Think Before You Crush That Garlic, Scientists Say

February 16, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Tid Bits & News at 12:00 pm | (1) Comment »

An Argentinean-led study is suggesting that crushing garlic can steeply reduce the amount of its healthful properties. Well, now that’s a bummer!

Claudio Galmarini & his cohorts at at Institute of Nutrition and Technology of Foods (INTF) in Argentina have noted that past studies that have shown garlic to aid in your health have always used raw garlic. This new study examines how cooking garlic affects the chemical components associated with the healthy benefits of our favorite smelly plant.

During the study experts found that even cooking garlic for just a few minutes significantly reduced the levels of the healthful compounds. The reduction was most severe in garlic cooked whole, versus garlic that had been crushed several minutes before cooking.

What the scientists are basically saying is that by us chopping or crushing our garlic, the enzyme alliinase is being released which forms allicin which in turn breaks down all the good-for-us compounds.

What they also found in the study, is that if you crush your garlic several minutes before cooking, to allow the alliinase to work before cooking activates the enzyme, you will gain more of that good-for-you compound. Clear as mud?

So, if you’re cooking with garlic just for the sheer healthfulness of it, try crushing the cloves several minutes before you put it in the skillet so you can get the most out of your garlicy experience.

This garlic study will appear in the March 7 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

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