Garlic is good for you right? But did you know you have to cut it the right way to get the benefits!
I love to use garlic in my cooking and I appreciate the health benefits that fresh garlic offers, but I didn't know there was a correct way to prep garlic to get its full health benefits. Read what to do!
My good friend Laura Szabo who is a health conscious cook (and co-author of Food No Matter What) prepares homemade meals as frequently as I do. Lately, she has been telling me to cut or press my garlic, and then let it to sit for 15 minutes to allow the natural disease fighting substance "allicin" to develop.
Sure enough, I looked it up and found an article in the New York Times called Unlocking the Benefits of Garlic, by Tara Parker-Pope explaining why garlic needs to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature after chopping or crushing to maximize its healthy benefits. It seems that George Matelian also discusses this method in his book, The Worlds Healthiest Foods. In addition, I was able to find articles supporting and explaining this claim all over the Internet.
It turns out that it is the actual pressing or cutting of garlic that allows the garlic cells to emit two substances: allin and aliinase. When the juices of these two substances have sufficient time to combine, they form the desired "allicin" which offers the health protecting sulphur. This process usually takes at least 5-15 minutes. If you don't allow the cut garlic time to sit, allicin may not have time to form.
Allicin is an organic sulphur compound considered to be the disease fighting proponent of garlic. The stronger the odor of the garlic juices, the healthier it is for you. This same theory is also true about onions which also contain the proponents for allicin!
Garlic is a wonderful immune booster. Thanks to Laura, I'll now chop, mince, or press and allow it to sit and mingle for 10-15 minutes before using it!
Tip: To help remove the garlic odor from your fingers, rub them on a stainless steel spoon or bowl and rinse under cold water.
Garlic adds a wonderful flavoring to most savory recipes. Try some of my fall favorites such as my spinach garlic soup, my cauliflower Aloo Gobi or my delicious creamy broccoli soup as well as many other recipes that contain garlic that are posted on this blog. All of my recipes are gluten free and or vegetarian or vegan.
We LOVE garlic! I actually just had 2 soaked in honey for 2 months :-))
ReplyDeleteHi Judee. Pinned this post 2 times. Once to plant based eating and lifestyle and once to houshold tips. Yahoo.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nancy for pinning my post. It's very much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI've read that tip and try to wait 15 minutes before using, but it's not always easy. :-) Good post -- thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood to know!! Thanks so much for linking up at the #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 6. Shared.
ReplyDeleteWe love garlic and I use a lot of garlic in my cooking.
ReplyDeleteOh very interesting thing about garlic~
ReplyDeletexx
Your suggestion is interesting. You didn't discuss whether it changes the flavor that you get from garlic when you use it.
ReplyDeleteBest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
What a good tip, and the first I'd heard of that. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe love garlic in our food. Its definitely good for us.
ReplyDeleteGreat info! pinned and shared
ReplyDeleteThat's a great tip Judee. I will try that soon with my Leek and potato soup (with garlic obviously).
ReplyDeleteThis is great information, I use garlic in many of my recipes. Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday,456. We look forward to seeing you again very soon!
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen
My family loves garlic. I think I add garlic to all my dishes even when the recipe doesn't call for it! No vampire will ever go near us!
ReplyDelete