‘Garlic gems, Calcium oxalate crystals in garlic peel’ by Ulrich Vogl

  • quinacridoneOPM
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    6 months ago

    I’m fairly certain the crystals are calcium oxalate

    …showing crystals of calcium oxalate (black-edged rectangles). These crystals embedded in the cell cytoplasm are known as raphides. Calcium oxalate crystals are common in the stems and leaves of many plants; they have no known metabolic function other than to serve as a means of disposal of excess calcium in the plant. source

    Calcium oxalate can form kidney stones!

    And, also this…

    Garlic can be purple because of two reasons: it is one of the “hardneck” varieties of garlic with purple stripes or because your white garlic reacted with something acidic. Both are safe to eat and can be used in a variety of dishes. source

    So I imagine that the purple garlic comes from the variety, and not the crystals

    • eatCasserole@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Interesting…I usually buy the purple garlic just because it looks cooler. Now I wanna try getting acid on some white garlic, see if I can make purple garlic!