Common Remedies for Garlic Breath

Garlic breath is a notorious problem, especially as this vegetable is commonly used in dishes from every region of the world. There are numerous health benefits attached with eating garlic, such as helping to reduce cholesterol and combating heart disease, and there is a great flavour from this vegetable when it is used as a condiment, that can really add to the taste of any dish.

It is therefore easy to see why many people risk garlic breath in order to avail of the many benefits attached to eating garlic. The reason that garlic has such an effect on the breath is due to the fact that it contains sulphurous components. When garlic is being digested in the body, the blood begins to absorb a gas called Allyl Methyl Sulphide (AMS). This gas then is deposited into the lungs from the blood and contributes to garlic breath by feeding the bacteria in the mouth which are responsible for halitosis.

There are many common cures for garlic breath. This root has been consumed for centuries, and numerous methods have been devised to combat the resultant odour problems. If you choose to eat garlic, you should be aware that raw bulbs will cause much more severe halitosis than those that are cooked. It is therefore not advised that you eat raw garlic unless you are prepared to experience extremely severe garlic breath. You can also avoid various parts of the garlic bulb, which are especially pungent. For example, when you cut into a garlic bulb, you will notice concentrations of dry, green coloured ridges towards the centre of the bulb.

These ridges contain high concentrations of sulphurous components, and are therefore highly pungent. Refraining from eating these sections of the garlic bulb will help to reduce problems with garlic breath.
Some sources recommend the consumption of parsley in conjunction with garlic. This is because parsley neutralises odours in the mouth. If you do mix parsley with garlic, make sure that you add this herb towards the end of the cooking process, so that it does not become overcooked and hence ineffective. You may also chew some sprigs of parsley after your meal, to neutralise potential garlic breath. Another common cure for garlic breath is to eat basil. This works similarly to eating parsley, helping to neutralise the effects of the AMS in the mouth.

A different approach is to try to mask the smell of the garlic, by using another, stronger odour. Cardamom is often used to cover the smell of garlic, as it is a member of the ginger family and has a strong flavour and odour. If you chew fresh cardamom seeds after eating garlic, you will mask the smell of the garlic with an odour that although pungent is generally considered more appealing.