Crush Garlic and Let it Rest Before Cooking or Eating
You may be thinking, ‘Pearl, come on, you gone crazy.’
Well, maybe…but not about this. Not everything in nutrition is this precise but I love this fact because it highlights not only the amazing complexity of plants, but also that the way we eat them can make a difference.
This might get a little sciency but bear with me please and I’ll try to throw in more improper words to make it interesting.
Garlic contains organosulfur compounds, which, whaddaya know, contain sulfur. Sulfur is stinky, but it’s essential for life. These compounds are:
- anti-inflammatory
- antioxidant
- antiviral
- anti-carcinogenic
The exact mechanism of its cancer preventative effect isn’t clear but research suggests that these compounds modulate enzymes in our body that detoxify carcinogens and prevent the formation of DNA that might give rise to cancer.
Holy guacamole.
To harness the full power of garlic, eat it fresh (not the pre-minced stuff in a jar) and allow it to rest 5-10min after crushing.
Why?
There is an enzyme in the cell wall of the garlic that isn’t released until the wall is broken. This enzyme automagically converts a compound in garlic to Allicin, and this is what your body wants!!
That magical enzyme is destroyed when it encounters the acid in our stomach or heat. If we allow it to rest beforehand, it can do it’s work and we get the most out of our garlic.
Benefits of Allicin:
- anti-bacterial
- anti-fungal
- protection against cardiovascular disease
The full article on garlic & cancer can be found here –
Omar, S.H., and N.A. Al-Wabel. “Organosulfur Compounds and Possible Mechanism of Garlic in Cancer.” Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal : SPJ 18, no. 1 (January 2010): 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2009.12.007.
#nutritionfacts#tidbittuesday#garlicpower#healthyfoods#antiinflammatory#anticarcinogen#cancerprevention
