Garlic is a staple in most kitchens, it certainly is mine. There are very few recipes I cook that do not require me to pull off at least 3-4 cloves, cut off the ends, smash each one and mince away! Chopping garlic is very therapeutic for me and costs less than a professional counseling session! But is garlic vegan?
Yes, garlic is vegan. Classified as Allium sativum, garlic is a part of the onion variety of plants. A vegetable is any edible part of an herbaceous plant–the root, leaves, stem or bulb. Garlic, like shallots, leeks and chives, are used mainly as a spice or herb. Garlic is available whole, crushed, frozen, and in powder form.
In this article, we will discuss the health benefits of garlic, as well as the various forms of garlic. We will also highlight top garlic brands for jarred garlic, garlic powder, and garlic paste. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Health Benefits of Garlic
- Reduces cholesterol – A study from five years ago showed that garlic can possibly lower your total cholesterol by up to 30 milligrams per deciliter.
- Reduces blood pressure – Studies have shown that people with high blood pressure who take garlic supplements are lowering their blood pressure on average by 6.1 – 8.6 mm.
- Antimicrobial benefits – An old wives tale suggests that garlic can be used as an antibacterial to treat infections. More recent research is also showing it has benefits as an effective antibacterial agent for pathogenic microorganisms, like S. aureus and E. coli.
Enhances immune support – The compound in garlic, alliin, has been shown to boost how the body responds when it comes in contact with viruses, like the ones that cause the common cold or flu. - Can be used to treat respiratory infections – One study shows how a group of healthy adults who took garlic supplements experienced fewer upper respiratory infections over a 12-week period than those adults who did not take the supplement.
Different forms of garlic
Crushed/Frozen Garlic
For those cooks who would rather not peel, crush, and mince fresh garlic, there are frozen garlic cubes available. These products are picked fresh and then flash-frozen to preserve their freshness. Many of the brands have a shelf life of up to two years, without using preservatives!
Good & Gather Frozen Crushed Garlic Cubes
Good & Gather garlic cubes are vegan, gluten-free, and Non-GMO certified. With no artificial flavors or preservatives, it will take the work out of your recipe prep. One cube is equal to one clove of garlic.
Ingredients:
- Garlic
- Water
- Sunflower Oil
- Sea Salt
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat 0g
- Saturated Fat 0g
- Trans Fat 0g
- Sodium 45mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Sugars 0g
- Added Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
Pop & Cook Crushed Garlic Cubes
Manufactured for the Wal-Mart Corporation, this brand of frozen garlic is one of the most affordable. The Pop & Cook company, based in Israel, picks their garlic, immediately crushes and chops it, then packages it to maintain its taste and freshness. Vegan-friendly, and gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Crushed garlic (garlic, water)
- Canola Oil
- Sea Salt
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 25mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Protein 0g
Dorot, Crushed Garlic
Also manufactured in Israel, the Dorot brand of frozen, crushed garlic is the brand most purchased in the U.S. They grow their own garlic, and at the peak of its freshness, pick from the fields, flash freeze and package it within 90 minutes. That’s efficient!
Ingredients:
- Garlic
- Water
- Canola Oil
- Sea Salt
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat 0.5g
- Sodium 45mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Protein 0g
Garlic paste
Garlic paste is basically just pureed garlic cloves mixed in with a bit of oil that you keep refrigerated until ready to use. Sometimes it can be mixed with chemical compounds, so it is important to read food labels to see exactly what you are getting with your ingredients.
Laxmi Traditional Indian Garlic Cooking Paste
Use 1 teaspoon of the Laxmi garlic paste to equal 1 clove of garlic as a convenient way to add garlic to your recipes. It’s made from fresh, pure garlic. The additives of sodium benzoate and phosphoric acid are for preserving the garlic.
Ingredients:
- Garlic
- Water
- Sodium Benzoate
- Phosphoric Acid
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 5mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Sugar 11g
- Protein 0g
Amore Garlic Paste
Made in Italy, the Amore brand of garlic paste boasts a mellow combination of fresh garlic, sunflower and olive oils and salt. Versatile and easy to use, it can be added to your dishes for an intense garlic flavor.
