Garlic Vs Garlic Salt [Know the Difference]

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Garlic salt and garlic powder are popular for seasoning all types of foods. In the garlic vs. garlic salt debate, what are the main differences between these two? Are they prepared and used the same way? Do they taste the same?

Garlic powder and garlic salt are so versatile in their applicability that they are sometimes used interchangeably. That’s because most people do not know which garlic flavoring to use in different circumstances.

This article aims to address all misconceptions you might have about these two. Please keep reading to learn how to make and use each at home while considering their health risks and benefits.

Garlic Powder Vs. Garlic Salt: Differences and Similarities

Garlic exists in different forms, including garlic powder and garlic salt. Even though both are based on garlic, they are not the same. While garlic powder consists of dried, grounded garlic, garlic salt is granulated garlic. Therefore, the two have major differences, as discussed further in this article, in terms of the following aspects:

Making techniques
Components
Nutritional value
Health benefits,
Versatility
And control levels

What Is Garlic Powder?

Garlic powder is a spice prepared by dehydrating and grinding fresh garlic. It is commonly available in grocery stores under different brand names. It is great due to its ability to enhance the flavor of any cuisine. It is also cheap and versatile.

Making powdered garlic involves processing garlic cloves in a food dehydrator or oven until they are completely dry. The dehydrated garlic cloves are then ground in a machine or appropriate kitchenware.

It is easy to differentiate granulated garlic from garlic powder simply because they look. However, the textual differences between the two often result in very distinct flavors.

While it is more convenient to buy garlic powder from the grocery store, it is much cheaper to prepare it at home. Alternatively, you may use fresh garlic or other option like garlic salt.

What Are the Effects of Garlic Powder on Health?

Garlic powder has several health benefits, just like fresh garlic. However, excessive consumption of garlic powder may result in several side effects. Here is an overview of the effects of garlic powder on human health:

Advantages (Health Benefits) of Garlic Powder

Nutrient-Packed: Garlic powder contains vitamin B6, vitamin C, protein, iron, magnesium, etc.
Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Consuming garlic at least once a week can lower the risk of stomach cancer.
Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease: Garlic powder promotes heart health by reducing blood cholesterol levels and regulating blood pressure.
Balancing Blood Cholesterol Levels: Studies on the health benefits have shown its ability to regulate blood cholesterol levels. It increases the good cholesterol while reducing bad cholesterol.
Regulating Blood Pressure: Garlic regulates blood pressure and is effective in helping people with the condition manage it.
Enhancing Immunity: Garlic powder can improve immunity and help you fight infections. It can also kill campylobacter bacteria, a cause of infection in the intestines.
Common Cold: Garlic has nutrients like vitamin C, which is important in lessening the common cold symptoms.
Blood Sugar Regulation: Garlic regulates blood sugar levels, helping people with diabetes cope with the disease’s symptoms.
Aiding Digestion: Garlic powder promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria, aiding the digestion process.

Disadvantages of Garlic Powder

Bad Breath: Eating garlic can result in bad breath due to the strong garlic flavor.
Overconsumption: Overconsuming garlic may cause nausea, headache, dizziness, muscle spasms, muscle aches, or bleeding disorder.

What Is Garlic Salt?

Garlic salt is a combination of garlic powder and salt. However, its preparation doesn’t stop with garlic powder and salt mixing. It requires the use of an anti-caking agent such as calcium silicate.

It combines 3 parts salt and 1 part garlic powder based on volume. So, for example, if you choose to use weight, you should have 6 parts salt and 1 part garlic powder.

The anti-caking agent prevents the garlic powder from becoming sticky. With this process, garlic powder enhances the flavor of the salt to a garlic one. Even though it might not have the same potent flavor as fresh garlic, it’s still useful in flavoring various cuisines.

What Are the Effects of Garlic Salt on Health?

Garlic salts consist of more salt than garlic powder and have health implications. However, even though it has some valuable health benefits, garlic salt can be detrimental to human health when consumed in excess.

