Garlic has become an indispensable food on the dining table. It is rich in trace elements such as iron and selenium, as well as beneficial components like organic sulfides. It can kill and inhibit bacteria, lower cholesterol in the body, suppress cancer, and prevent the onset of diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases. Besides these, there are a few more things you must know about garlic. "You're so vicious, garlic!" 7 things you must know before eating garlic.
Mashing it has health benefits
Garlic contains active substances like alliin and alliinase. When crushed, these substances come into contact with each other, forming allicin, which has health benefits. Therefore, it's best to eat garlic by crushing it into a paste and letting it sit for 10-15 minutes before consuming. This allows for the formation of allicin.
Raw garlic is better for its antibacterial effects
During the heating process, the content of organic sulfides that have antibacterial effects gradually decreases, and the higher the temperature, the faster the decrease. Therefore, cooked garlic does not provide a good antibacterial effect. Using garlic in cold salads or mixing mashed garlic with a little vinegar and sesame oil for dumplings are very healthy ways to eat it.
Add a little sugar when stir-frying to protect allicin
When stir-frying with garlic, the oil temperature should not be too high, and the cooking time should not be too long. After crushing the garlic, add it to the pan. For those who like a sweet taste, a little sugar can be added because sugar has a protective effect on allicin, reducing its destruction by high temperatures.
Steamed Abalone with Garlic and Vermicelli
Purple-skinned garlic is more antibacterial than white-skinned garlic
Garlic can be divided into white-skinned, purple-skinned, black-skinned, etc., based on the color of its outer skin. Among these, white-skinned and purple-skinned garlic are more common. Compared to white-skinned garlic, purple-skinned garlic has a spicier taste, a higher content of the active ingredient allicin, and a more significant antibacterial effect.
Single-clove garlic is better for cancer prevention
A single-clove garlic bulb is actually one that is underdeveloped due to insufficient nutrients in the plant and cannot form multiple cloves. It has a unique pungent taste and certain medicinal value, and its anti-cancer effect is higher than that of regular multi-clove garlic.
Store it in a dark place
Newly harvested garlic has a higher water content. After buying it, you should spread it out to dry before storing it, and do not place it in a plastic bag. Garlic is best stored in a ventilated, dry, and dark place, which can inhibit its sprouting. When storing, the outer skin should also be kept intact, and peeled as needed.
Daily raw consumption should not exceed 2-3 cloves
Allicin can be irritating to the digestive system. Eating too much raw garlic can easily cause acute gastritis, and long-term excessive consumption can also lead to eye discomfort. For people with poor digestive function, it is best not to exceed 1 clove per day; for those with good digestive function, 2-3 cloves per day is best. Patients with liver disease, non-bacterial diarrhea, eye diseases, stomach ailments, duodenal issues, or cerebral hemorrhage should avoid eating garlic.
Braised Pork Tripe with Garlic