How to Get Rid of Garlic Breath

Wondering how to get rid of garlic breath? Make it go away pronto and fix bad breath with these easy home remedies.

Garlic is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with—I love adding minced garlic to stir-fries and veggie dips, and garlic powder to casseroles and pasta dishes.

But cue the dreaded garlic breath!

How to eat garlic and still have good breath?

Read on for easy bad breath remedies. Thankfully, it’s not so challenging to fix bad breath and get rid if that garlic smell and taste!

Benefits of garlic

Before we talk about how to get rid of garlic breath, let’s take a look at why you’d eat garlic in the first place. I mean, it’s delicious.

Garlic is actually a bulb from a plant that’s related to the lily, and you can eat it raw or cooked.

I love fresh garlic and add it to so many recipes, like my Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus. It adds a delicious zing of a taste.

And raw garlic is so tasty, even though it has a stronger smell than cooked garlic. Garlic oil is pretty tasty, too.

As a plant-based dietitian, I feel compelled to tell you about its health benefits.

Garlic may help cholesterol levels

Some research has found that garlic use for one to three months could help lower blood cholesterol levels. However, findings are mixed, as other studies show no benefit.

Garlic may help lower cancer risk

Certain studies have found that regular garlic intake may help reduce risk of certain cancers, such as prostate cancer. However, more research needs to be completed in this area. 

Keep in mind: While regular garlic use seems to be safe for most adults, caution should be exercised since it can thin blood similarly to aspirin and may interfere with surgery or certain medications.

Garlic may help heart health

In people with high blood pressure, garlic may slightly lower blood pressure, suggests research. Garlic may also help reduce risk of high blood pressure.

And preliminary evidence has found that garlic may slow hardening of the arteries, a condition that may lead to heart disease or stroke. More long-term clinical trials are needed to further explore garlic’s potential health benefits.

On top of its great taste, garlic provides many other health benefits:

• Garlic provides antioxidants.
• Garlic may help immunity.
• Garlic may lower the risk of certain diseases.

Of course, before loading all my recipes with this super ingredient, I always consider the dreaded garlic breath.

Luckily, there are some secret (now not so secret, since I’m sharing them with you!) ways to significantly minimize the aftermath of eating garlic.

Say goodbye to garlic’s only setback after I tell you how to get rid of garlic breath.

How to get rid of garlic breath

The moment you’ve been waiting for: How to get rid of garlic breath?

Because garlic can cause bad breath, many people avoid it! How to have good breath after eating garlic? Thankfully, a preliminary study in Food Chemistry has found a way to diminish garlic breath.

The study authors gave a subject water, apple (raw, juiced, or heated), lettuce (raw or heated), mint leaves (raw or juiced), or green tea almost immediately after eating garlic.

The exciting findings: Garlic breath significantly decreased after eating raw apple, raw lettuce, and raw mint leaves.

Isn’t that a cool (and tasty!) way to get rid of garlic breath?

Although the apple juice, mint juice, heated apple, and heated lettuce were helpful in reducing bad breath, their impact wasn’t as great as the raw produce and herbs. The green tea had no effect on breath.

This study is small, so results should be repeated.

But it can’t hurt to try the following: Flavor your food with garlic, then have a salad after dinner (like the French do!), apple slices for dessert, or mint leaves as an after-dinner refresher.

When it comes to oral hygiene, which of these home remedies for getting rid of garlic breath will you try? Of course, don’t forget to brush and floss, too to get rid of bad bacteria in your mouth and lower your risk of gum disease.

Recipes with garlic

Now that you know how to get rid of garlic breath, you can eat garlic without worry. Here are my favorite recipes featuring garlic:

• Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus Side Dish
• Roasted Red Pepper Greek Yogurt Dip
• Creamy Carrot and Cauliflower Soup
• Gluten-Free Veggie Pizza with Mushrooms
• Healthy Veg Fried Rice

Recipes that help get rid of garlic breath

Here are recipes featuring ingredients that help get rid of garlic breath:

• Lentil Apple Salad
• Endive and Mandarin Orange Goat Cheese Appetizer
• Vegetarian Chopped Salad with Boiled Eggs

Final thoughts

If you enjoy the taste of garlic but dread garlic breath, have no fear. There are easy and quick ways to get rid of garlic breath that take only minutes to implement.

Sources

• Deodorization of Garlic Breath by Foods, and the Role of Polyphenol Oxidase and Phenolic Compounds, Food Chemistry

I’d love to hear from you! What are your favorite home remedies for bad breath? What tips do you have for how to get good breath?