Garlic sprouts should be removed. Basic garlic storage mistakes

Garlic is literally the elixir of life. Its extraordinary and beneficial effects are widely known and garlic is used everywhere. Literally. But your body will only benefit from garlic if you consume it fresh, or lightly crushed. People make many mistakes during preparation. Bad processing will destroy the good stuff and will reduce the “power” of garlic. So, what are these mistakes?

Garlic should be crushed not cut

If you cut garlic with an older metal knife you are destroying some of some the vitamins in it. Upon contact with metal, some vitamins will oxidize and become useless. This mainly applies to vitamin C which we all need to boots our immunity and prevent cell aging. If you need to chop garlic finely, choose a stainless steel knife, or ideally a ceramic blade. In any case it is best to crush individual cloves even before cutting. Further, make sure to use crushed or cut garlic as quickly as possible – it oxidizes when exposed to open air.

Heat treatment – the killer of all nutrients

That is nothing new at all, right? Nutrients quickly disappear from fruits and vegetables when cooked. Garlic is no exception. Take for example a pizza. Traditionally, people rubbed garlic on it only at the end, when it was ready for consumption to maintain the strong garlic smell and nutrients. Heat treatment will kill the aroma too of course.

Photo: Pixabay

Burnt garlic belongs in the trash

If you need to sauté garlic do it only for a short time. When it turns brown, it becomes bitter and the typical taste will no longer be present and you may even experience stomach problems. Burning process creates acrylamide and some other substances that are not good for the human body. Some of them are even carcinogenic and are considered responsible for fetal defects and for genetic information damage.

Is your garlic sprouting?

Always try storing garlic in a cool and dry place with minimal access to light; otherwise, it will sprout very quickly. If you find a sprouting garlic do not throw away the cloves, however, the overall quality, power and taste will be reduces. Garlic with spouts is also harder on your stomach.

Preview photo: Pixabay