It doesn’t really matter what your dinner is; if it’s missing some garlic, I want no part in it.
The culinary staple can be tough to prep, with peeling and chopping hacks racking up hundreds of thousands of likes (and millions of views) on sites like TikTok.
But once you’ve found your most mess-free path to allium bliss, it turns out there’s a mistake most of us may be making ― some experts suggest we leave our prepped cloves out on the chopping board much longer after cutting it than we’d expect.
Recently, TikToker @healthwithcory shared that letting your chopped garlic sit out for 10 to 15 minutes after prepping it can improve its health benefits. And he’s not alone: the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times agree.
It’s all about a flavour-enhancing compound in garlic called allicin.
This is responsible for the signature “garlicky” taste and smell that we associate with the bulb ― the more this is released, the garlick-ier (yep) your garlic is likely to taste.
This is why chopping your garlic makes its taste more prominent; it’s also why, aside from the fact that it burns quickly, those seeking a truly pungent punch should add garlic to their sautee pan as late as possible.
And letting your chopped garlic sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before adding it to your pan allows the allicin “to build up before it’s destroyed by heat,” TikToker @healthwithcory shared.
This is because the wait gives time for the enzyme alliinase to break down and make allicin more available ― adding to its distinctive flavour.
It may not all be about the taste, either ― some suggest that the added wait time could have extra benefits, though this is far from set in stone, the American Institute for Cancer Research says: “More research is needed to understand how garlic’s role in cancer risk might vary based on the amount, absorption, preparation methods and individual differences.”
However, allicin “may limit the production of angiotensin II, a hormone that increases blood pressure. It may also relax your blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily,” Healthline shared via a 2019 review.
While the research wasn’t conclusive, it’s got to be worth an extra wait for that added flavour punch, right?
