I am a salmon wholesaler based in Anchorage. Since Alaska has long, cold winters, there are times when I feel quite chilly. During those times, I have a personal method: I put garlic in the air fryer and roast it.

It may seem trivial, but after eating it, I definitely feel my body warming up and my energy returning. When I eat it with red ginseng extract, I feel 100% better, alleviating fatigue, clearing my blurry vision, and boosting my stamina.

At first, I thought it was just in my head, but I found out that there is actually a reaction happening in our bodies.

When you cut or chew garlic, a compound called allicin is produced.

This compound helps to dilate blood vessels. When blood vessels widen, blood circulation becomes more active, increasing blood flow to the skin, which warms the body. The redness in your face or the warmth you feel after eating garlic has its reasons. I can definitely feel my face heat up after eating a few cloves of freshly roasted garlic from the air fryer. Even if it's minus 20 degrees outside in Anchorage, I feel a bit better for a moment.

Additionally, garlic is said to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which can boost metabolic activity.

When metabolism increases, energy expenditure rises, and heat is generated in the process. In simple terms, eating garlic helps your body switch to a more active mode. For someone like me, who spends early mornings at the salmon auction, this is quite helpful. Eating a few cloves of garlic in the morning definitely makes me feel like I get going faster.

As everyone knows, garlic is a food that promotes the activity of the stomach and intestines. The process of digesting and absorbing food generates heat, and garlic enhances this process. Especially when you eat raw garlic on an empty stomach, this reaction can be quite strong.

That's why I prefer to eat roasted garlic rather than raw. Roasting reduces the pungency and makes it more savory while still retaining the warming effect. Roasting it at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes cooks it well in its skin, making it convenient and tasty.

Also, the unique stimulating compounds in garlic can trigger a temporary heat response in the body. Your body temperature may actually rise slightly, or you may feel a strong sensation of warmth even if your temperature doesn't change much. In any case, it means your body is responding.

In traditional medicine, garlic is considered a 'warming food.' It is believed to help those with cold bodies and poor blood circulation.

Living in Alaska, it's common for your body to feel cold in winter, but eating garlic-infused dishes definitely helps. There's a reason why garlic dishes are particularly suited for winter.

However, individual differences are clear. Some people feel warmth significantly, while those with sensitive stomachs may experience discomfort first. Especially if you eat too much raw garlic, it can irritate the stomach lining, so it's said that 1-2 cloves a day is appropriate. For someone like me, cooking it reduces irritation while still providing a gentle warming effect. The air fryer is truly a great tool.

Feeling warm after eating garlic is not just in your head. It's a natural response created by blood vessel dilation, increased metabolism, and enhanced digestion. A small clove of garlic awakens circulation in your body.

I don't usually eat expensive health foods. Instead, when I feel a bit unwell, I put garlic in the air fryer.

After working with salmon in the winter wind of Anchorage, eating a few cloves of roasted garlic is the most reliable health food for me.

It's not about anything grand; I believe that these small habits protect my health.

For those who feel cold, try roasting some garlic. It's more effective than you might think.