Garlic, a superfood traditionally used for its antimicrobial properties, capable of helping to fight infections and strengthen the immune system, is not only excellent for health, but delicious in soups, sauces or to spice up dishes. If, as with potato sprouts, your instinct is to remove the sprout from a clove of garlic, this is not so simple.
Garlic germ, edible or not?
First of all, know that the presence of sprouts does not indicate that the garlic is bad. On the contrary, some studies even claim that sprouted garlic could be even better for your health. As the garlic plant ages, it produces more antioxidants, sometimes up to five times more. These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in the body, responsible for the aging of the body, thus helping to reduce the effects of oxidative stress but also to prevent various diseases. Garlic germ is therefore a health asset that it would be a shame to waste.
Despite its virtues, some prefer to remove the germ from the garlic clove before using it in cooking, not only for taste reasons, but also for digestion reasons. Although it’s not necessary to do this, your garlic will taste better if you do. The germ is in fact the most bitter part of garlic, and its high sulfur content makes garlic more difficult to digest.
Remove the garlic germ
To remove the germ from a garlic clove, use a sharp knife to cut the garlic clove in half lengthwise, being careful not to crush it. When cut in half, you will see a white or greenish sprout that looks like a small stalk in the center of each half of the garlic clove.
Using the tip of the knife or your fingers, gently remove the sprout by lifting it from the pod. If necessary, you can also use the tip of the knife to gently scrape the sprout and loosen it from the pod.
In cooking, the choice to remove the germ often depends on personal preferences and the type of dish being prepared but is in no way an obligation. You know everything !
