Garlic is an indispensable spice in many dishes. It not only enhances flavor and stimulates taste buds but also brings many health benefits.

Raw garlic has a pungent taste and strong smell, so many people prefer to cook garlic before eating to reduce the taste.

However, according to many studies, the heat processing can reduce the health benefits of garlic. The cooking time of garlic will affect its nutritional value.

Garlic contains organic compounds containing sulfur, called organosulfur. These compounds are the cause of the smell and flavor of garlic and are also good for health.

This substance has been shown to act as an anticoagulant, antiplatelet, and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Raw garlic is believed to have the ability to fight the growth of cancer cells. When cooked at high temperatures, this effect is reduced.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2001 found that microwaving garlic for 60 seconds or microwaving it for 45 minutes destroyed the anti-cancer properties of garlic.

Crushing garlic and letting it sit for 10 minutes and then microwaving it for 60 seconds was found to preserve some of the anti-cancer properties of garlic.

Cooking garlic at 200 degrees Celsius or boiling it for less than 3 minutes did not affect the anti-platelet properties of garlic, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2007.

However, cooking garlic for 6 minutes inhibited all of the anti-coagulant properties of garlic. Crushing garlic also reduced the anti-coagulant properties, but the effects were still significant.

Garlic heated for more than 10 minutes in the microwave lost its anti-coagulant properties.

Crushing garlic releases the enzyme alliinase, which creates allicin. Allicin is then broken down into organosulfur compounds.

Cooking inactivates alliinase.

Crushing garlic and letting it sit for about 10 minutes before cooking gives alliinase time to convert before high temperatures destroy its effectiveness.