Garlic is an ancient and precious medicinal and edible treasure, known abroad as the "guardian of health". In China, there is also a saying, "When garlic hits the market, the pharmacy closes."
According to Sun Mengli, deputy director of the Nutrition Department at Peking University Hospital, garlic indeed has many health benefits. Firstly, the allicin contained in garlic is a powerful killer of bacteria, inhibiting and killing bacteria such as Staphylococcus and E. coli. It can be used to treat and prevent bacterial diseases like bacillary dysentery and whooping cough. Garlic is also a blessing for patients with hyperlipidemia. After eating high-fat foods like sausages and cured meats, the fat content in the blood doubles. However, if eaten with garlic, this increase in fat can be curbed.
"The reason garlic has such excellent effects," explains Li Changping, a senior nutritionist at the Nutrition Department of Beijing Hospital, "is because it contains two active substances: alliin and allinase. Once garlic is crushed, these two substances come into contact with each other, forming allicin. Allicin has a strong bactericidal effect, but it quickly loses its effectiveness when heated. Therefore, eating raw garlic is more effective than cooked garlic for its antibacterial properties."
Therefore, to achieve the best health benefits, it is best to crush garlic into a paste rather than mincing it with a knife. Furthermore, let it sit for 10-15 minutes before consumption, allowing the alliin and allinase to combine in the air to form allicin. Therefore, using raw garlic in cold salads and dipping dumplings in a mixture of garlic paste, vinegar, and a small amount of sesame oil are very healthy ways to eat garlic.
China's traditional cuisine—Laba garlic, pickled with vinegar and sugar for the Laba Festival by people in Northern China—results in garlic with a light green color and a sweet, sour, and spicy flavor that can relieve dry mouth and stimulate appetite. Garlic is rich in vitamins, and its combination with acetic acid is beneficial to health. For those with weak constitutions or weak digestive systems, it is advisable to eat cooked garlic, such as roasted garlic. In the summer, people who enjoy barbecues love to roast garlic on the fire and eat it while hot. This roasted garlic has almost no strong odor and tastes like ginkgo nuts. However, its bactericidal and disinfectant properties are greatly reduced.