Food of the Week [Part I]: The Glory of Garlic

Posted January 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Jessica Hale

Section: Her Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Vegetarianism, Special Features, Food of the Week

For thousands of years, cooks have used garlic to add a rich, robust flavor to everything from dips and spreads to pasta sauces to soups and stews to toasted bread. But this tasty and versatile veggie is also hiding some surprising health benefits, and that’s why it earns the title of Food of the Week.

The claim that garlic can help prevent heart disease and high cholesterol has yet to be proven, but there is evidence that uncooked garlic may help to regulate blood sugar levels and complications relating to diabetes. It also contains diallyl disulfide, or DADs, which may aid in cancer prevention. The antibiotic properties of garlic are no secret; traditional British herbalists have long been using it as an ingredient in medicinal salves, and it was used to prevent gangrene during World War I and II. Garlic has been used with some success to treat some of the symptoms of AIDS, and many people swear by raw, crushed garlic as a treatment for acne (but don’t take it externally – it may irritate your skin).

Worried about the smell? The stinky breath that garlic lovers have become accustomed to is caused by allyl methyl sulphide or AMS, which forms when garlic is metabolized. Since our bodies can’t digest AMS, it must be passed into the bloodstream and then excreted through our skin and breath. Chewing a sprig of parsley will temporarily mask the odour, but a tough workout or a trip to the sauna the morning after a garlicky meal will help you speed up the process of excreting AMS through your sweat (although you may attract some dirty looks from fellow gym-goers!).

Garlic is most flavorful and potent when fresh. Be sure to crush your cloves before cooking them; this will release their antibiotic chemicals. For the time-conscious cook, garlic is also available pre-minced and jarred, usually in the pickle or international section of your supermarket. And to take advantage of garlic’s natural health benefits without suffering the smelly consequences, odourless garlic capsules can be found at a drug store or natural food market.

Here’s an elegant, hummus-like spread from Isa Moscowitz and Terry Romero’s Veganomicon that tastes great on warm bread or as a dip for vegetables. Recipe Profile

Perfect For: A fancy hors d’oeuvre or easy sandwich filler

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Servings: yields 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can navy, great northern, or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 6 cloves garlic, chopped

Combine the beans, lemon juice, salt, and parsley in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, scraping. Preheat a small pan over low heat. Cook the garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. You want just to gently heat it, not brown it. Add the garlic and oil to the mixture in the blender and puree until fully combined. Add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.