Garlic powder is the ground form of dehydrated garlic and it has a number of benefits over fresh garlic. This powder is quite easy to make, and you will find it as a seasoning in various dishes like soups, stews, pizzas, salad dressings, and in sauces like barbecue sauce.
Garlic powder can be a more subtle way of imbuing an entire dish with the flavor of garlic, rather than simply adding chopped or minced cloves. The versatility and delicious flavor of this powder make it a favorite spice around the world.
What’s more? When you dehydrate garlic, you extend its shelf life exponentially, so it can be stored for months or even years without losing its potency. It also delivers many of the best benefits of garlic in terms of health. Using this spice regularly can give your cooking and your overall wellness a boost.
Garlic powder contains vitamin C vitamin B6, iron, calcium, protein, magnesium, sodium, and carbohydrates in the form of dietary fiber and sugar. While the concentration of these nutrients is less than that in fresh garlic cloves, there are still a number of antioxidants and organic compounds like allicin that can benefit your health. [3]
The most important health benefits of garlic powder include its ability to regulate high blood pressure, lower overall cholesterol levels, improve the immune system, reduce the risk of certain cancers, and aid in digestion, among others.
A meta-analysis by Ried K et al., 2008, published in the BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, states that garlic products have more positive properties than placebos in reducing blood pressure in people with hypertension
Regular consumption of garlic powder can lower your LDL or bad cholesterol levels and increase the HDL or good cholesterol levels. It also reduces plaque buildup in the arteries and blood vessels and helps lower blood pressure, thus lowering your risk of cardiovascular diseases
There are common side effects of consuming too much of this powder, which include: [16]