Identifying Chinese vs. Indian Garlic: Tips for smart shopping

By Nancy TiwariFirst Published Sep 30, 2024, 9:20 AM IST
Highlights

Did you know that Chinese garlic is being sold in Indian markets? This can be dangerous to health. Know the disadvantages of Chinese garlic and how to identify indigenous garlic.

Garlic is used in most homes. It is considered beneficial for health along with enhancing the taste of food. At the same time, garlic is expensive compared to common vegetables. In such a situation, what would you say if you were told that the garlic you are buying is harmful to health? Not only this, it is also not produced in India. Actually, cases of Chinese garlic being sold in Indian markets have gained momentum these days. The Allahabad High Court has expressed concern in this matter. The court has sought answers from the Central Government along with the UP Government. Let us tell you, Chinese garlic was banned in India in the year 2014, after which it is being sold in the market indiscriminately once again. So let's know how harmful Chinese garlic is for the body.

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Why is Chinese garlic harmful to the body?

By the way, garlic provides many health benefits along with contributing to the taste. It helps in destroying bacteria, fungus. Experts say that garlic has anti-cancer properties that strengthen the immune system, although Chinese garlic is fertilized. China is the largest producer of garlic in the world. The excessive use of pesticides and chemicals in Chinese garlic makes it a health hazard. It can cause digestive problems like ulcers, infections and gastric and prolonged consumption can be harmful for the kidneys. According to experts, chemicals are sprayed on Chinese garlic to store it for a long time. Due to which black spots appear in the garlic. They are bleached with chlorine to remove them. This process is really dangerous which gives rise to respiratory problems.

How different is Chinese garlic from indigenous garlic?

Experts believe that the qualities found in indigenous garlic are not found in Chinese garlic. Because most of the farmers in China use a chemical called methyl bromide to store garlic. In which the amount of pesticide is very high. It damages the kidney. Most of the people are consuming it in the name of cheap garlic. At the same time, it can be easily purchased after the ban.

How to identify Indigenous and Chinese garlic

In such a situation, the question is how to identify indigenous and foreign garlic. So you can identify it by its physical structure. Chinese garlic is smaller in size and has a bright white or pink color. Indian garlic is larger and its husk is white to pink or light brown. On the other hand, when it comes to taste and aroma, Indian garlic has a pungent and strong smell, while Chinese garlic has a mild aroma and less spice. Apart from this, Chinese garlic is easy to peel. That's why people like to buy it. At the same time, Indian garlic has small and fine buds, which are a bit difficult to peel.

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