As an indispensable condiment for prescriptions, we often stock up on garlic. Left in the kitchen, it can easily sprout. What do you do with sprouted garlic? Throw it away, or continue to use it? Don't throw it away, sprouted garlic has double the nutrients. A look at the nutritious ways to eat garlic.
Sprouted, Nutrients Double
When it comes to sprouting, most people think, "This is inedible." However, as long as the garlic cloves themselves are not moldy or discolored, sprouted garlic is edible. Research has found that the antioxidant effect of sprouted garlic is higher than that of fresh garlic. Peel the sprouted garlic, and you will see a green sprout growing in the middle. Once this green sprout emerges from the clove, it becomes garlic scallions, a leafy green vegetable. If you place the garlic scallions in a dish of water, not only will it add a touch of green beauty to your kitchen, but it can also be used as a seasoning in place of chopped green onions. If you plant the garlic scallions in soil, they will continue to grow and become what is known as green garlic (young garlic shoots). Those who are not used to eating garlic cloves can eat the scallions directly. The vitamin content of garlic scallions exceeds that of garlic cloves, and they also have certain antibacterial properties.
Fermented Black Garlic has a Great Taste
After being fermented into black garlic, the water content of garlic is reduced by about 50%, while sugar and amino acids increase significantly, and the content of B vitamins also rises. The garlic turns from white to black due to the "Maillard reaction" that occurs after long-term fermentation and insulation. At this point, allicin has degraded, and components like polyfructose are broken down to produce fructose, enhancing the sweetness. Therefore, black garlic has a soft, sweet taste without the pungency, making it edible for people with sensitive stomachs. There's also no need to worry about bad breath, making it very popular among young people. However, you shouldn't take too seriously claims like "black garlic lowers blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol" or "black garlic boosts immunity." It's difficult to achieve these effects if you don't consume a large amount of black garlic in your daily diet.
Pickled to Aid Digestion
There is a tradition of pickling garlic in the north of China. Laba garlic (garlic pickled on the Laba Festival) and sweet and sour garlic are beloved methods. They retain all the mineral components of garlic and largely eliminate the spicy pungency, though their antibacterial effect is reduced compared to raw garlic. Professor Zhao Guanghua from the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University found that the extract of sweet and sour garlic contains antioxidant activity and has a certain inhibitory effect on cancer cells. When making sweet and sour garlic at home, it should be pickled with brewed vinegar; adding a little sugar will make the taste even better. Laba garlic turns green after pickling, which is harmless to the human body and has certain antioxidant effects. Both methods have the effect of cutting through grease and aiding digestion, making them very suitable to eat with meat.
Raw is Most Health-Preserving
As is well known, garlic can kill bacteria and viruses, and also has the effect of whetting the appetite and aiding digestion. A whole garlic clove contains alliin and alliinase. When the garlic is crushed, these two components interact to produce allicin, which is the main source of garlic's unique pungent flavor. In addition, garlic is rich in the trace element selenium. Moderate selenium intake has an auxiliary anti-cancer effect. Crushing and eating raw garlic can effectively retain allicin to kill bacteria and viruses. However, garlic itself is pungent, and you should not eat more than 2-3 cloves raw per day. It is contraindicated for people with stomach ulcers, diarrhea, or those who are taking medication.
Stewed to Remove Off-Flavors
When making soups or stewing meat, especially pork belly or intestines, many people习惯 to add a few cloves of garlic to remove any off-flavors from the ingredients. First, sauté the garlic until fragrant, then stir-fry it with other ingredients before adding water to stew. After stewing, the off-flavors of the ingredients are gone, and the allicin in the garlic has decomposed, making the taste not spicy, and even slightly sweet. This is because the pungent allicin has converted into sweet sulfur-containing substances, adding a savory sweetness to the broth. At this point, garlic is used as a condiment, so you don't have to worry about vitamin loss from long stewing.
Grilled to Remove Pungency
Cumin garlic and charcoal-roasted garlic are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a fragrant, soft, and chewy texture. The garlic grilled this way has almost no pungent taste and won't cause bad breath, making it very popular among young people. However, after high-temperature grilling, the allicin in the garlic is completely gone, losing its antibacterial effect, but the mineral components are retained. When grilling, be sure to grill it with the skin on, and the flame should not be too high, otherwise it's easy to burn the garlic, producing carcinogens.
Stir-fried for Maximum Aroma
Allicin is very "afraid of heat." Once it encounters high temperatures during processing, its antibacterial effect is greatly diminished. Therefore, you can't expect the minced garlic in stir-fried dishes to help kill harmful bacteria. However, when garlic is sautéed in oil, it releases a rich aroma, especially bringing a mouth-watering quality to vegetable dishes. Compared to scallions, sautéing garlic to release its aroma requires a higher oil temperature. The best flavor is usually achieved when the surface of the garlic pieces turns yellow. This is because the main reason for the aroma is the "Maillard reaction," accompanied by the process of the color darkening and yellowing. However, if the oil temperature is too high, the minced garlic can burn, producing toxic substances and affecting the quality of the dish.
Why is it said that sprouted garlic has double the nutrients? Because at this time, the protein content of the garlic sprouts is at its highest, making it rich in nutrients. There are many ways to eat garlic. Choosing a method that suits your taste allows you to eat a bit more garlic, which has good health-preserving effects and can prevent and treat various diseases.