“This Garlic Preparation Method Creates a Toxic Compound — Are You Making This Common Mistake?”

Garlic is an indispensable spice in Vietnamese cuisine. However, if you prepare garlic in a certain way, it can produce toxins. Many people are unaware of this and continue to do so daily. It's time to uncover the truth.

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Garlic is packed with essential nutrients, including vitamins B1, B6, C, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and iron. It offers numerous health benefits.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thuong Hanh, a general internal medicine and intensive care specialist at the Ho Chi Minh City Social Security, garlic can help strengthen bones, detoxify the blood, lower blood pressure, and prevent heart disease. However, frying garlic in hot oil can create toxins. Let’s explore this toxic cooking method and learn how to avoid it.

1 Frying Garlic in Hot Oil Generates Toxins

Frying garlic in hot oil can produce toxins.

The toxic garlic preparation method mentioned here refers to frying garlic in hot oil, a familiar technique that almost everyone uses when cooking.

According to Dr. Truong Hong Son, a nutrition expert and director of the Institute of Applied Medicine in Vietnam, garlic’s health benefits primarily come from allicin. However, fresh garlic does not contain free allicin but rather alliin, the precursor to allicin.

Allicin in garlic is good for your health.

To obtain allicin, garlic must be finely chopped or crushed to activate the enzyme allinase, which converts alliin into allicin. This compound acts as a natural antibiotic, helping to fight off pathogens.

However, allicin is highly volatile and sensitive to heat. When garlic is fried in hot oil, allicin is inactivated, losing its ability to boost immunity and provide antimicrobial benefits.

Properly frying garlic

Similar to other fried foods, garlic fried in hot oil, especially when burnt, not only tastes bitter but also produces toxic trans fat. Additionally, using the same oil multiple times to fry garlic increases the trans fat content, which can be carcinogenic.

The best cooking method is to simmer garlic over low heat for about 15 minutes and then turn off the heat. When stir-frying garlic, use medium heat and stir quickly to minimize the loss of active compounds while retaining its benefits after cooking.

2 Precautions When Using Garlic

Dr. Truong Hong Son also offers some precautions to consider when using garlic to avoid any adverse effects on your health:

Precautions for using garlic to avoid impacting your health.

If possible, avoid cooking garlic as it may reduce the allicin content. Allicin is most potent and beneficial when produced by chewing, crushing, or grinding raw garlic.

Limit garlic consumption to 15g per day. Excessive intake can lead to conjunctivitis and stomach irritation.

Do not use aged garlic for cooking as the beneficial compounds decrease over time.

Some foods should not be combined with garlic.

Avoid eating garlic with certain foods like silver carp, catfish, dog meat, carp, mutton, and duck as it can have negative health effects.

Reference

Do not consume garlic on an empty stomach as it can irritate the stomach and cause abdominal pain.

People taking medications such as anticoagulants or HIV/AIDS drugs should refrain from eating garlic as it may negatively impact their health.

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We hope that through the information provided, you now understand why frying garlic in hot oil can create toxins. While garlic is generally beneficial for health, improper use can lead to adverse effects. Take care, and stay healthy!

Frequently asked questions

The toxic compound that can be formed during garlic preparation is called allicin. Allicin is produced when garlic is crushed, chopped, or chewed, and it is responsible for garlic’s distinctive odor and taste. While allicin has been studied for its potential health benefits, it can also be toxic if consumed in large quantities.

To avoid creating toxic allicin when preparing garlic, do not crush or chop the cloves. Instead, simply slice or mince the garlic, or use a garlic press, which helps to keep the cell walls of the clove intact and minimizes the formation of allicin. Cooking garlic also reduces the amount of allicin present, so it is generally safe to consume cooked garlic.

While allicin can be toxic in large doses, it also has potential health benefits. Some studies suggest that allicin may have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of allicin on the human body.

One common mistake is storing garlic in oil, which can create the perfect environment for botulism to thrive. Another mistake is not using fresh garlic, as the health benefits and flavor are at their peak when garlic is fresh. Additionally, be mindful of the variety of garlic you are using, as different types have varying strengths and flavors.
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