Garlic is one of the ingredients that is used every day in the kitchen. There is no recipe that we cannot add garlic to, garlic can never be too much in a portion of food. There are different kinds of spices that can be added to our meals to give them special tastes and aromas. You can mix garlic with various ingredients to make your cuisines interesting. Garlic powder and garlic salt are the most popular variety of garlic that we have.
You might be wondering how to differentiate between garlic powder and garlic salt. Their difference is quite simple, when you mix garlic powder with salt, the outcome will be garlic salt. This may sound very simple, but the whole concept as well as the application of the ingredient is changed when the salt is added.
Health Benefits: A Quick Overview of Garlic
When you consider health benefits, freshness, and aroma, fresh and raw garlic is always on a different level. However, if you want to consider ease and convenience, you cannot compare fresh garlic to the powdered form. Powdered garlic is very useful in situations when you are too tired to do your cooking but you still have to. All you need to do is to sprinkle your garlic powder on the food rather than cutting small pieces of garlic.
For several years, people have been using garlic for medicine before it was even used for food. Garlic works as a cure for a lot of sicknesses including cold and cancer. We will check out the several health benefits associated with taking garlic regularly although most of these benefits are yet to be scientifically proven.
However, you will have to believe that garlic works for a lot of sicknesses despite not yet scientifically proven because people have been using it as a remedy to sicknesses for over 7000 years. Check below for some important benefits garlic serves to the health of man:
Cancer Prevention & Potential Treatment
It has been suggested by science that taking garlic daily helps to decrease the chances of developing any type of cancer. Garlic could potentially help to prevent lung cancer. Some other important compounds found in garlic also help to destruct the activities of brain cancer cells. There will, however, be several types of research needed before it can be concluded that garlic will work as a treatment for brain cancer.
Powerful Antibiotic
Several years ago, people have been using garlic in ancient times as medicine to treat practically any type of infection. It has antibacterial properties that are more sufficient and effective than several other powerful antibiotics.
Cholesterol & Heart Diseases
Your cholesterol levels will decrease by taking garlic daily. It also helps to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure. Thanks to the antioxidant properties, garlic helps to solve these problems.
Common Cold
This depends on your dwelling place, you might have taken garlic to cure a lot of illness when you were a child. Garlic works with other natural supplements to treat small sicknesses and science has now gotten proves for them. When you take garlic daily, it will reduce the rate at which you catch a common cold.
Garlic Salt vs Garlic Powder: The Differences
We will check out a chart differentiating the components of nutrition associated with garlic salt and garlic powder. The major difference between garlic salt and garlic powder is the ingredients used to prepare garlic salt.
Pulverized dried garlic is used to make garlic powder. You have to ensure to check out the list of ingredients in the package whenever you purchase this. Garlic powder bought at very low cost is usually not pure and mixed with some additives. You are also likely to see garlic salt as a mixture of an anti-caking agent, salt, and garlic powder (dried garlic).
The anti-caking agent prevents the other two ingredients from becoming stuck together. The usual ratio between salt and garlic powder is three to one. Check below for the charts that show the values of nutrients in each of the ingredients.
| Per One tsp | Garlic Salt | Garlic Powder | ||
| Calories | 4.8 | 10 | ||
| Mg/Grams | Percent Daily Value | Mg/Grams | Percent Daily Value | |
| Sodium | 1588mg | 1.9mg | ||
| Potassium | 18.4mg | 37mg | ||
| Total Carbohydrates | 1.1g | 2.3g | ||
| Dietary Fiber | 0.1g | 0.3g | ||
| Sugars | 0g | 0.1g | ||
| Protein | 0.2g | 0.5g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0mg | ||
| Fat | 0g | 0g | 0% | |
| Vitamin A | 0 percent | 0 percent | ||
| Vitamin C | 0 percent | 0.1 percent | ||
| Calcium | 0.2 percent | 0.2 percent | ||
| Iron | 0.6 percent | 1 percent |
You are unlikely to notice a huge difference between the two apart from the extra content of sodium from the salt. It is also good to note that the calorie content of garlic powder is low and it can be taken freely by those who have regimented diets and food.
You are likely to be concerned about which of the two is healthier. Salt is the major difference between them and salt has a relation with several health diseases and issues. Garlic has the potential to decrease the likelihood of being exposed to heart diseases but salt works oppositely. Stick with garlic powder if you are not supposed to consume too much salt.
Substituting Garlic Powder for Garlic Salt
There are times you are not supposed to consume salt, your best bet is to use garlic powder to replace it. If you want a more distinct garlic taste, you could simultaneously substitute them for each other. There are up to ¼ garlic in garlic salt, trying to have a better taste of garlic with garlic salt will only lead you to have too much salt in your dish.
You will be able to control your seasoning when you use salt and garlic powder individually. Since salt is an everyday part of our meal, you could add it to garlic powder in some other forms. Garlic powder can be used as a substitute for garlic salt whenever you want control over the seasoning or there is a need for a more distinct garlic flavor. Garlic salt can only be used suitably as a replacement when you only add little to the mixture because salt takes the major part of garlic salt with a ratio of 3:1
How To Make Your Own Garlic Salt And Garlic Powder
Let us check out the two primary recipe ideas you can use to make both garlic salt and garlic powder.
Homemade Garlic Powder
It is easy to make your garlic powder, then the salt once you have the ingredients available. Check the steps below:
Step 1: Begin by removing the cloves of the garlic and then cut the garlic into some smaller portions.
Step 2: It is either you use an oven or food dehydrator for this particular step. Set the dehydrator or oven to a temperature of 150°F before you put the pieces of garlic inside. Allow them to remain inside to dry well as needed.
Step 3: Hold on until the garlic pieces look completely dry of you feel so. Use your finger to squeeze one, if it is done effortlessly, then the garlic has been dried completely, if not, place them back.
Step 4: Once the garlic pieces become cool, begin grinding them until they have reached the desired powder. You should use either a spice or coffee grinder for this or use a mortar and a pestle though you will spend more effort and time.
Step 5: Ensure an air-tight jar or a similar free container placing the powdered sealed. Ensure that the container or jar is placed in a cool and dry location away from direct sunlight after sealing.
Step 6: Allow the garlic powder to become perfect by leaving it inside the jar or container for at least one week. Ensure you diligently shake it daily during those days. To prevent mold from developing in the nearest future, this is a necessary step. When you shake it, any leftover moisture will be apportioned within the powder evenly.
Additional Tips: Garlic can be found available around the year, but the best can be gathered in the autumn because the period from November to April is the perfect time to plant garlic.
Homemade Garlic Salt
Step 1: Begin by mixing the two ingredients. What you need is one portion of garlic powder and three portions of salt. Any kind of salt can be used but sea or fine kosher salt is recommended.
Step 2: Place your mixture inside an air-tight jar and store it in a cool and dry location. You should put the label garlic salt on it to avoid troubles later which you could confuse it with perhaps garlic powder.
Related Questions
Does garlic powder have the same properties as fresh garlic?
Usually, dried foods lose some nutritional values in comparison to the fresh state. This is the same when you consider garlic powder and fresh garlic. Garlic powder has a lower calorie content than fresh garlic but the vitamins are less rich.
Is garlic salt better than regular salt?
Garlic salt usually has some additional benefits than the normal table salt. You will reduce your intake of sodium when you use garlic salt to replace table salt and it will also add additional flavor to the dishes.
Why should I make my garlic salt or garlic powder?
It is all about what you prefer, you may love to prepare your own. You are also likely to save yourself some money in the long-term when you make you garlic salt and garlic powder yourself.
