How to Extract Allicin From Onions

Garlic owes history and the allure of Dracula to its popularity as an immunity booster. Its closest cousin, the onion, is no disease-fighting slouch. The benefits of these relatives come from a phytochemical called allicin. Do not buy those breath mints to stave off that pound of onions you should eat. Instead, extract the allicin from those onions and save the bad breath for the next guy.

Things You'll Need

• Small onion
• Wire-mesh strainer
• Small jar with tight-fitting lid
• Food processor
• Plastic cutting board

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Instructions

• 1

  Peel the onion. Avoid running under water. Allicin creates the pungent smell and aroma. You want to capture the natural oils that cause this. If you peel the onion under running water, you will wash away those oils and most of the allicin. Only make a little extract at a time. Allicin reacts with other components to lose potency very quickly. It is better to make small batches and use immediately than to make a bunch ahead of time.

• 2

  Chop the onion into 1/2-inch cubes. Use a plastic cutting board to keep the oils on top with the onion pieces. Wood cutting boards can absorb the oils, leaving you with a smelly board and less allicin.

• 3

  Scrape the onion pieces and any oils into a small chopper or mixer. Use a small appliance if available to make cleanup a breeze. Chop the onion into fine pieces.

• 4

  Pour the chopped onions and the resulting liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a small glass jar. Old baby food jars offer small sizes with tight-fitting lids. Use a funnel if needed to pour the onion oils into the baby food jar. Do not press or squeeze any remaining pieces or residue in the strainer.

• 5

  Seal the jar and refrigerate until use. You have created a paste of the onion while preserving the oils. This will keep for three to five days. However, the allicin levels will decline from the time the extract or paste is finished. Use immediately if possible.