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Garlic: Healthy Bulb with Smell

Opinions are divided when it comes to garlic: some swear by its healing properties, and others cannot smell it. But it is precisely his smell that makes him so healthy. The sulfur compounds allicin and ajoene are responsible for this. They form as soon as the cell walls of the garlic clove are damaged by cutting or crushing.

Antibiotics against viruses, bacteria, and fungi

Allicin and ajoene have a slightly blood-thinning and blood pressure-lowering effect – this protects against thrombosis, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke. Above all, allicin fights viruses, bacteria, and fungi. That is why garlic is also known as a natural antibiotic.

Saponin helps lower cholesterol

The white tubers can do even more: the secondary plant substance they contain, saponin, is said to lower LDL cholesterol levels that are too high. For this to work, you have to consume four grams – about a large clove of garlic per day.

Better to cut instead of squeezing

The smell of garlic can already be reduced during preparation: You should cut the garlic and not squeeze it. This is because squeezing destroys all the cells in the toe. The sulfur compounds escape and it stinks, especially in the kitchen. If, on the other hand, you cut the garlic very finely and add it directly to the dish at the end, the healthy ingredients end up in the food.

Fresh garlic has more flavor than dried ones

Raw garlic has a pungent, overpowering flavor and a bad aftertaste. If, on the other hand, you process garlic with oil to form a paste that is gently cooked at 70 degrees, some sulfur compounds are destroyed, but the taste is milder and there are still enough healthy substances left over. Dried garlic has the least aroma because a lot of flavors are lost during drying and bitter substances develop. Because the transport route is so long and the bulbs dry out on the way, garlic from China tastes less aromatic than European garlic. The same goes for garlic powder. Fresh garlic can be recognized by its white to slightly purple skin. The tuber must be free of shoots. As soon as you see one or more green shoots, the cloves are no longer fresh and are probably already bitter.

Tips against the garlic smell

Garlic’s allicin enters our body’s cells through the blood – and leaves us through our breath and skin. This can take up to 20 hours.

This helps against the strong smell in the mouth and on the hands:

  • Chew parsley, sage, mint, or ginger – the essential oils in the herbs drive away bad breath, at least temporarily.
  • After eating, chew cardamom or some coffee beans for ten minutes.
  • Chew lemon pieces – thanks to the acidic ingredients, the smell will disappear.
  • Drink milk: Research shows that milk can reduce the sulfurous breakdown products of garlic in the mouth and nose.
  • Rub your hands with a little salt and a few dashes of lemon juice, leave on for a short time, then rinse off with lukewarm water.
  • Rub some coffee grounds into wet hands and then wash them off thoroughly.
  • Wash hands with vinegar and lukewarm water.
  • Stainless steel neutralizes odors: If you don’t have a special “stainless steel soap” at hand, simply rub your hands on a stainless steel sink, a stainless steel faucet, or a stainless steel spoon and let lukewarm water run over your hands.

Interaction with some drugs

Too much garlic can trigger nausea and heartburn. Because it has a blood-thinning effect, garlic can increase the effects of blood-thinning medication – and even block HIV medication. It is therefore essential to speak to your doctor before taking garlic juice, dragees, and tablets. However, an overdose when cooking is very unlikely.

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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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