Why does eating garlic cause bad breath?

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Garlic is not only an indispensable spice of many delicious dishes, but also helps prevent many diseases and improve health. However, eating garlic with bad breath makes many people shy and uncomfortable.

1. The effect of garlic

Garlic is a spice that makes food more delicious and brings many health benefits. The main active ingredient in garlic is Allicin - one of the sulfur-containing compounds in garlic, collectively known as Thiosulfinates. Allicin is activated when you chew, cut, or crush raw garlic. However, it is also deactivated by heat, which is why overcooking garlic reduces its healing power.
Therefore, to ensure that garlic still retains its healing effects when using garlic for cooking, you should note the following: crush garlic, wait at least 10 minutes before adding it to cook. Many people have the habit of eating 2-3 small cloves of garlic every day. Many studies as well as folk experiences have shown, eating raw garlic every day can help:
Stimulate digestion. Treatment of colds and flu: Allicin in garlic is an ingredient that helps to treat colds and flu quite effectively, helping to loosen phlegm, ease breathing, relieve cough and not stuffy nose. Filter toxins in the blood. Lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar. Prevents Heart Disease: Garlic also has anticoagulant properties, thus reducing the risk of heart attack, brain hemorrhage and other symptoms with very good effect. Prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Helps strengthen bones, anti-aging. Improve the body's immunity, prevent cancer: Some studies show that the Allicin compounds in garlic help slow down or stop the growth of cancer cells in the body.

2. Why does eating garlic cause bad breath?

Garlic is a species of plant in the Lilly family. They produce sulfuric substances that give a distinct odor and taste very similar to those produced by the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath. There are two mechanisms that cause garlic to cause bad breath:
First, when eaten, sulfur-containing compounds will enter the mouth and immediately make the breath smell like garlic. These compounds will stay in the mouth until we brush, floss, scrape or rinse. Second, garlic affects breathing through the lungs. The compound that causes garlic breath to escape from the lungs is Allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). AMS is a gas that is absorbed into the bloodstream during garlic metabolism and reaches the lungs via the bloodstream. Sometimes, AMS is also secreted through sweat glands in the skin pores. Therefore, not only the breath but also the whole body is very smelly after eating garlic. Therefore, it is very difficult to completely eliminate garlic breath. This effect only ends when the body has eliminated all the sulfuric compounds that stink. This process can take hours, even days.
Sulfuric compounds once absorbed into the blood, there is no effective method to immediately remove this unpleasant odor. Therefore, the most effective measure is to mask it with another stronger smell.

3. Some ways to limit the smell of onions and garlic

Use food to mask the smell of onions and garlic Gum: Taken after meals to help promote the production of saliva in the mouth, fighting bad breath. The gum contains natural essential oils like menthol and cinnamon that have been shown to effectively tackle the bacteria that cause bad breath. Coffee beans: Can soften the smell of garlic. Can drink a little coffee will immediately eliminate this unpleasant smell. Rubbing the beans on your hands and then rinsing them off can also help get rid of the garlic smell on your skin when you're cooking. The oxidizing properties of some fruits that brown when bitten can help combat onion breath. Especially effective fruits that should be eaten to deodorize garlic such as: Apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, grapes, cherries. Some vegetables that are very effective in combating compounds found in onions include: Spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. These vegetables should be eaten when the meal has a lot of onions and garlic. Basil and parsley are two of the herbs that can treat garlic breath. Therefore, it is possible to add these herbs to the meal. Use drinks to suppress the smell of onions and garlic Green tea: Contains polyphenols that help neutralize sulfur compounds released from onions and garlic. The antioxidants in green tea are also very effective in fighting bad breath. Milk: Proven to be effective against garlic breath. In particular, whole milk works to reduce the concentration of bad-smelling compounds in the mouth. Acidic beverages with a pH below 3.6 such as: Lemon, passion fruit, grapefruit, and blueberry juices as well as many soft drinks help fight the odor-producing enzyme alliinase found in onions and garlic. Apply hygiene measures Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day for 2 minutes or more each time. Carry a toothbrush and toothpaste with you if you regularly eat garlic or onions. However, brushing only cleans the surface, not the entire interdental area. Therefore, it is best to floss after every meal. An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, or cetylpyridinium chloride helps prevent bad breath.

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