How does removing the germ of garlic help with breath/digestion?

How does removing the germ of garlic help with breath/digestion? - Woman in a White Shirt Taking Off Her Headset

I have recently heard from a friend who is a chef, that removing the germ in a garlic clove helps with reducing the garlic breath and also avoids digestive problems some people have when eating garlic. This was also mentioned here (e.g. https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/30853)

He could not remember where he read it, but he said it has something to do with an enzyme that is only contained in the germ, hence you should remove it.

Is this true and does anybody have some evidence or further reading on this matter?



Best Answer

According to this blog it makes a difference when the garlic isn't cooked (but less so if it is cooked) http://www.davidlebovitz.com/should-you-remove-the-green-germ-from-garlic/




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Why do you remove the germ from garlic?

Those green sprouts you might find in garlic cloves indicate that the garlic is old. Whether the garlic has formed this green sprout or not, the flavor of the germ is strong and imparts a bitter taste to food\u2014 remove it before using.

Should you remove the core from garlic?

The not-so-simple, simple conclusion: If you don't like the taste of the green germ, remove it. If you don't mind it, leave it in. And if you're using garlic in braises, soups, stews, or even roasting it whole, the germ probably won't make much of a difference anyway.

Does the garlic germ cause bad breath?

He demonstrates cutting the garlic clove in half, before using a knife to peel the "germ" out - a small sprout in the centre of the garlic. The germ, according to Roice, is what causes indigestion and bad breath.

How does garlic help in digestion?

Dr. Simran Saini, Delhi-based nutritionist and weight loss consultant says, "The high sulphur content in garlic gives it antibiotic properties, helping keep the digestive system clean by flushing out toxins. It also builds the immunity against common cold and prevents heart ailments by clearing up blocked arteries.



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Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Mikhail Nilov, Katerina Holmes, Klaus Nielsen, Monstera