Is Cooking with Lots of Garlic Really Safe?

At the garlic tradeshows that we attend for KoopehTM we do lots of demonstrations showing how our garlic products work.  We speak with tens of thousands of people.  I often get someone coming to me saying that their spouse has garlic seeping out of their skin.  Quite true, indeed... this, I would consider toxic.

Garlic and Skin Irritation 

We usually reek of garlic at the end of the day at the tradeshow.  If you’re not careful, your skin will peel and burn off if exposed to garlic too much.  I mean, if you are chopping hundreds of garlic bulbs a day, use gloves.  If you use The Garlic Chop and Peel, your fingers won’t touch the garlic nearly as much as a garlic press.

Garlic health benefits increase when a substance called Allicin is released after chopping the cloves giving it the pungent smell and taste.  Along with the PH Alkalinity in garlic, it is enough to burn your skin and make it peel.  Also, don’t eat too much raw garlic because it will hurt your stomach, digestive & intestinal tracts.  Raw garlic will kill your pets, don’t let them eat it!

Allicin also acts as a blood thinner, thereby helping to reduce your cholesterol levels. Don’t take doctor prescribed anti-coagulants when you are eating copious amounts of garlic.  

Preserving Garlic in Oil 

And finally, I get asked a lot: “Is preserving your garlic in oil safe?”  Yes and no.  If you do this make sure you use the garlic/oil preparation sooner than later and make sure it is refrigerated asap. The reaction of alkalinity, Allicin and oil don’t keep for long, a week or so.     

Moderation is Key 

My grandmother used to wear garlic all over her body, in her stockings, clothes, around her waist.  She swore by all the garlic health benefits that it offered.  It seemed like the older she got the more she ate and wore it.  I think this may be a little extreme.  Up to a bulb a day should be good for you to reap the benefits of garlic’s superpowers.

Exercise and be healthy!