THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE BAD BREATH FOR A LONG TIME AFTER EATING ONION OR GARLIC (AND HOW TO FIX IT)

How to combat bad breath from onions (Source: Freepik)

Onions and garlic are staples in many cuisines worldwide, adding a delicious kick to countless dishes. But let's be honest, they also come with a not-so-pleasant side effect: bad breath.

Ever wondered why the odour lingers for hours, even after brushing your teeth? Well, we have, too. So, of course, we were intrigued when we stumbled upon a reel by Krish Ashok explaining why this happens. We talked to G Sushma, a clinical dietician at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills in Hyderabad, who explained to us the science behind this phenomenon and offered tips to combat it.

How are they digested in our bodies?

Onions and garlic, while offering a wealth of health benefits, contain fructans and sulfur-based compounds that can wreak havoc on your breath. Raw onions are particularly problematic as they have a higher concentration of these compounds. Cooking helps break down some enzymes, making them easier to digest, noted Sushma.

Garlic's potent odour comes from allicin, a compound released when you chop or crush it. This beneficial compound, however, also breaks down into other sulfur-containing molecules that enter your bloodstream and eventually reach your lungs, causing that telltale garlic breath.

Why the long-lasting lingering effect?

The culprit behind the long-lasting bad breath is a molecule called allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). For onions and garlic, AMS enters the bloodstream and travels to the lungs, where it's expelled through your breath, carrying that oniony or garlicky scent.

Here are some expert-approved ways from Sushma to combat onion and garlic breath (Source: Unsplash)

So, how does that happen? AMS is notoriously hard to break down. It goes from your stomach to the small intestine. Because it is small enough to enter our blood stream, it seeps out and passes from the intestine to the liver, mixed with the nutrients in the blood being carried by the Hepatic Portal vein. As author Krish Ashok explained in the reel, "Liver is this big security guard that will break down or metabolise the components that will not be circulated through the blood."

This process is called detoxing. Though AMS is not a toxin, our livers still try to break it down. In case, you eat a lot of raw onions, our livers get overwhelmed and lets it through. The exact same mechanism is also applicable when too much alcohol is consumed, because the liver can process beyond a certain amount.

From here, AMS goes with the blood to the pulmonary artery of the lungs, where it is pulled out by our lungs as it is volatile and then sent out with our breath.

The same process applies to garlic, except in its case the number of molecules needed to be broken down is much more in comparison to an onion. Hence, even our sweat glands push out garlic from the system.

Fighting Back Against Bad Breath

Here are some expert-approved ways from Sushma to combat onion and garlic breath:

Citric Acid to the Rescue: Adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to raw onions can help neutralise the odour-causing enzymes.

The Power of Herbs: Rosemary and oregano, rich in rosmarinic acid, can help combat bad breath.

Crunchy Cure: Raw fruits and vegetables like lettuce, apples, or mint leaves can help freshen your breath.

Drink Up: Green tea, with its polyphenols, or milk with its higher fat content, can help mask the odour.

So, the next time you enjoy a delicious oniony or garlicky meal, fret not! Armed with these tips, you can combat bad breath and keep your conversations fresh.

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2024-04-22T05:14:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd