Are Garlic Scapes and Garlic Sprouts the Same Thing? A Full Analysis of Their Benefits and Dietary Precautions

Garlic scapes, also known as garlic bolts, are called garlic sprouts in some parts of southern China. They are the flower stems drawn from garlic, and one of the vegetables people love to eat. But many friends always confuse the difference between garlic scapes and garlic sprouts, and often ask farmers are garlic scapes and garlic sprouts the same thing? Actually, they are both parts of garlic, so do you know the benefits and effects of garlic scapes? What should garlic scapes not be eaten with? Let us learn about it together.

I. Are garlic scapes and garlic sprouts the same thing?

Garlic scapes and garlic sprouts are both parts of garlic. Many people are very curious about the difference between garlic scapes and garlic sprouts. Although they are born from the same root, they are not the same ingredient. So what are their differences?

Garlic scapes are not garlic sprouts——garlic sprouts, also called garlic bolts or green garlic, are the young seedlings of garlic that have developed to a certain stage. They have the pungent, spicy taste of garlic and are eaten for their tender garlic leaves and leaf sheaths. Garlic scapes are the slender stems that grow from the central part of the garlic when it grows to a certain stage.

1. Garlic scapes are the flower stems drawn from bolting garlic, and one of the vegetables people love to eat. Garlic scapes are widely distributed in China and are grown in both the north and the south. They are currently one of the vegetable varieties with the largest storage volume and the longest storage period in China's vegetable cold-storage industry. Garlic scapes are a very good functional health vegetable with multiple nutritional benefits.

2. Garlic sprouts, also called garlic bolts or green garlic, are the young seedlings of garlic that have developed to a certain stage. They have the pungent, spicy taste of garlic and are eaten for their tender garlic leaves and leaf sheaths. Garlic sprouts are rich in vitamin C as well as nutrients such as protein, carotene, thiamine and riboflavin. Their spicy taste mainly comes from the allicin they contain, and this allicin has the effect of helping to digest food. In addition, eating garlic sprouts can also effectively prevent influenza, enteritis and other diseases caused by environmental pollution. Garlic sprouts have a certain protective effect on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, can prevent the formation of blood clots, and can also protect the liver.

From the introduction above, it can be seen that garlic sprouts are the seedlings of garlic, while garlic scapes are the flower stems drawn from garlic after it grows to a certain stage, round and long. This is the biggest difference between the two.

II. The benefits and effects of garlic scapes

1. Relieving constipation

Garlic scapes are very rich in dietary fiber. In the intestines, dietary fiber can absorb water to increase stool volume, enhance gastrointestinal motility, stimulate the large intestine to defecate, play a role in preventing and assisting the treatment of constipation and hemorrhoids, and help the body relieve constipation.

2. Lowering blood lipids

Garlic scapes are very rich in vitamin C, and vitamin C has a clear effect on lowering blood lipids and preventing coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis, and can prevent the formation of blood clots. So garlic scapes have this effect too.

3. Cancer prevention

Garlic scapes can protect the liver in our body, enhance the activity of deaminases in liver cells, and can block the synthesis of the carcinogen nitrosamine, thereby playing a role in preventing cancer.

4. Sterilization

Garlic scapes contain allicin, which has a good killing effect on pathogenic bacteria and parasites, and can help prevent influenza, prevent wound infection and expel worms. Garlic scapes also contain allicin, which can inhibit Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Bacillus dysenteriae and others, and has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on pneumonia, dysentery and other diseases caused by sensitive bacteria.

III. What should garlic scapes not be eaten with?

Garlic scapes + chives: eating these two vegetables together will affect gastrointestinal digestion and make the body feel uncomfortable.

Garlic scapes + rehmannia: eaten separately, both vegetables are very rich in nutritional value, but if eaten together, they will instead reduce the nutrition of both foods and are not conducive to absorption by the human body.

Garlic scapes + scallions: eating these two vegetables together will reduce the original sterilization effect of the vegetables.

Garlic scapes + Polygonum multiflorum: eaten separately, both vegetables are very rich in nutritional value, but if eaten together, they will instead reduce the nutrition of both foods and are not conducive to absorption by the human body.