The Benefits of Black Garlic and How It Beats the White Version

How many of you have ever heard of black garlic? No, it’s not a fancy weapon from a vampire story. It’s just a very popular, real-life ingredient used by professional cooks. Why they love it? Well, it’s because black garlic not only has a unique taste, but it is also packed with antioxidants.

What is Black Garlic?

Black garlic is basically white garlic that went through a certain kind of process, thus changing some of its contents. The process eventually changes the amino acids and sugars into melanoidin, which makes the garlic soft and with a dark color. In order to turn white garlic into black garlic, you will have to heat it for 4 to 6 weeks at a certain temperature to create the aspect of aged black garlic.

Its mystery and popularity made people curious to create this ingredient in their own kitchens. In the US, the official process is literally known as “process for preparing aged garlic,” and you will need some specific temperatures and fancy machines to do so. Legend says that black garlic was used by ancient masters to increase its health benefits, but it only came back into view after Scott Kim, a Korean inventor, revealed the process.

Why Is It So Good For Us?

We know that regular garlic is packed with antioxidants – but did you know that black garlic has even MORE? Aside from the extra batch of antioxidants, it was also made to provide other benefits for our health. It may not have the same stench or taste as the original garlic, but it’s highly recommended by cooks around the world. Why do they recommend it so much? Here’s why:

• It helps you in the case of arterial sclerosis
• It prevents cancer due to the antioxidants
• It prevents heart diseases
• It stops the progression of early Alzheimer’s
• It prevents cholesterol buildups

Are you curious about the taste? Well, people say that it has just a bit of every other ingredient. It also has a savory and sweet taste, which most people claim it reminds them of chocolate. Can you actually imagine this? Chocolate-tasting garlic? Vampires would definitely love this.

Cooking with Black Garlic

You can use black garlic for various recipes in (sort of) liquid forms such as a puree, sauce, marinade or dressing. You can also make pasta and pizza flavored with black garlic, and don’t be surprised when you see it as part of a dessert – we told you it has a chocolate taste.

As we have already mentioned, this black garlic is used by chefs that mastered the cooking art. They generally use black garlic that was turned into a powder to garnish their dishes. They also recommend some great ways of using this ingredient for sandwiches, combining the mayo with the powder. They also advise that for an extra health benefit, we replace the regular bread with coconut or almond bread or even cucumbers!

Sounds yummy, right? Try it the next time you prepare yourself a meal!