What are the health benefits of people who love eating Laba garlic? This study provides the answer

There are few vegetables that are as unique as “garlic”, but they can cooperate tacitly with many foods to present a variety of wonderful flavors.

Every time Laba, a plate of dumplings and a plate of green Laba garlic, is a festive ritual for many families.

“Nutrients” magazine: Eating pickled garlic is good for blood vessels

Garlic has many health benefits, such as helping to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol levels, control blood pressure, etc. Pickled and fermented pickled garlic is also good for the body.

A randomized controlled trial published in the journal Nutrients by a research team from Busan, South Korea National University and Wonkwang University showed that fermented garlic extract is friendly to blood vessels.

The research team conducted two related experiments.

Test 1: Divide 30 healthy adults into a garlic extract group and a Placebo group to compare the effects and changes on blood pressure, common carotid artery and internal carotid artery blood flow velocity after ingestion;

Experiment 2: 28 healthy adults were divided into a garlic extract group and a placebo group to compare the effects and changes in local and peripheral blood flow velocity in the brain after ingestion.

The results showed that 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion, compared with the placebo group, the blood pressure and common carotid artery blood flow velocity in the garlic extract group had significant changes, and the local blood flow velocity in the brain increased significantly, and by changing the peripheral Blood flow velocity increases body surface temperature, improving blood circulation and blood perfusion.

Researchers believe that fermented garlic extract can significantly increase blood flow speed, increase blood perfusion of tissues and organs, and promote blood circulation and smooth flow.

It is not only beneficial to blood vessels. In 2019, the international scientific journal “Food Function” published a study by the team of Professor Chen Haixia of Tianjin University in the form of a cover article, saying that researchers discovered 3 new activities for the first time from the traditional food Laba garlic. Peptides not only have good antibacterial effects, but are also less likely to produce drug-resistant bacteria.

Of course, the more important identity of Laba Garlic is food. It cannot replace clinical drugs . Taking in appropriate amounts and adhering to a balanced diet and reasonable exercise are a good way to stay healthy.

Why should pickled garlic be chosen before or after Laba?

According to Ruan Guangfeng, deputy director of the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, two conditions are needed for pickling Laba garlic: 1. Use garlic that has been stored at low temperature; 2. Vinegar is required. Only when these two conditions are met can alliinase be activated and garlic turn green.

Why did the ancients pickle garlic during Laba?

At higher temperatures, garlic usually remains dormant.

Therefore, in ancient times, pickling must be done before and after Laba Festival, which is the coldest time of the year. Low temperature can break the dormancy of garlic, and alliinase will be quickly activated.

Vinegar will destroy the cell membrane of garlic, allowing alliin and alliinase to react to produce substances such as thiosulfinate (Allicin).

Therefore, if you want to eat Laba garlic in other seasons, just put it in the refrigerator to marinate .

How does Laba garlic turn green?

Allicin and other substances will further react to form garlic pigments, initially blue pigments (allicin), and blue pigments will continue to be converted into yellow pigments (allicin).

Garlic appears green due to the presence of both pigments.

As allicin decreases and garlic pigment increases, the spiciness and odor of garlic will also decrease, so Laba garlic usually tastes crispy and slightly spicy, and has a special garlic aroma.

3 tips to make Laba garlic look good and taste delicious

Zhang Faguo, a senior national cooking technician, said that if you want to speed up the process and pickle delicious tender green Laba garlic, you might as well try the following three techniques.

Choose purple garlic

Purple garlic is rich in nutrients and has more water.

use Rice vinegar 泡

Aged vinegar is darker in color and will affect the greenness of garlic; white vinegar is too acidic and tastes bad.

Rice vinegar is made from glutinous rice, sorghum, corn and other grains. It has sufficient acidity, light color, and a slightly sweet taste. The pickled Laba garlic has a better color and taste.

Cut off the head and tail

When making Laba garlic, every process must be in place. In addition to fully drying the garlic, the head and tail must be removed to allow the vinegar to penetrate into the interior of the garlic faster and speed up the garlic’s greening.

How to make Laba garlic

raw material

500g fresh purple garlic, 500g rice vinegar, 30g sugar, 15g salt.

practice

Wash the garlic that has been stored at low temperature with clean water, quickly control the water and dry it, remove the head and tail of the garlic, and put it into an oil-free and water-free glass container for later use; add rice vinegar, salt, and white sugar to the pot and wait until the salt and white sugar melt. Turn off the heat; pour the vinegar sauce into the glass container containing the garlic, cover it and seal it at room temperature for more than 3 days before eating.

It should be reminded that no matter in winter or summer, you should eat Laba garlic in an appropriate amount, about 2 to 3 cloves a day. Eating too much may irritate the stomach.