Garlic isn’t just for vampires and spaghetti sauce; it is an important part of just about any diet. In addition to having very few calories, garlic adds tons of flavor to any dish without overloading on calories and fat.
Besides its culinary uses, garlic can help boost your immune system, not to mention help reduce instances of cancer and hypertension. Keep reading to find out how to make the most of calories in garlic.
Major Nutrients Found in Garlic
When looking at garlic nutrition facts you’re probably wondering why you avoided garlic for so long. With not enough salt, cholesterol or sodium to mention, you can see why garlic is such a staple in international cuisines from Asia, Africa and even the Middle East.
Although garlic doesn’t have much in the way of protein, there is plenty of calcium and potassium found in 3 little cloves of garlic. With nutrition facts like these, garlic is an ideal flavor enhancer.
Storing/Selecting
When selecting garlic, choose fresh bulbs of garlic over the peeled and jarred variety. The fresher the garlic is, the more intense the flavor and nutrients. Be sure to choose garlic bulbs that are big and firm with the paper in tact. Avoid soft garlic paper that’s peeling and cloves exposed to the air.
Store garlic someplace that is dry and warm to keep it in the best possible shape. Any unpeeled cloves or bulbs will keep for weeks in the proper climate. Opened garlic cloves should be refrigerated and used as quickly as possible. After a few days, an unpeeled garlic clove with begin to brown as they age.
Eat It With:
Garlic can be eaten with everything, literally. Crack a clove of garlic in half and rub it on bread for a tasty garlic bread. Mince or grate garlic and add it to pasta sauce, soup, vegetable dishes, marinades and meats. Garlic can be added to salads, raw, grilled or roasted. When you purchase fresh garlic, there are no limits to how you can use it.
Burn Off Calories In Garlic
To burn off the calories in garlic, you would need to do:
- 4 minutes of walking
- 7 minutes of Billiards
- 4 minutes of skydiving