The World's Healthiest Foods are health-promoting foods that can change your life.

Try the exciting new recipe from Day 1 of our upcoming 7-Day Meal Plan.

The George Mateljan Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests or
advertising. Our mission is to help you eat and cook the healthiest way for optimal health.
The best ways to prepare and store garlic

Why chopping garlic is important

The latest scientific research tells us that slicing, chopping, mincing or pressing garlic before cooking will enhance its health-promoting properties. A sulfur-based compound called alliin and an enzyme called alliinase are separated in the Garlic's cell structure when it is whole. Cutting garlic ruptures the cells and releases these elements, allowing them to come in contact and form a powerful new compound called alliicin, which not only adds to the number of garlic's health-promoting benefits but is also the culprit behind its pungent aroma and gives Garlic its "bite."

By chopping garlic more finely, more allicin may be produced. Pressing garlic or mincing it into a smooth paste will give you the strongest flavor and may also result in an increased amount of allicin.

So, the next time you chop, mince or press your garlic, you will know that the more pungent the smell, the better it probably is for your health.

Why you should let Garlic sit for 5-10 minutes

To get the most health benefits from garlic, let it sit for a minimum of 5 minutes, optimally 10 minutes, after cutting and before eating or cooking. Waiting 5-10 minutes allows the health-promoting alliicin to form. If you do not let it sit, alliicin is never formed, so it is worth the wait.

How cooking affects the nutrients in Garlic

Heating garlic without letting it sit has been found to deactivate the enzyme that is responsible for the formation of alliicin. However, if you have allowed your Garlic to sit for 5-10 minutes, you can cook it on low or medium heat for a short period of time (up to 15 minutes) without destroying the alliicin. This is because letting it sit not only ensures the maximum synthesis of the alliicin, but also makes it more stable and resistant to the heat of cooking.

Research on garlic reinforces the validity of this practice. When crushed Garlic was heated, its ability to inhibit cancer development in animals was blocked; yet, when the researchers allowed the crushed Garlic to sit for 10 minutes before heating, its anticancer activity was preserved.

Cooking for:

  • 5-15 minutes — minimal loss of nutrients
  • 15-30 minutes — moderate loss of nutrients
  • 45+ minutes — substantial loss of nutrients

Freezing Garlic

Garlic can be frozen in a number of ways:

  1. Chop the garlic, wrap it tightly in a plastic freezer bag or in plastic wrap, and freeze. To use, grate or break off the amount needed.
  2. Freeze the garlic unpeeled and remove cloves as needed.
  3. Peel the cloves and puree them with oil in a blender or food processor using 2 parts oil to 1 part garlic. The puree will stay soft enough in the freezer to scrape out parts to use in sautéing. Freeze this mixture immediately - do not store it at room temperature. The combination of the low-acid garlic, the exclusion of air (by mixing with oil), and room-temperature storage can support the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Drying Garlic

Dry only fresh, firm garlic cloves with no bruises. To prepare, separate and peel the cloves. Cut in half lengthwise. No additional pre-drying treatment is necessary. Dry at 140 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 130 degrees until completely dry or crisp. If desired, garlic salt may be made from dried garlic. Powder dried garlic by processing in a blender or food processor until fine. Add 4 parts salt to 1 part garlic powder and blend 1 to 2 seconds. If blended longer, the salt will become too fine and cake together in clumps.

Storing Garlic in Oil

Extreme care must be taken when preparing flavored oils with garlic or when storing garlic ain oil. Peeled garlic cloves may be submerged in oil and stored in the freezer for several months. Do not store garlic in oil at room temperature. Garlic-in-oil mixtures stored at room temperature provide perfect conditions for producing botulism toxin (low acidity, no free oxygen in the oil, and warm temperatures). The same hazard exists for roasted garlic stored in oil. At least three outbreaks of botulism associated with garlic-in-oil mixtures have been reported in North America.

By law, commercially prepared garlic in oil has been prepared using strict guidelines and must contain citric or phosphoric acid to increase the acidity. Unfortunately, there is no easy or reliable method to acidify garlic in the home. Acidifying garlic in vinegar is a lengthy and highly variable process; a whole clove of garlic covered with vinegar can take from 3 days to more than 1 week to sufficiently acidify. As an alternative, properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils.

*Storing information from the University of California, Davis website on Garlic,http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/garlic.htm.

Printer friendly version

Send this page to a friend...

rss


Newsletter SignUp

Your Email:

Find Out What Foods You Should Eat This Week

Also find out about the recipe, nutrient and hot topic of the week on our home page.

 

Everything you want to know about healthy eating and cooking from our new book.
2nd Edition
Order this Incredible 2nd Edition at the same low price of $39.95 and also get 2 FREE gifts valued at $51.95. Read more


Healthy Eating
Healthy Cooking
Nutrients from Food
Website Articles
Community
Privacy Policy and Visitor Agreement
References
For education only, consult a healthcare practitioner for any health problems.

We're Number 1
in the World!

35 million visitors per year.
The World's Healthiest Foods website is a leading source of information and expert on the Healthiest Way of Eating and Cooking. It's one of the most visited website on the internet when it comes to "Healthiest Foods" and "Healthiest Recipes" and comes up #1 on a Google search for these phrases.

Over 100 Quick &
Easy Recipes

Our Recipe Assistant will help you find the recipe that suits your personal needs. The majority of recipes we offer can be both prepared and cooked in 20 minutes or less from start to finish; a whole meal can be prepared in 30 minutes. A number of them can also be prepared ahead of time and enjoyed later.

World's Healthiest
Foods
is expanded

What's in our new book:
  • 180 more pages
  • Smart Menu
  • Nutrient-Rich Cooking
  • 300 New Recipes
  • New Nutrient Articles and Profiles
  • New Photos and Design
privacy policy and visitor agreement | who we are | site map | what's new
For education only, consult a healthcare practitioner for any health problems.
© 2001-2017 The George Mateljan Foundation, All Rights Reserved