Ground vs Whole

[merrill12]

Why do foods like cloves, cinnamon and ginger have much higher antioxidants when it's ground vs the actual clove, actual cinnamon bark and the actual ginger root? Additionally, why do powders like garlic and onion powder have much higher antioxidants than the actual intact whole garlic and onion? I'm sure they all have the same reason but I don't know what it is.

[esoteric17]

merrill12 Wrote:Why do foods like cloves, cinnamon and ginger have much higher antioxidants when it's ground vs the actual clove, actual cinnamon bark and the actual ginger root? Additionally, why do powders like garlic and onion powder have much higher antioxidants than the actual intact whole garlic and onion? I'm sure they all have the same reason but I don't know what it is.

For the spices, grinding releases the volatile oils (smell some dried herbs, then grind them up and smell them - much more pungent). I'm guessing the antioxidants of the volatile oils aren't as available until ground?

Garlic and onion powders are dehydrated, so the antioxidants are concentrated. Same as the fresh vs dried fruit values throughout here. ORAC score is by weight. Cut out the water and you have denser antioxidants/gram.

[ppinge]

Dehydrated garlic may have more ORAC value but cardiovascular health benefits for reducing blood cholesterol levels and BP are much more when fresh garlic is used versus powdered garlic. How can we explain that?