What is Black Garlic?
Black garlic has long been used for health benefits in Korea and Japan.
Produced using a patented, high heat fermentation process, aged black garlic is an all natural product with no additives,
preservatives or any other ingredients. The month long aging process not only changes the color of the garlic, but also the taste and the texture.
The flavor and aroma of garlic as we expect it is diminished but in its place is a rich, almost demi-glaze like flavor that finishes with the sweetness of figs and the subtle undertones of garlic
It is unrelated to a genetically unique six-clove garlic also called black garlic and used in countries such as Korea & China, Aged black garlic is a type of fermented garlic (Allium sativum) or also called Allium nigrum due to its ornamental plant .
Aged black garlic is also a good source of s-allylcysteine, a natural chemical that’s believed to have health benefits. S-allylcysteine has been studied for its cancer
preventive properties as well as its ability to lower cholesterol. The fermentation process also produces a high level of antioxidants which gives black garlic even more potent health benefits. Most sources say that the antioxidant content of aged garlic is up to twice that found in conventional garlic.
Garlic itself has proven over time to be very good for our health. Unfortunately it is not good for our breath. In comes black garlic– the wonderful transformed product of a well known health supplement. The pungent smell and strong taste is virtually gone but the benefits remain. Black garlic contains certain sugars and amino acids. When fermented, these compounds produce melanoidin, a dark colored substance that gives black garlic its distinct color.
Though not as well known as its white counterpart, black garlic is enjoying a rise in popularity in gastronomic circles and the alternative medicine field. Introduced to the health and food markets about 5 years ago by the Koreans, garlic becomes “black garlic” through a month-long process of fermentation under strictly controlled heat and humidity. The health benefits of black garlic are being touted by natural medicine practitioners and herbalists.
CANCER PROTECTION AND CHOLESTEROL BENEFITS
The month-long fermentation process in creating black garlic contributes to creating a kind of super-garlic. The compound S-allylcysteine, a natural component of fresh garlic and a derivative of the amino acid cysteine, was found in much greater concentrations in black garlic, and is thought to help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of cancer, reports HealthMad.com
Infection Protection
White garlic contains anti-microbial, antibiotic and anti-fungal agents in its active ingredient, allicin. In black garlic, S-allylcysteine assists with the absorption of allicin, helping it metabolize more easily which could offer boosted protection against infections.
Disease Protection
Garlic is also high in antioxidants. Black garlic has been found to have twice the antioxidant properties of conventional garlic. Antioxidants protect the cells from disease and are thought to slow down the aging process, according to OrganicAuthority.com. Because black garlic is so potent, the heightened levels of antioxidants offering protection from free radical damage make it an ideal food for thwarting chronic disease. Free radicals damage cells leading to heart disease, Alzheimer’s, circulatory problems, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic diseases.
The beneficial effects of aged black garlic extract on
obesity and hyperlipidemia:
check this article: http://www.academicjournals.org/jmpr/PDF/pdf2011/18July/Kim%20et%20al.pdf
Other Characteristics
The fermentation that produces black garlic reduces the pungent odor and strong flavor, making it more palatable and appealing to some people. The taste of black garlic has been compared to that of a dried fruit, smoky, sweet and slightly chewy, according to the Antioxidants-guide.com. Conventional garlic, even in freeze-dried capsules, emits a strong garlic odor that permeates the skin, causing objectionable body and breath odor in people using garlic as a health supplement, explains CandidaAlbicansCure.com. Black garlic has none of the strong odor of white garlic and can be consumed in large quantities without the olfactory effects.
References/Clinical studies
The Antioxidants-guide.com: Black Garlic Benefit..Double The Antioxidants and No Smell!
HealthMad.com: Health Benefits of Aged Garlic http://www.livestrong.com/article/74835-health-benefits-black-garlic/#ixzz1j5Ehw5hp http://www.livestrong.com/article/74835-health-benefits-black-garlic/#ixzz1j5EHwWri candidaalbicanscure.com: Garlic
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2788179/ http://www.academicjournals.org/jmpr/PDF/pdf2011/18July/Kim%20et%20al.pdf http://www.researchgate.net/publication/45152560_Chloroform_extract_of_aged_black_garlic_attenu ates_TNF-alpha-induced_ROS_generation_VCAM-1_expression_NF- kappaB_activation_and_adhesiveness_for_monocytes_in_human_umbilical_vein_endothelial_cell
*Melanoidins are brown, high molecular weight heterogeneous polymers that are formed when sugars and amino acids combine (through the Maillard reaction) at high temperatures and low water activity. Melanoidins are commonly present in foods that have undergone some form of non-enzymatic browning, such as barley malts (Vienna and Munich), bread crust, bakery products and coffee. They are also present in the wastewater of sugar refineries, necessitating treatment in order to avoid contamination around the outflow of these refineries