Ingredients:
- Garlic
- Sunflower oil
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Citrus fiber
- Citric acid
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 5mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Sugar 11g
- Protein 0g
Garlic Powder
Probably the most widely used of all garlic forms, after raw cloves, is garlic powder. Made from the cloves, dehydrated and then ground into a powder form, it has a garlicky flavor, but it is sweeter and less assertive than potent, raw garlic. Garlic powder is used less as a substitute for raw garlic, and more within dry rubs or spice blends.
Trader Joe’s California Garlic Powder
Just ½ teaspoon equals one average size garlic clove. Grown in the Central and Northern regions of California, the Trader Joe’s brand of garlic powder has been rated the best by many cooks.
Ingredients:
- Garlic powder
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 0
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 0mg
- Total Carbohydrate 0g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 0g
Simply Organic Garlic Powder
The Simply Organic brand of garlic powder is my go-to favorite. I appreciate that 1% of the sales go towards supporting organic farming, and the parent company who manufactures it, Frontier Co-Op, partners with farmers around the world to sustainably grow and harvest organically. It also tastes amazing!
Ingredients:
- Organic garlic
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 0
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 0mg
- Total Carbohydrate 0g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 0g
Watkins Gourmet Spice, Organic Garlic Powder
Certified organic, gluten-free, vegan and kosher, this brand of garlic powder is manufactured by a company which also has made a climate-friendly pledge in the production of its products. The Watkins Company has been making quality herbs and spices for over 100 years, and their products are quality.
Ingredients:
- Organic garlic
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 0
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 0mg
- Total Carbohydrate 0g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 0g
Minced Garlic in a Jar
Garlic that has been minced for selling in a jar is probably the most widely used, but also the most reviled among the forms you can get in garlic products. I love Anthony Bourdein’s quote about it: “Avoid at all costs that vile spew you see rotting in oil in screw-top jars. Too lazy to peel fresh? You don’t deserve to eat garlic.” A 2008 study shows that when chopped garlic is stored in water or oil, the allicin of the garlic decreases so much that it reduces its antibacterial qualities and its health benefits.
Polaner Chopped Premium White Garlic
The phosphoric acid added to this chopped garlic is used to help stabilize and preserve the garlic while it sits on store shelves. Phosphoric acid is a chemically produced inorganic acid made when you react it with ground phosphate rock with sulfuric acid. It is a synthetically made product, generally considered vegan.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Garlic
- Phosphoric acid
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 0
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 0mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 0g
Christopher Ranch Crushed Garlic
This award-winning brand of crushed heirloom garlic is the only grower of heirloom garlic in the U. S. With a higher quantity of solids in the plant juice of the garlic they grow, this equals out to a more flavorful bulb of garlic. Their heirloom garlic also provides 24% more allicin than traditional Chinese garlic, making for a more flavor-filled bite and mouth-watering aroma.
Ingredients:
- Garlic
- Citric acid
- Soybean oil
- Olive Oil
Nutrition information:
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat 0g
- Sodium 0mg
- Total Carbohydrate 1g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 0g
To sum it up
Garlic, that most versatile, aromatic, wonder spice of the kitchen, is indeed a staple vegans can enjoy, in large amounts, in their cooking. It will not only add delicious notes of the earth and nuttiness to your dishes, but with health benefits galore, you will be eating a most beneficial part of what the land produces. Be sure to try and use it in its most raw state, versus processed products, for full flavor and health advantages.
Related Questions
Is garlic bad for your stomach?
More commonly used for conditions of the heart and blood system, garlic can cause you heartburn, nausea, and vomiting if you eat it raw on an empty stomach. Some studies from Harvard Medical School have found that there are certain compounds in garlic which can cause gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Is garlic a blood thinner?
There are some studies which have shown that garlic, like aspirin, can reduce the tendency blood platelets have to gather together and form thrombi. It has been used for thousands of years to help the health of the heart and circulatory system. There is new evidence that shows daily garlic supplements may even help keep heart attacks at bay.