July 20, 2017 · Written by Foodtolive Team
Garlic Powder Vs. Fresh Garlic: How Do They Compare
It’s hard to determine the winners in the contest of garlic powder vs. fresh garlic cloves. Each type has its benefits and limitations. However, if you prefer to cook quickly and effortlessly, organic garlic powder is the best choice for you.
Organic Garlic Powder Vs. Fresh Garlic: Nutritional Value
Like all dried and processed (in this case powdered) foods, organic garlic powder is less nutritious than fresh cloves. This isn’t a bad thing altogether as it has fewer calories in it.
An ounce of fresh garlic (about 6 cloves) contains 27 calories. It gives you a fairly notable amount of protein (1g) and essential minerals: calcium (3.3% RDA), iron (1.7% RDA), and selenium (3.7% RDA). RDA stands for Recommended Daily Amount calculated for a well-balanced 2,000-calorie diet. One of the main health benefits of fresh garlic is its high content of vitamin C (15% RDA).
When comparing garlic powder vs. fresh cloves, the loss of both calories and nutrients is significant. The standard amount of powder used in recipes is ¾ teaspoon. From this dose, you get 8 calories and 0.4g proteins. Nutrient-wise, powder contains 0.2% RDA of calcium, 0.9% RDA of selenium, and 0.7% of iron.
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The biggest loss is vitamin C as powder only has about 1% RDA. This element is very unstable and heating and powdering destroy it. All dried foods have the same issue as their content of vitamin C is always much lower.
This comparison looks highly unfavorable at first glance. Does this mean that garlic powder vs. fresh garlic is a total loss for the dry product?
No, it definitely doesn’t, because the convenience of use makes up for the lower nutritional value.
How to Cook with Garlic Powder Vs. Fresh Garlic
There are so many spicy foods benefits that you definitely should eat them regularly. However, no matter which types of spices you choose to diversify your diet, you won’t use a large amount of them. Even if you love your food to be very ‘hot’, the actual amount of spice in it will be small. Putting too much spice will not only ruin the taste but also might cause burns to the insides of your mouth and digestive tract.
This means that when comparing garlic powder vs. fresh, you aren’t considering an amount that makes any significance for your nutrient intake. You don’t actually count the few calories or extra minerals/vitamins into your daily plan. Moreover, you must understand that cooking will reduce the value of the fresh product. So, unless you eat those 6 cloves raw, you won’t get the nutrients they contain.
The main benefit of using powder is that it’s much more simple. Raw garlic must be minced or crushed and browned for cooking. This takes time and keeping it a minute too long on the hot pan can ruin the taste. Powder, on the other hand, always tastes the same.
Note that there is some difference in garlic powder vs. fresh flavor when mixing it with acidic ingredients (think tomatoes). To fix that you just need to let the powder reconstitute in a bit of water for 2-5 minutes before adding it. With this little trick, using organic garlic powder will be just as good (if not better) as fresh cloves.
