Sprouted white garlic, in comparison with raw garlic, has been proven to increase anti inflammatory, immune acceleration, protects the cardiovascular system and has the ability to kill 14 types of cancer cells. Allicin, a compound rich in sulfur, efficiently removes bacteria, viruses, fungus, and parasites without toxic counter effects.
First things first, let’s clear out the rumors that ‘’white garlic is poisonous” which only few have confirmed, as well as “apple and apricot seeds are poisonous’’, a claim by those who spread fear. Little knowledge can be dangerous when you overlook the details of the bigger picture. Those, who use disinformation for spreading fear, should be ignored by all of us. You will read here why.
However, there are truths about the toxicity of white garlic if you buy conventionally grown, imported white garlic. More than half conventionally grown garlic from China is grown in human feces, according to Australian reports. After a few cancelled, big shipments to the USA due to mold and insects, China and other nations have resorted to whitening and fumigating white garlic with methylbromid-a highly toxic pesticide which is forbidden in some areas.
There is a solution. Pay a little bit more when you buy locally grown white garlic or buy homegrown organic garlic heads. Ironically, the toxic measures in the attempt to prevent imported white garlic from going bad also inhibit the possibility of sprouting.
Sprout garlic is even healthier
Sprout garlic, old white garlic with light green shoots from its cloves, is usually considered to have come to an end and people throw it away without thinking.
If an older vegetable, such as potato, starts to sprout, it may actually be dangerous, since it releases toxins which can cause problems in people, which is not the case with white garlic.
In fact, in a study financed by the Korean Institute for Planning and Evaluation of Technology, recently published in the magazine ACS for agricultural and food chemistry, it has been proven that sprouted white garlic has more antioxidant activities than its younger, fresher “brothers”.
The researchers knew that when seedlings turn into green plants, they produce a lot of compounds, some of which protect the plant from pathogens. Dr Jongsang Kim explained: “Plants are very sensitive to bacteria attacks, viruses and insects during sprouting. Their ability to produce different chemicals is called phytoalexin and it enables the plants to defend themselves. Most of them are toxic for microorganisms and insects, but beneficial for the human health.”
Kim’s team established that a similar process can occur when green shoots grow from older white garlic cloves. They also established that that shoots from white garlic, which have sprung in five days had the biggest antioxidant activity, whereas, shoots from raw white garlic had the smallest antioxidant activity.
When we look deeper into the substance, we can see that sprouting has changed the metabolic profile of white garlic: Metabolic profile of white garlic which has sprouted in five to six days was different from the metabolic profile of the white garlic which sprouted in four or less days.
The researchers concluded that sprouting can be a sustainable method for increase of antioxidant potential of white garlic.
So, go ahead and grab few homemade, organic, garlic cloves from the market shelves and leave them to sprout in your pantry or storage closet so the garlic can increase its antioxidant properties.