Advantages (Health Benefits) of Garlic Salt

Preventing and Treating Cancer: Studies on the health benefits of garlic have proven its ability to prevent and treat cancer of the stomach and lungs.
Regulating Blood Cholesterol: Garlic salt can help lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, helping you maintain good health.
Controlling Blood Pressure: Garlic helps regulate blood pressure helping people with hypertension cope with the condition.
Preventing and treating Common Cold: Consuming garlic salt can help fight off the common cold and treat it quickly.
Antibacterial Properties: Garlic can kill bad bacteria in the gut and prevent infection. It also promotes the growth of good bacteria.

Disadvantages of Garlic Salt

Risk of Heart Disease: Consuming too much salt can worsen high blood pressure and cause heart disease.
Stomach Bloating: Overeating garlic salt can lead to stomach bloating. Therefore, you could try healthier options like fresh garlic.
Medical Side Effects: Garlic powder with salt can cause worsening side effects with inflammation medicines like Rofecoxib.

Garlic Powder Vs. Garlic Salt: How Different Are They?

How different are the two in the garlic powder vs. garlic salt debate? Comparing the ingredients, preparation, flavor, versatility, control levels, nutrition, and health benefits is possible. Here is a detailed description of the differences between garlic salt and garlic powder:

1. Differences in Ingredients

When discussing garlic powder vs. garlic salt, paying attention to their ingredients is important. Garlic powder is made by dehydrating and grinding garlic cloves. Therefore, the component for garlic powder is dehydrated, ground garlic.

On the other hand, garlic salt consists of salt and powdered dry garlic. In addition, an anti-caking agent is added to prevent the garlic powder from solidifying.

However, some garlic salt and garlic powder brands may have other ingredients. So, it’s always great to check the label to know what you’re buying.

2. Varied Preparation Techniques

Making garlic powder is an elaborate process that involves peeling, slicing, and removing garlic juice through dehydration.

After removing the dehydrated garlic from the food dehydrator or oven, you can grind it in a blender or food processor. The final powdered garlic should have a smooth, powdered texture.

If you add salt to the powder, you will turn it into garlic salt. If you’re wondering how to make homemade garlic powder and salt, the following sections address the issue in greater detail.

Homemade Garlic Powder Preparation Process

You could easily choose to keep fresh garlic cloves intact. However, if you want to prolong its shelf-life, turning it into garlic powder is one of the best options. This section has a step-by-step process to help you easily prepare garlic powder.

You need a dehydrator to finish making garlic powder. If you cannot access one, an oven would do just fine. Both machines use similar techniques to dry out garlic juice.

You need a food processor or blender to grind the dried garlic into a powder. Any of these kitchen appliances work perfectly well. The following are the steps you can take to prepare garlic powder effectively:

Step 1: Peel your garlic cloves and slice them into tiny, thin pieces. Ensure the slices are uniformly thick to cook or dry evenly.

Step 2: If you have a food dehydrator, set its temperature to 155°F or 46°C and put the garlic inside to remove the moisture content. Check every two hours to know when the garlic is adequately dry. If you can no dehydrator, dry the garlic in an oven turned to 170°F or 77°C. In the case of the oven, keep checking the garlic every 30 minutes.

Step 3: The time it takes to dry depends on its quantity. Keep checking to avoid the garlic going dry too soon and getting burned. Take a garlic piece at a time and crush it with your fingers. If it crushes easily, the garlic is ready to remove from the oven or dehydrator.

Step 4: If you’re sure the garlic is dry, give it time to cool down. Then put it in a food processor or blender and start grinding. If you’re lacking these kitchen appliances, use a mortar and pestle to grind the garlic. However, that might take longer than you would have hoped.

Step 5: Put the powdered garlic in a clean, airtight container. Regardless of how many containers you have, could you keep them in a dry and cool place? With proper storage, homemade garlic powder can stay fresh for up to one year.

Homemade Garlic Salt Preparation Process

In the garlic salt vs. garlic powder debate, it’s important to understand how to make the former at home. In some cases, garlic salt involves adding onions, herbs, and other ingredients. But most recipes use garlic powder and salt.

Making Garlic Salt from Scratch

Step 1: Preheat your oven by setting the temperature between 200°F (93°C) and 250°F (107°C).

Step 2: Separate the garlic cloves from the bulbs and remove the dry outer layers.

