How To Make Garlic Oil At Home: Recipe And Uses

Making garlic oil at home allows us to have a versatile product on hand, ideal for seasoning dishes and improving health. This preparation, although it is not as popular as other oils, concentrates nutrients and properties that can contribute to our well-being. Still not try it?

What is garlic oil?

Garlic oil is a natural product that we can make at home from garlic bulbs and healthy oils such as olive. Due to its particular flavor, it is a product that we can later use to flavor meats, salads, stews and many other recipes.

Likewise, due to its nutritional quality and properties, we can also use it as a complementary remedy to improve our health. Although it does not have “miraculous” or similar effects, its moderate consumption can contribute to the prevention and treatment of some diseases. 

Nutritional properties of garlic

As a food, garlic is valued for its interesting nutritional quality. According to information from the food database published by the United States Department of Agriculture, garlic contains:

• Fiber
• Selenium
• Vitamin C
• Manganese
• Vitamin B6
• In less quantity: calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1

On the other hand, as an article published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine shows , garlic has other healthy compounds, such as allicin, which has immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

How to make garlic oil?

As we had anticipated, to make garlic oil we only need fresh garlic bulbs and olive oil, preferably extra virgin. In addition, for best results, we also suggest using a little freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 6 full heads of garlic
• 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil (500 ml)

• ½ glass of lemon juice (100 ml)

Preparation

• First, we must wash the garlic well with plenty of warm water. Let stand for 20 minutes, without stirring.
• After this period, proceed to remove  the skin of each bulb, until everything is uncovered. Once this is done, place them on a small tray and in the oven at 180ºC.
• Then cook the garlic for 15 minutes and then let it cool a bit.
• Pour the contents of the cup of lemon juice into a container and then the garlic. The lemon will help you to neutralize the strong smell of these a little.
• Then, also pour the extra virgin olive oil into the container and mix with the garlic.
• Put everything back in the oven, at the same temperature, for 5 minutes.
• Finally, remove, let it cool, strain and put the garlic back into the glass container.

Garlic oil uses

The product that we obtain by combining garlic with olive oil can be used to season recipes. However, beyond this, we can take advantage of it as an ally to promote health. Of course, it is not a first-line treatment for disease and it is not a curative product.

Simply included as part of the regular diet, it is beneficial. For example, a review published in Nutrition Research Reviews suggests that garlic powder, aged garlic, and garlic oil have antiplatelet and blood-thinning effects. Therefore, they could contribute to better blood circulation and good cardiovascular health.

Meanwhile, research in the medical journal Advances in Therapy indicates that garlic supplements can reduce the number of colds by 63% compared to a placebo. This, apparently, thanks to its ability to stimulate the immune system.

It is also a good ally to minimize the impact of free radicals in the body. The scientific journal Journal of Nutrition suggests that its antioxidants protect the body against oxidative damage, which lowers the risk of premature aging and disease.

We find that making garlic oil goes beyond its uses in gastronomy. Its moderate consumption, for example a daily teaspoon, contributes to promoting health. In any case, it is not a treatment for diseases, but an adjunct to maintain well-being.