Expert opinion: Caterina Palocci, nutritionist
During the last Wellness Food Festival on September 29 and 30, nutritional biologist and co-founder of AINC – Italian Association of Nutritionists in the Kitchen, Caterina Palocci, gave an interesting in-depth look at the properties of black garlic. Here is an excerpt:
Q: Black garlic is, indeed, black. Why this color?
A: The color of the product should not be off-putting because it is due to a reaction, the Maillard reaction (also known as a non-enzymatic browning reaction), the products of which we know very well: the color and smell of freshly baked bread are an example. In the case of garlic, the color is darker because the product is kept under controlled temperature and humidity conditions for a period of 60 days.
Q: Fermented or aged product? Which is the most correct terminology?
A: To date, studies speak of fermentation, although the microorganism responsible for this process has not yet been discovered. Therefore, for now, we limit ourselves to speaking of the aging of garlic.
Q: Are there nutritional differences compared to white garlic?
A: White garlic has several proven positive health effects: it is hypotensive, antibacterial, anthelmintic, antioxidant, and anti-thrombotic. The problem is that due to its very strong taste and smell, it is difficult to consume raw, as is necessary to reap its benefits. The aging process modifies the compound called “allicin,” which is responsible for the pungent flavor and is no longer found as such in the final product, and increases the amount of simple sugars. The result is garlic with a more pleasant flavor, even when raw, and which is more digestible. Furthermore, the bioactive ingredients are multiplied in black garlic: the concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids is respectively approx. 4 and 13 times higher than in Voghiera white garlic PDO; this corresponds to an antioxidant power 17 times greater (data from the SVEB laboratories of the University of Ferrara). Antioxidant power, meaning an inhibitor of oxidative damage related to cell aging and various diseases, primarily cardiovascular ones.
Q: Black garlic is increasingly being talked about as a superfood. What are the benefits of black garlic?
A: The latest studies on humans and on human cells in vitro have shown that black garlic has several positive biological activities. In addition to the already mentioned antioxidant action, the product has been shown to have
• Antitumor activity: it increases the toxicity of tumor cells (for lung, breast, stomach, and liver carcinomas), stops their cell cycle, and initiates their destruction (colon cancer cells and leukemia cells);
• Anti-inflammatory activity: it reduces the formation and proliferation of inflammatory molecules;
• Effects on lipid levels: it increases HDL levels, i.e., good cholesterol.
Q: Black garlic can be an everyday food. How can we balance it in the daily menu?
A: Considering that its nutrient amounts are low – for 100 g of product we have 243 kcal, 0 g of fat, 45 g of carbohydrates (of which 19 g are sugars), 14 g of protein, 2.1 g of fiber, and a minimum salt intake, only 0.01 g – its use in culinary recipes does not change the balance of the dish: for two cloves, we are talking about approx. 20 kcal. We can therefore use it without worry!
