Green Garlic

The culinary and medicinal benefits of Green Garlic: the crop of spring

Oh the first crops of the spring: the green garlic. It is a springtime crop and is immature or young garlic that is already harvested before the cloves could develop. You can say that at first, to the untrained eye, it looks pretty much like a scallion. The flavor of the green garlic is stronger than the green onion but is milder than garlic itself. Therefore, it is just between the two. This crop has a deep green stalk and a whitish bulb. It is very rare to chance on this particular commodity in most groceries so you might want to go to specialty stores or go to a local farm and ask for these plants.

If you are looking for an alternative to garlic, garlic is the only substitute, but the younger form. What makes this a potent option for cuisines involving garlic is that it is milder. If you or your family does not like the overpowering flavors present in mature garlic, you will definitely love the milder flavors on this one. You can substitute the dishes containing garlic with these ones and enjoy the results. One particular specialty recipe that involves the green garlic is the green garlic pesto. This is a very popular dish and can be used on pasta dishes and even in sandwiches or whatever options you might want.

Medicinal Benefits of Green Garlic

Since this is from the garlic family, the benefits present in the mature garlic are similar to the ones you will find in the younger one. It contains phytochemicals and trace portions of antioxidants to help fight specific kinds of diseases such as colon, rectal and stomach cancer. Another problem it can mitigate is the hardening of the arterial walls that could cause atherosclerosis. When it comes to high blood pressure, this can minimize the risks fairly well. It has anti inflammatory properties and can be processed to juices or cream concoctions to address acne and scars.

The Benefits of Green Garlic can be traced from the particular compound called Allicin that is sulfur based. It has a powerful antibiotic property and this can be used to heal wounds, improve the immune response. It is a very beautiful and useful product that offers some nice benefits but since it is very young garlic, it will only last a few days max. After buying, the consumption should be done within 3 to 5 days. This is because it will start to deteriorate and lose its freshness beyond that time. Wrap these green plants and place them on the refrigerator.

If you really want to gain the Benefits of Green Garlic consistently every spring without getting disappointed of not finding any, growing one on your garden will definitely benefit you a lot. Dedicate a small area in your garden and place the cloves of mature garlic. Fall is the best time to grow these. By late spring, be prepared to harvest your first crop of green garlic.

Green Garlic is the immature form of Garlic. Green Garlic is harvested some time before the harvest of fully grown or mature Garlic. In many parts of the world, mature and fully grown Garlic is harvested in the summer season but however Green Garlic is harvested in spring season, before the actual time of fully grown Garlic. The plant length of Green Garlic averages around one foot. Normally the Green Garlic is not available in the open market but however some green grocers may have stocks of Green Garlic. The fully grown form of Garlic bulb is brownish in color but however the Green Garlic is white or pale in color.

The use of Green Garlic is also extensive in many parts of the world due to the fact that many recipes require a different taste. Although the taste of Green Garlic is similar to mature Garlic but the intensity of taste or acidity in Green Garlic is less than the mature Garlic and Green Garlic leaves a sweet and different taste in the recipes. The bulb of a mature Garlic is segmented into cloves and brownish in color but the bulb of Green Garlic is not segmented into cloves rather it seems like a single bunch or a bulb. Green Garlic is fully used in recipes including the plant stalk as well as the immature bulb. Green Garlic is normally used in chicken, vegetable and corn soups as well as other salty dishes.

Although the mature Garlic cloves are used for too many health purposes but however it should be kept in mind that mature Garlic cloves can cause internal body heat reaction as well as it may increase the infection of the mouth, esophagus and stomach due to the fact that it is acidic in nature. But however the intensity of acidity and bitter taste in Green Garlic is very less as compared to mature Garlic and this is a positive aspect of Green Garlic which makes it highly demanded.

As we know that Green Garlic is not easily available in the market so this shortage can be overcome if we grow it in house. In house growth and harvest of Green Garlic is not a big task, although it requires some care. We can use Green Garlic in raw form as well as fried or boiled form. Each form has it’s own unique taste. But however, where we require a strong taste in our recipe then it would be more better to use mature Garlic cloves rather than Green Garlic.

Easy Garlic Soup Recipe