When green garlic first appears at the farmers market, you know that Spring has sprung. Picked before the bulb is fully mature, green garlic resembles a large scallion, with a small white base and a dark green stalk. The green garlic season is short (only a few weeks), so make sure you pick a bunch up when you see it, to enjoy the mild, slightly sweet baby garlic stalks.
Green garlic is still technically garlic and contains all the amazing health benefits found in a mature bulb. Garlic is notable for its immune-boosting qualities: allicin, the sulfur compound found in garlic, responsible for its pungent smell and taste, is a natural antibiotic and can help the body block infections. If you suffer from anemia or low iron levels, garlic also helps to keep iron levels high. Most people know that vitamin C helps increase iron metabolism, but garlic contains the protein ferroportin that carries stored iron from inside a cell to outside of the cell, assisting the body as needed.
Find out even more health benefits and how to cook with green garlic after the break!
