Crush the garlic cloves and set them aside for 10 minutes before cooking. This help preserve its healthy compounds during cooking.

A study found that even a few minutes of cooking can reduce the levels of chemical compounds associated with garlic's beneficial health effects. Crushing garlic releases an enzyme, alliinase, that catalyzes the formation of allicin, which then breaks down to form a variety of healthful organosulfur compounds. The researchers believe that crushing garlic before cooking may allow alliinase to work before cooking inactivates the enzyme.