Yes, garlic does have oil, although it's not present in the same way as oil in olives or avocados. It's specifically called garlic oil.
Understanding Garlic Oil
Garlic doesn't contain a significant amount of readily extractable oil like many oil-producing seeds or fruits. The "garlic oil" you typically find is produced through steam distillation or by infusing a base oil (like olive oil) with garlic flavor and aroma compounds.
How Garlic Oil is Made
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Steam Distillation: This method involves steaming crushed garlic. The resulting condensation contains volatile sulfur compounds, which comprise the garlic oil. Diallyl disulfide is often a major constituent, making up approximately 60% of the oil.
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Infusion: More commonly, "garlic oil" is made by gently heating garlic cloves in a base oil (such as olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil). This process extracts the flavor compounds from the garlic and infuses them into the oil. However, this product is technically garlic-infused oil, not pure garlic oil.
Composition and Properties of Garlic Oil
The distinct flavor and aroma of garlic oil come from volatile sulfur compounds. These compounds also contribute to the potential health benefits attributed to garlic, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
Summary
While fresh garlic doesn't ooze oil, it can be processed to extract an oil containing its characteristic flavors and properties. The commercially available "garlic oil" is often an infused oil, not a pure extract.
