The easiest way to peel garlic/PanasonicAsia
After salt, garlic is the most important spice for upgrading the taste of almost any dish. A small addition of it can make any food much tastier, and add to the whole house that "smell of cooking" that years later is remembered with longing, sometimes for a lifetime.
Despite this, there are those who will try to reduce its consumption, mostly because of the strong smell it emits, which affects the bad breath already during eating and many hours later - in the body odor and sweat while its decomposition products are emitted from the body.
But those who are willing to take on the issue of smell, can enjoy the health benefits of one of the oldest and most prominent medicinal plants, with proven medical activity in reducing the risk of many diseases, especially heart disease and various types of cancer.
When is the active ingredient of garlic created?
Garlic has a substance called "elain", which after it is exposed to air and oxygen, it turns into another substance called "allicin". In fact, the strong aroma of garlic comes from the same allicin.
The reason why it is created in garlic, is the protection of the plant itself from insects and pests, which, believe it or not, are also repelled by the smell created and do not come close.
But that fragrant allicin is the active ingredient of garlic and therefore - also responsible for the variety of garlic's health properties.
To maximize the effect of garlic on our health and to get the active ingredient at its best - take a fresh clove of garlic, cut it into slices, and wait a few minutes.
In these minutes, the alanine will turn into allicin, which is exactly what we are aiming for. When will we know that alanine has changed to allicin? Just when you start to smell the strong smell of garlic.
According to many studies published in recent years, consuming one clove of garlic every day can reduce blood cholesterol levels, also reduce the risk of heart disease, and if we consume garlic in larger quantities, we can also benefit from protection against various cancers.
For example, in a study published in the Scientific Monthly for Clinical Nutrition, they were able to prove that regular consumption of garlic significantly reduces the risk of stomach cancer.
In another study recently published in the "Nutrients" monthly, they discovered that the active substances in garlic have the ability to reduce pre-cancerous substances in the body, especially those related to breast cancer. Another study carried out in the laboratory showed that a large amount of antioxidants derived from garlic significantly reduced the proliferation of cancer cells of three different types.
Another study published in the same month showed a significant reduction in cholesterol levels, and even a distinct delay in the process of calcification of the arteries, as a result of regular garlic consumption.
However, it is important to emphasize that not all studies have been able to prove the health effectiveness of garlic. But when it comes to food, which is certainly not harmful (if you don't take into account the smell of course), we have nothing to lose, and maybe even gain.
This is how you get the maximum health benefits from garlic
The most powerful active ingredient is found in fresh garlic. After slicing or crushing it, it is important to consume it immediately to enjoy its maximum health benefits. If you go for this option, mix some crushed garlic with honey, put it in your mouth and you got garlic at its best.
When it comes to cooking, it will take several minutes until you incorporate the chopped or crushed garlic into the dish. It is important that you know that after these minutes the level of the active substance in garlic decreases. You will still enjoy the health benefits of garlic, but a little less.
Israeli garlic actually contains up to five times more active substance compared to Chinese garlic. This happens both because of the freshness of the local garlic and because the local garlic does not go through any preservation process
Those who want to save themselves messing with fresh garlic and use garlic seasoning or pre-prepared crushed garlic, your dish will indeed get the wonderful taste and aroma of garlic, but the health benefits will be much less.
So no garlic powder, no ready crushed garlic, no baked or cooked garlic - just fresh garlic for maximum health effects. But there is another option for maintaining the nutritional values of garlic - freezing. In this way, the garlic becomes softer, but its active ingredients and values are completely preserved.
Why only Israeli garlic?
So we agreed that we should choose fresh garlic to derive health benefits, but even here there is a difference between the different types sold in the marketing chains.
Most of the time, the big chains sell garlic imported from China. But the Israeli garlic contains up to five times more active substance compared to the Chinese garlic. This happens both because of the freshness of the local garlic and because the local garlic does not go through any preservation process.
How do you identify Israeli garlic?
Eitan Avivi
, an Israeli garlic grower, said in a conversation on the Israeli radio that the shell is more purple, it is bigger, and also less uniform in the size of its heads. The Chinese garlic comes in sleeves that include 4-6 heads of garlic that are all bright white in color and uniform in size.