Garlic: Crushed and Lightly Baked is Best

Garlic. Ahhhhh, smell by breath…

Actually, I love garlic, and since I moved to Asia, I’ve been using it more and more. It’s not only documented to help reduce cholesterol levels, it has also shown some antibacterial and anti-cancer powers.

But did you know that the way you prepare and eat your garlic does have an impact on its powers -the blood pressure-lowering powers, at least?

After boiling, baking and microwaving both crushed and uncrushed cloves of garlic and evaluating them for their antiplatelet activity, the scientists learned that lightly cooked, crushed garlic provides most of the health benefits found in raw garlic. The only exception was microwaving, which stripped garlic almost entirely of its blood-thinning effects.

The researchers contend that while heating might be generally blamed for reducing garlic’s antiplatelet activity, it’s the crushing that enables the beneficial compounds to be freed in the first place.

So what’s your crusher of choice? A garlic press, or the traditional mortar-and-pestle? I have the former, but am thinking of getting the latter. I have the impression I’m wasting too much with the press and it’s not that easy to clean.