It’s not too often my husband can come to me and tell me about a new food product. He’s really not a foodie, although he doesn’t mind trying my culinary experiments and voicing his honest opinion. So when he told me about black garlic, I was taken aback. How did he know about a food that I didn’t? That was a first.
He mentioned that it’s not a new food. The process of turning white garlic into black garlic is an ancient one, he said.
I checked it out on the Internet and also discovered its amazing health benefits. According to livestrong.com, black garlic has twice the antioxidants as conventional garlic, so it’s great for protection against disease. In fact, because black garlic is so potent, the heightened levels of antioxidants offering protection from free-radical damage make it an ideal food for combating chronic disease. Free radicals damage cells, which can lead to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, circulatory problems, rheumatoid arthritis and other age-related problems.
So I went to blackgarlic. com and ordered some. It comes pureed, peeled or whole. I got two packs of whole garlic (just $3.99 per pack) with two bulbs in each package — plenty for experimenting.
Black garlic is made through a monthlong fermentation process of regular garlic. The process produces melanoidin, a dark-colored substance, which is what turns the garlic black. In addition to the added health benefits, the fermentation also renders the garlic less pungent than its traditional counterpart, thereby making it far more palatable for many people. After trying it myself, I can testify to the fact that there were no ill olfactory effects on my hands or my breath. Amazing.