Healthy Food Database

Garlic is said to have originated from Siberia. The Egyptians fed their slaves garlic believing it would make them strong (and judging by the size of stones they lifted, it worked!). Used to ward off everything from colds to vampires, the only downside to garlic is the smell left on the breath. Garlic contains an essential oil, rich in sulphur, that seeps through the membranes of the lungs and gives off a pungent, unpleasant odour in the breath. Garlic is a member of the onion family. The edible bulb is made up of numerous cloves that neatly fit together and are enclosed within a whitish paper-like skin.
Buy garlic bulbs that are firm and heavy for their size, with all their cloves intact. Avoid any that are soft and spongy.
Store garlic in a cool, dry place, or in a paper bag in the crisper section of the fridge for around 2 weeks.
To separate the garlic clove from the skin place the clove on a board and press down on it with a large flat blade knife to smash the clove. The skin will fall off.
Invest in a good quality garlic crusher - it will save you so much time and effort.

Category: Vegetable

In Season: all year