In daily life, many people buy extra ginger and garlic for随时使用, but they may sprout after being stored for a long time. Many people know that sprouted potatoes are toxic and absolutely cannot be eaten, so many people worry that ginger and garlic have the same problem and throw them away as soon as they see them sprouting. In fact, there is no need to be so nervous. When we cut open a sprouted piece of ginger, we can find that the flesh inside is dry and hollow, and the fibers become coarser. This means that the nutritional components of the ginger have begun to decrease, and its nutritional value is reduced, but its main components have not been destroyed.
In fact, most of the ginger on the market has sprouts, but they are not obvious. However, if the ginger is not stored properly after sprouting, it will enter a dormant state, begin to rot, and breed bacteria. If eaten at this time, it can cause diarrhea. Moreover, rotten ginger contains safrole, which can cause degeneration and necrosis of liver cells, so it must never be eaten. After garlic sprouts, its flesh becomes hollow and dry, causing the bulb to shrink and wither. Therefore, although sprouted garlic can be eaten, its health benefits are almost gone due to the consumption of nutrients.
So, how can ginger or garlic be stored for a longer time? The method is very simple. Just put the ginger and garlic in a plastic bag and seal the bag tightly. This way, the carbon dioxide released by the ginger and garlic inside the bag cannot escape, and at the same time, it blocks the entry of moisture, keeping the ginger and garlic in a suitable dormant state and preventing them from rotting.