Does boiling garlic remove allicin?

Does Boiling Garlic Destroy Its Health Benefits?

Garlic is celebrated for its potential health benefits, many of which are tied to a compound called allicin. But here’s the catch: allicin isn’t present in raw garlic cloves. Instead, it’s formed when the enzyme alliinase converts alliin into allicin—something that happens when garlic is crushed or chopped.

However, heat changes everything. When garlic is boiled, as is common in soups and other traditional dishes, the high temperature quickly deactivates alliinase. Without this enzyme, no allicin is produced. Studies confirm that boiling—or even roasting—garlic effectively eliminates the enzyme activity, meaning very little, if any, allicin remains in the final dish.

The same goes for acidic preparations: pickling or suspending garlic in vinegar or lemon juice also inactivates alliinase. So while these methods may preserve flavor or add shelf life, they don’t preserve allicin.

This doesn’t mean cooked garlic is worthless. It still contains other beneficial compounds like sulfur derivatives and antioxidants that may support heart health and have antimicrobial properties. But if you're specifically after allicin—the compound linked to garlic’s famed immune-boosting and antimicrobial effects—raw, crushed garlic is your best bet.

For those who prefer milder flavors or are using garlic in cooking, the trade-off is understandable. But it’s worth noting: the health effects observed in garlic supplement studies—often based on stabilized allicin or raw extracts—may not translate to everyday boiled or roasted garlic dishes.

In short, boiling garlic greatly reduces its allicin content, not because allicin is “washed out,” but because the enzyme needed to create it is destroyed by heat. So while your garlic soup might be delicious and still healthful, it probably isn’t delivering the same punch as raw or supplement-grade garlic.