About Garlic
Common Name : Lahsun / Garlic
Plant Parts Used : Buibils or Cloves
Garlic (Allium sativum common garlic) is part of the "lily"
family and is closely related to shallots, garlic-chives, and leeks.
The bulb is made of a series of bulb lets called cloves. The garlic
bulb has a papery exterior skin that varies in color from white to
purple. There are many varieties of garlic with the "sativum" or "soft
neck" being the most common variety.
Garlic has been cultivated since ancient times. It was said that
Egyptian masters fed garlic to the slaves to increase the worker's
physical power. In modern times it is used as a popular flavoring in
cooking. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Garlic’s medicinal uses include
digestive stimulant, diuretic, and antispasmodic.
Garlic Varieties
There are many varieties of garlic available. The most common (and
most pungent) variety is the white skinned garlic grown mostly in the
U.S. The other largest world wide producers are France, Spain, Italy,
INDIA and Mexico. Another type of garlic you may find in your grocery
store is Elephant garlic. This large bulb is really a type of "leek"
and does not have a very strong garlic flavor.
Nutrition
Information
|
Garlic
/ 1 clove raw
|
|
Calories
|
4.5
|
|
Total
fat (g)
|
0.015
|
|
Saturated
fat (g)
|
--
|
|
Monounsaturated
fat (g)
|
--
|
|
Polyunsaturated
fat (g)
|
0.007
|
|
Dietary
fiber (g)
|
0.063
|
|
Protein
(g)
|
0.191
|
|
Carbohydrate
(g)
|
0.992
|
|
Cholesterol
(mg)
|
0
|
|
Sodium
(mg)
|
0.510
|
|
Vitamin
C (mg)
|
0.936
|
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 13
Methods of Use
You can vary the amount of garlic flavor released by how you prepare
the garlic. The more juices and oils extracted, the more garlic flavor
will be incorporated into the food.
Pressing - Garlic put through a garlic press or pureed release the most garlic oils and therefore provides the strongest garlic flavor.
Crushing - Releases the pungent flavor and natural juices of garlic. Good for use in sauces when you want a strong garlic flavor.
Minced - Finely minced garlic
will release more oils than chopped or sliced garlic, but less than
pressed or crushed. Great for flavoring oil to be used for sautéing.
Chopped - The chopping process
does not extract a large amount of juice or oil. The amount of flavor
obtained will depend on how small the garlic is chopped and allowed to
dissolve in the cooking process. This method is good for use in salsas
and stir-frys.
Slicing - Slices or larger pieces of garlic won't completely dissolve when cooked resulting in a lighter garlic flavor.
Browning - Garlic browned in oil imparts a very strong nutty favorite.
While some recipes suggest browning others will warn against it. Try
browning some minced garlic in a small amount of olive oil and see if
you like the flavor.
Available Forms
Fresh - Purchase in the grocery store or grow your own.
Powdered - This is garlic that has been dried and pulverized. Adds a mild garlic flavor to foods.1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder is equal to approximately 1 minced garlic clove.
Dehydrated Flakes - This is
minced garlic which has been dried. It can be added to foods before
cooking or it can be put in water and Re-hydrated before use.This form
of garlic gives much of the garlic flavor with a similar texture when
Re- hydrated. 1/2 teaspoon is equivalent to 1 garlic clove.
Puree - Mashed fresh garlic preserved in a jar.
Garlic Juice/Extract - This is just the liquid from pressed garlic. It is available in a spray bottle.
Health Benefits of Garlic
From cancer prevention to heart health, garlic has proven to be a very
nutritionally beneficial food. This is "main steam" knowledge and not
just health cult belief. There is strong evidence in most studies that
only the natural product, not pills or extracts, provide the healthful
benefits.
Garlic
Breath
When
we eat garlic the essential oils actually are absorbed into our lung
tissue. This is why attempts to mask the odor are mostly
futile. You may want to try eating some other aromatic herbs
such as parsley, or basil. Though this may take away the garlic
flavor from your mouth you will probably still "breath out"
a garlic odor.
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