Step 3: Mix garlic and salt in a ratio of 1: 3 (1 part garlic and 3 parts garlic). Grind the mixture in a blender or food processor into a smooth consistency.

Step 4: Place the garlic-and-salt combination on a baking sheet, spreading it thin. Put the sheet tray in the oven to dehydrate it. Keep stirring the mixture every 20 minutes.

Step 6: Sift the garlic salt using a filter. Separate the big pieces and puree in a food processor until it’s completely smooth.

Making Garlic Powder by Mixing Garlic Powder and Salt

Probably you already have your garlic powder ready. In that case, you have to mix it with salt to make garlic salt. You can do that through the following two-step process:

Step 1: Mix garlic powder and salt in a ratio of 1: 3 (1 part garlic powder and 3 parts salt). It can be sea salt, regular table salt, or kosher salt, whichever you prefer.

Step 2: After mixing the two ingredients consistently, put them in an airtight jar for storage. Place the jars in a dry and cool place, away from direct sunlight, to keep the garlic salt fresh. Add a label to the jar indicating the ingredients and the date of making it. Your garlic salt should stay fresh for up to 6 months.

3. Differences in Taste

Garlic powder and garlic salt have a garlic taste. However, garlic salt is saltier than its counterpart. Garlic powder has the same flavor as fresh garlic. So, it is best to give your dishes a pure garlic taste.

However, if you need a more potent flavor, you should use garlic salt. Even so, garlic salt might not be great for garlic flavoring. Instead, it may lead to an extremely high salt intake.

If you want to give your meal a strong garlic flavor, choose garlic powder. With that, you’ll avoid making your food saltier than necessary. You can also avoid a high salt intake.

4. Different Levels of Control

In the garlic powder vs. garlic salt discussion, it is clear that the two have distinct flavors. However, garlic powder makes it easier to regulate the final taste of your dishes. Depending on how much flavor you want, you can add more or less garlic powder to your dishes.

On the other hand, trying to regulate the taste of a dish using garlic salt is virtually futile. The more garlic salt you add, the saltier the food becomes. Therefore, it defeats the reason for trying to increase the amount of garlic salt.

5. Garlic Salt Vs. Garlic Powder – Versatility

Compared to garlic salt, garlic powder is more versatile. Garlic powder is a product of dried and ground fresh garlic and has excellent flavor without saltiness. Here is how to use the two garlic products head-to-head:

Uses of Garlic Powder

Garlic powder is the best way to add strong garlic flavor to the food. You can use it to substitute fresh garlic. It is more convenient than waiting until you have some fresh garlic. Here is how to use it:

Meat: With garlic powder, you can marinate, reason, or rub meats to improve their tastes. Dry rubs are best with any cooking method.
Bread: After making garlic powder, you can use it to make garlic bread. Variations include bruschetta, crostini, croutons, and garlic toast. You can also add the powder to most lasagna side dishes to make them flavorful.
Sauces & Dressings: Garlic powder is also great in flavoring sauces and dressings like garlic butter sauce and pasta sauce.
Vegetables: Did you know that you can use garlic powder on roasted vegetables, including sweet potatoes and baked potatoes. Garlic powder is also a perfect salad dressing for fresh veggies.
Toppings: It is possible to garnish pasta, curry, and stew using garlic powder.

Uses of Garlic Salt

Garlic salt has limited uses compared to garlic powder. The main issue with garlic salt is its salt content. Therefore, the latter doesn’t fare very well in garlic salt vs. garlic powder. The following are the main uses of garlic salt:

Meat: Garlic salt is also great for marinating, rubbing, and seasoning meats of various kinds. The salty seasoning enhances what would otherwise have been a mild flavor.
Sauces and Dressings: Consider garlic salt when you need to make homemade salad dressing or dipping sauce.
Vegetables: Did you know that you can use garlic salt in stir-fries? It also works perfectly in sauteed and roasted vegetables.

6. Garlic Powder vs. Garlic Slat Nutritional Differences

Garlic salt and garlic powder have major differences in their nutritional content. For example, garlic salt contains substantially more sodium than garlic powder. On the other hand, garlic powder has twice as much potassium as garlic salt.

