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Garlic: The Toxin Fighter Superhero

how to get the most health benefits from garlic

I never wondered how to get the most health benefits from garlic until I went to a nutrition-focused cooking school. I had taken the health benefits of garlic for benefit and thought of it mostly for its deliciousness. But, when I was in cooking school, I remember my instructor said,

In garlic, alliinase modifies alliin into allicin, which is a potent antioxidant.”

OK, now garlic is an even more important ingredient for me as a natural chef! She went on to explain the part I remember to this day, which is the part I like to teach to all my clients,

Garlic has superhero health benefits when you prepare it to maximize its benefits.

Even a small effort to study the health benefits of garlic - both historic and modern. Garlic has been considered a cure-all and preventative for nearly every ailment and disease known to humankind.

Scientific studies confirm garlic’s health benefits for

What’s also astounding is that cultures all over the world grow and use garlic in their diets.

There are hundreds of varieties of garlic, and it grows absolutely everywhere on our planet. It has been in culinary and medicinal use for centuries by nearly every culture we know about.

This is the part I love to teach my clients - that garlic is important historically, medicinally, and to almost everyone. Natural Chef Monica Sallouti

How do you get the most health benefit out of garlic in your diet?

To get the most health benefit out of garlic, it’s good to let your garlic “rest” before you cook with it or mix it with other ingredients.

Chop, crush, or slice your garlic, then set it aside in the corner of your cutting board while you get the rest of the recipe going. This ten minute “power nap” gives garlic a chance to undergo its molecular modification and to make available its potent healing capabilities.

Another important point that I tell my clients is that garlic is most definitely on the list of foods that you want to buy organic.

I say this emphatically and with my chef-ly "serious" face! According to Sonoma County garlic guru Chester Aaron, who wrote three garlic books, most non-organic garlic in U.S. stores comes from China. His research, which was tested by a chemist at UC Berkeley, found that most people probably wouldn't want to know what's in this Chinese conventionally grown garlic.

Since garlic is used sparingly in most cooking, it’s not going to break the bank to buy it organic! Another fun fact is that, unless otherwise advised by your health practitioner (or perhaps based on your social plans),

there is no upper limit on the recommended daily intake of garlic - be it raw, cooked, roasted, juiced, or aged.

In other words, enjoy it and share it with those you love. Here is a really delicious, easy and useful sauce recipe to maximize those garlic health benefits!

Note: This sauce is delicious on hard-boiled eggs, baked potatoes, feta cheese, roasted root vegetables, and garbanzos, among many other foods and dishes. Plus, it’s a "user-upper" for a bunch of fresh herbs that you have left over and don’t want to waste.

Feel free to experiment with different herbs; even a single one is delicious. One pro-tip: go to the trouble of hand-chopping this recipe instead of using an electric gizmo. It really does make a difference to how the sauce "sings" on the palate and plate. The little extra effort will reward you a sure-fire way to make the simplest foods irresistible.

how to get the most health benefits from garlic
As I always say, I will never tell you what you should eat, only how to cook something to maximize its nutritional benefit. 

 

References:

Prescription for Dietary Wellness The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods 

Natural Chef tips for healthy skin diet and garlic health benefits

Certified Natural Chef Monica Sallouti’s lifelong passion for delicious nutritious food comes from both her formal training and time spent in the kitchens of her two grandmothers as a young girl. She honed her culinary skills and nutritional education at the Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts program at Bauman College in Penngrove, CA. The specialty of nutrition for Chef Sallouti was sparked after a health crisis some 19 years ago. In her late 20’s, she was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. As part of her “treatment,” she developed a keen awareness of the inextricable link between food, cooking and health. Now, 19+ years later, Sallouti brings her knowledge, culinary creativity and care to both her clients.