Culinary Conundrum Series: The Case of the Green Garlic Sprout

We hope you all enjoyed last month’s culinary conundrum and maybe you even learned a little something in the process!

For those who may have missed the beginning of our series, you may ask, What are culinary conundrums Think of use by dates, to freeze or not to freeze and the infamous 5-second rule! There are many schools of thought on these hot topics So, what better way to solve these culinary conundrums than to turn to experts in the culinary and nutrition world, to hear where they take a stand  Our new series addresses one of these topics each month, making for some interesting conversations and fun food fodder!

Spring has sprung! And that got us thinking about a culinary conundrum that might be sprouting up in your own kitchen, those green shoots growing out of our garlic cloves.  Rumors abound about these little buggers they are terribly bitter, chucking the entire head of garlic is necessary if you and the green sprouts, or the clove is just really old and you should never think of using it. So, what do the experts say  Do the experts get rid of those green shoots in a garlic clove before using, toss the clove altogether, or just use the entire clove, green shoot and all The answers may surprise you or maybe not!

When we’re cooking at home, sometimes well just leave it in there unless its really gnarly looking we haven’t noticed that bitter taste that French chefs talk about. Editors at Food52

Not usually, I haven’t really noticed a difference in flavor or digestive issues. Melissa Clark, food columnist for The New York Times and cookbook author

Yes, I always cut out the green shoot. Janice Bissex, Dietitian and one of the Moms behind Meal Makeover Mom

I usually remove the green because of the way I chop garlic. I use the back side, the opposite side to the blade or the blunt side of the knife, to mash garlic and if the germ is present, it is impossible to do my little trick with garlic.  Also I dont like the bitter taste so I prefer to remove it. Joan Weir, chef, restaurateur and cookbook author

No, I do not.  I am not aware of any food safety concerns related to that sprout.  In fact, some evidence indicates that when plant foods have a small bit of sprout (such as in sprouted lentils, rice, and grains) they may have some benefits, such as an increase in nutrients and digestibility.  However, Im not talking about a fully sprouted plant, such alfalfa sprouts or mung bean sprouts.  While these are nutritious, they have been vulnerable to food borne illness. Sharon Palmer, The Plant-Powered Dietitian

Yes, it may be a myth but I get rid of it if its big.  Its a little more brous. Ana Sortun, chef, restaurateur and cookbook author

Yes, I do, because that is what I learned to do at a 5-star restaurant where I cooked. I dont have to do that very often because we go through quite a bit of fresh garlic in our house. I store it properly in a vented container in my cupboard or on my little countertop produce display. Michelle Dudash, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Chef Consultant