Garlic has the strongest anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting inflammatory factors in the bodies of diabetic patients and preventing cancer. At the same time, garlic can also lower blood sugar, blood lipids, and C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker).
In fact, the anti-cancer effects of garlic have long attracted the attention of Chinese experts. Peking University School of Oncology and the Beijing Institute for Cancer Research have also published research reports stating that garlic has a good preventive effect on stomach cancer. Experts believe that eating more single-clove garlic in daily life can play a good role in preventing cancer, especially digestive tract tumors.
However, high temperatures will destroy the most important anti-cancer substance in garlic—alliin. Therefore, researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute suggest that after chopping the garlic, don't rush to put it in the pan. First, let the crushed garlic sit for 15 minutes before cooking to maximize its anti-cancer effects.
Sprouted Garlic Doubles in Nutrition
When it comes to sprouting, most people think, "This is no longer edible." 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. When you peel a sprouted garlic, you will see a green sprout growing in the middle. After this green sprout grows out from the garlic clove, it becomes garlic scallions, a type of green leafy vegetable. If you place the garlic scallions in a plate of water, it can not only bring the beauty of green plants to the kitchen but also be used as a seasoning instead of chopped green onions. If you plant the garlic scallions in soil and let them continue to grow, the leaves are called green garlic when they get bigger. People who don't like the taste of garlic cloves can eat garlic scallions directly. The vitamin content of garlic scallions exceeds that of garlic cloves, and they also have a certain antibacterial ability.
After being fermented into black garlic, the water content of garlic is reduced by about 50%, the sugar and amino acid content increases significantly, and the content of B vitamins also rises. The color of garlic changes from white to black because of the "Maillard reaction" after long-term fermentation and heat preservation. At this time, allicin has been degraded, and components such as polyfructose are broken down to produce fructose, enhancing the sweetness. Therefore, black garlic has a soft and sweet texture without the spicy taste, making it edible for people with sensitive stomachs and without worrying about bad breath, making it very popular among young people. However, you should not take too seriously the widely circulated claims like "black garlic lowers the three highs" or "black garlic improves immunity." If the daily amount of black garlic consumed is not large, it is difficult to achieve these effects.
Pickled to Aid Digestion
In the north, there is a tradition of pickling garlic. Laba garlic and sweet and sour garlic are popular methods that can retain all the mineral components of garlic and largely eliminate the spicy taste, although their antibacterial effect is reduced compared to raw garlic. Professor's research 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 is necessary to use brewed vinegar for pickling. Adding a little sugar will make the taste more delicious. Laba garlic turns green after pickling, which is harmless to the human body and also has a certain antioxidant effect. Both of these methods have the effect of cutting grease and aiding digestion, making them very suitable to eat with meat.
Raw is the Healthiest
As is well known, garlic can kill bacteria and has the effect of whetting the appetite and aiding digestion. Intact garlic contains alliin and allinase. When garlic is crushed, these two components interact to produce allicin, which is the main source of garlic's unique spicy flavor. In addition, garlic is rich in the trace element selenium. Moderate intake of selenium has an auxiliary anti-cancer effect. Crushing and eating garlic raw can effectively retain allicin and kill bacteria and viruses. However, garlic itself is spicy, and the daily raw intake should not exceed 2-3 cloves. It is contraindicated for people with stomach ulcers, diarrhea, or those who are taking medication.
Stewing to Remove Odor
When making soups or stewing meat, especially pork belly or large intestines, many people are accustomed to adding a few cloves of garlic, which can remove the odor of the ingredients. First, sauté the garlic until fragrant, then stir-fry it with other ingredients, and then add water to stew. After stewing, the odor of the ingredients has been removed, and the allicin in the garlic has decomposed, so the taste is not spicy and even has a sweet taste. This is because the spicy allicin is converted into sweet sulfur-containing substances, increasing the fresh and sweet flavor of the soup. At this time, garlic is used as a seasoning, so there is no need to worry about vitamin loss from long stewing.
Grilling to Remove Spiciness
Cumin garlic and charcoal-roasted garlic are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a fragrant, soft, and chewy texture. The grilled garlic has almost no spicy taste and does not cause bad breath after eating, making it very popular among young people. However, after high-temperature grilling, the allicin in garlic disappears completely, losing its bactericidal effect, but the mineral components can be retained. When grilling, be sure to grill the garlic with its skin on, and the flame should not be too strong, otherwise it is easy to burn the garlic and produce carcinogens.
Stir-frying for Maximum Aroma
Allicin is very "afraid of heat." Once it encounters high-temperature processing, its bactericidal effect will be greatly reduced. Therefore, you cannot expect the minced garlic in stir-fried dishes to help kill harmful bacteria.
However, garlic has a rich aroma when fried in oil, especially bringing a mouth-watering deliciousness to vegetable ingredients. Compared to scallions, garlic requires a higher oil temperature to release its aroma. The best flavor usually appears when the surface of the garlic pieces turns yellow. This is because the main reason for the aroma production is the "Maillard reaction," accompanied by the process of the color turning yellow and deepening. However, too high an oil temperature can also cause the minced garlic to burn, producing toxic substances and affecting the quality of the dish.