Pickled garlic is more than a culinary delight. It may be the new “apple a day” that keeps the doctor away - the health benefits your body craves!

Garlic is a powerful antioxidant with microbial, antiviral and antibiotic properties. For colds and flus, it also provides a decongestant effect, source of vitamin C, and enzymes and minerals that help to boost immunity. Some experts recommend a clove or two every 3 or 4 hours to knock out the flu bug entirely.

But what about pickled garlic specifically?

Along with this benefit, eating pickled garlic does NOT give the consumer either immediate garlic breath or secondary garlic odor (sweat, lungs, etc.) hours later whereas cooking fresh or dried garlic gives both kinds of odor. The acid in vinegar neutralizes the Alliinase and slowly breaks down the rest of the cloves into odor-LESS water-soluble compounds that circulate via the bloodstream, mostly S-allyl cysteine (SAC), the active ingredient in Kyolic brand of aged garlic extract. Kyolic has shown in many studies that SAC lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar levels and inhibits platelet aggregation as well. While SAC has some anti-tumor properties, the odorous sulfides that circulate in the lymphatic system have greater anti-cancer properties. The wonderful thing is that the longer you leave the garlic in the vinegar, the more SAC is formed - for over 4 years - it just gets better with age - up to about 5 years! There's just as much SAC in the vinegar as there is in the garlic. Growing and pickling your own garlic is a great and inexpensive way to enjoy excellent flavor and get a few health benefits, too.