The following chart should help you know what to expect from the two garlic-based seasonings:

Calories

Garlic powder – 9
Garlic salt – 4.8

Fiber

Garlic powder – 0.3g
Garlic salt – 0.1g

Carbs

Garlic powder – 2g
Garlic salt – 1.1g

Protein

Garlic powder – 0.5g
Garlic salt – 0.2g

Sugar

Garlic powder – 0.7g
Garlic salt 0.1g

Vitamin C

Garlic powder – 1%
Garlic salt – 0%

Vitamin B6

Garlic powder – 4%
Garlic salt – 0%

Sodium

Garlic powder – 0.7mg
Garlic salt – 1.588mg

Calcium

Garlic powder – 0%
Garlic salt – 0.2%

Potassium

Garlic powder – 30.8mg
Garlic salt – 18.4mg

Iron

Garlic powder – 0%
Garlic salt – 0.6%

7. Garlic Salt vs. Garlic Powder – Which Is Healthier?

Up to this point, it’s clear that garlic powder is healthier than garlic salt. That’s because the latter option has additional salt, which negates any health benefits it might have. If you’re wondering why garlic salt receives such a harsh judgment, here are some research-based facts:

High Blood Pressure: Consuming a high amount of salt can initiate or worsen high blood pressure, leading to heart disease and death.
Stomach Cancer: Increased sodium levels in the diet lead to the multiplication of helicobacter pylori bacteria, which can increase the risk of gastric cancer.
Cardiovascular Disease: Adding too much salt to your food can increase heart disease and stroke.
Bone Metabolism: People with high blood pressure may have a situation where bones lose calcium faster.
Kidney Stones: Another indirect effect of taking salt in high amounts is the increased chances of developing kidney stones.

In short, you should avoid consuming garlic salt in high amounts to avoid developing all kinds of health complications. High sodium intake is bad for the healthy and those on a low-sodium diet. Use garlic salt sparingly or simply switch to garlic powder.

Can You Substitute Garlic Salt with Garlic Powder?

Garlic salt includes 3 parts salt and 1 part garlic powder. On the other hand, garlic powder is 100% pure garlic granules. Therefore, garlic powder is a perfect substitute for garlic salt.

Also, it is possible to substitute garlic powder with garlic salt. However, you have to be mindful of how much garlic salt you add to your food.

Adding too much garlic salt could ruin your food. So, add some garlic salt until you have a great taste. Besides, garlic salt has too much sodium, which won’t work in a low-sodium diet.

Great Recipes Using Garlic Powder and Garlic Salt

Preparing several great dishes is still possible whether you have garlic powder or garlic salt. Here are some cost-saving measures to use the garlic-based spices:

1. Garlic Chicken

It’s easy to pair garlic powder chicken and chicken for a simple but tasty meal. This recipe requires minimum preparation and can be used on any chicken part, including wings, breasts, and thighs. After dry rubbing the chicken, you can bake it to a golden-brown color in the oven.

2. Garlic Bread

If you cannot handle the taste of fresh garlic, use garlic powder to make tasty bread—mix garlic powder in butter, salt, and parmesan cheese. Apply the paste to bread slices and prepare it in a toaster.

3. Garlic Potatoes

You can use garlic salt to prepare potatoes and vegetables. Place on a baking sheet after cleaning and cutting the potatoes to the desired choice. Sprinkle some garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and olive oil. Bake the potatoes for between 30 and 40 minutes until they turn golden brown.

4. Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower has a plain taste which is perfect for pairing with any seasoning. You may mix the garlic powder with pepper, salt, and paprika for the seasoning. The recipe is perfect for vegans. Cut the cauliflower into even pieces, apply the seasoning, and bake it in the oven.

The Bottom Line

Why would you want to use fresh garlic in your food? Garlic powder does well in any recipe, especially if you want to avoid adding too much salt into your diet. Alternatively, you can use garlic salt while minding the sodium you take in your diet.

It’s easy to prepare garlic powder and garlic salt at home. With simple kitchen appliances, you can have enough spices to serve you for a long time. So, which between the two do you prefer? Remember, the only difference is the additional salt in garlic salt.