The Unexpected Spice That Will Change Your Scrambled Eggs Forever

Eggs are already pretty awesome all by themselves. In fact, Americans eat an average of 279 eggs per year, or the equivalent of three omelets a week, or a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich five days a week, according to Food & Wine. There are numerous ways to cook eggs, from fried to poached. But perhaps the simplest, most customizable, and most widely-consumed home prep method, is the beloved scrambled egg.

Scrambled eggs are fluffy, cheesy, soul-satisfying, and most importantly, easy to throw together. A basic scrambled eggs recipe from The American Egg Board calls for eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and butter. But, most Americans take great pleasure in adding a variety of cheeses and extra ingredients to scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs are a blank canvas that will accept any of your favorite cheeses, veggies, and even last night's leftover pork chops. So how could these little treasures get any better?

It turns out, there's an ingredient that can take scrambled eggs to another level. One that can boost those deliciously-fluffy scrambles from "Yum," to "Yummy!" Of course, there are already many common ways to make flavorful scrambled eggs, you probably don't reach for this spice when you're whipping up breakfast. 

Most agree that eggs need salt, although there has been debate over when exactly to add salt to the eggs. Some cooks rally around adding cream to the mix, while others shun the idea of adding dairy at all, saying that milk can ruin the "eggy" taste. Some people even add peanut butter to their scrambled eggs. When choosing a cheese, many egg lovers grab whatever is in the fridge — cheddar, Swiss, American. But, Kitchn suggests opting for creamy, buttery cheeses that won't compete with the eggs for attention. Consider gruyere, comte, and fontina.

But have you tried adding garlic powder to your eggs?

According to Spoon University, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder has the power to work magic on scrambled eggs. This, along with a teaspoon of butter, and 3 tablespoons of whole milk (per two eggs), has the ability to transform even the blandest of eggs into a flavorful, satisfying meal.

Not only is garlic delicious, but this cousin of the onion has a number of health benefits, according to Healthline. In ancient times, garlic was actually prescribed as a treatment for many common ailments. Garlic has been shown to fight the common cold, reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, help prevent Alzheimer's disease, and improve bone health when eaten on a regular basis.

So, adding a dash of garlic powder to your morning scramble may help boost your immune system and give you an overall healthier outlook, in addition to making your tummy happy. Knowing all this, you'll want to make sure you have some garlic powder on hand.

When purchasing garlic powder in the grocery store, be mindful of the labels. Garlic powder and garlic salt are usually located next to each other in the spice aisle. The difference between the two, according to Spiceography, is that, perhaps obviously, garlic salt is garlic powder mixed with salt. If you do choose to purchase garlic salt, you'll be boxed into however much salt the manufacturer has added to the mix. Using garlic powder you can add whichever other spices you like to your recipe.

Making your own garlic powder is a great way to extend the life of homegrown or bulk garlic, and prevent food waste, according to Grow a Good Life. Making your own garlic powder is also fairly simple. Cut slices of garlic, dry them in a dehydrator or the oven, and grind them up in a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle.

Garlic is also one of the easiest plants to grow, according to Good Housekeeping. Depending on where you live, either softneck or hardneck garlic will be best. Both types can be purchased at a local home center or through your favorite garden catalog.

And meanwhile, a teaspoon of garlic powder is equivalent to 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic, so, if you're worried about garlic breath, we've got your back. After breakfast, crunch a couple of coffee beans or eat an apple. These are just two of the foods that can freshen bad breath, and chase that garlicky-egg breath away. No one will be the wiser, but your breakfast will be tastier.