Garlic can boost your immunity, improve heart health and, according to the Cleveland Clinic, even clear up your skin. It also can put the kibosh on that goodnight kiss.
If you love garlic in your food, you know the pitfalls of having garlic breath. But did you know the foul smell can linger for a day?
“As the garlic moves through your digestion, the by-products of garlic are absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the lungs,” Dr. Megan Rossi, explained in an Instagram post. “This gives you a ‘repeat performance’ that chewing gum can’t quite get rid of.”
Instead of chewing gum or popping a peppermint, Rossi recommends eating an apple.
“The plant chemicals (including quercetin) in the apple have been shown to interact with the sulfur compounds in garlic, deodorizing that particular whiff,” she explained.
Don’t have a purse or pockets big enough to carry around an apple? Rossi said mint (the plant, not the candy), parsley, spinach and lettuce also can neutralize garlic’s effect.
What the doctor does not want you to do is stop eating garlic.
“Garlic gets its pungent smell from an organic sulfur compound called allicin,” dietitian Laura Jeffers, MEd, RD, LD, told the Cleveland Clinic. “This compound also makes garlic a healthy addition to your diet.”
Research has shown garlic can have a positive effect on your arteries and blood pressure. Another study showed rubbing raw garlic over pimples can clear up your skin.
So, instead of saving your garlic for dinners alone, counteract its effects. You might even feel confident enough to pucker up with your date.
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