Raw garlic may prevent blood clots and keep blood pressure down, but most recipes call for cooked garlic. Scientists in the US and Argentina decided to look into the benefits of both. They heated the bulb several ways and found that when baked or boiled for up to three minutes, it's just as healthy as raw. Crushed garlic is even better: it retains some benefits when cooked for up to six minutes (crushing seems to release more of the healthy thiosulfinates). Microwaved arlic, however, was dud: nuking for even a few minutes neutralised garlic's antilotting effects. Study author Philipp Simon suspects that lightly sauteed garlic also keep its heart-healthy, but he hasn't tested this method.
The next time you are making a garlicky dish, such as spagetti sauce, add the garlic near the end of cooking and crush it for more taste and benefit. A post- dinner mint is, of course, optional.
Source: Reader's Digest
