Cover with the upside-down second bowl.With an up and down motion, shake the bowls vigorously for about 20 seconds. Most of your cloves should be peeled. Those that aren't will be easy to peel because the bruising loosens the skins. Cut off the little hard root-side ends if necessary. You can also use the flat of your knife laid on a clove, whack with your palm, being careful not to cut yourself. This will make them easier to peel.
- Place the peeled garlic cloves into your food processor bowl if you'll be processing them. If you like to keep the cloves whole, just put them into your pint jar instead and skip the next step. Be sure they are a bit bruised though, because the little bit of garlic juice that oozes out of the bruised garlic will get the fermentation going. Honey needs a bit of moisture to start fermenting.
- Process your garlic cloves to small bits or the desired consistency. If you're using optional add-ons, use them at this point and process them with the garlic or separately.
- Mix with 1 cup of honey and pour it all into your pint jar. If you're using whole garlic cloves, just pour honey over them in the jar to cover. You can add the optional vinegar at this point if you're using it.
- Cover your jar with a lid and screw it on good, but not completely tight, to allow the gasses to escape. If you're using a hinged lid jar, just snap it closed. It will self vent.
- Now let it ferment at room temperature for a month or more. While it is fermenting, turn it once a day, or as you remember, for at least the first week to keep the garlic submerged. Be sure to tighten the jar before turning, then barley loosen it again after you flip it back into its normal position.
- You can start using it at any time after about a week, but it won't reach its full potency until a month of fermenting. Once it's done, just keep this at room temperature in a somewhat cool spot for as long as you want.
- Take a teaspoonful for prevention each day. If you're sick take it as often as you feel you need it, to help support your immune system or to soothe a sore throat.
Notes
Optional add-ons:
Here are some optional add-ons that I recommend: ginger, turmeric with black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Use fresh if you can get it, and organic is preferrable over conventional. It’s ok to use dried powder too, but you might not get some of the antiviral and antibacterial benefits from ginger or turmeric that way. I usually add a couple of inches of fresh, raw, grated or chopped organic ginger and organic turmeric. Then I add some black pepper to help with absorption of the turmeric constituents. And I like to add a bit of cayenne powder or fresh cayenne peppers if I happen to have some.ย Other helpful herbs you can include are citrus rinds or slices, onions, cloves, oregano, sage and thyme. All of these have flu fighting, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic or antioxidant substances.ย Apple cider vinegar: Add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar for health benefits and if you’re worried about botulism in case your honey has a high ph.Pin this post

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Wide mouth funnel
Manual chopper
Electric food processor
Bormioli Fido Jar
Raw organic honey
Litmus paper
Azure Standard – get organic ingredients here
Disclaimer: The material on this site is intended to be for general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, medical diagnosis, or medical treatment. It constitutes my personal opinions and my own conclusions from life-long research and interest in practising herbalism. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before making any changes in your diet or exercise regimen.
Sources:
PubMed, Mayo Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, Medicalnewstoday, Healthline, Vinmec, Medicalnewstoday, academicjournals.org, Johns Hopkins Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic, Medicalnewstoday, Healthline
You need to try this garlic and honey! It’s so good for you and tastes fantastic too! And don’t forget, if you have any questions, you can ask me right here in the comments section and I’ll get back to you as fast as I can!