Garlic: Tasty, healthy and very stinky

 

Ah, garlic. So many people love it, and it makes a delicious addition to many meals. It's a flavor-enhancer, a healthy herb and it can give you powerful bad breath. This is why it's important to use specialty breath fresheners after consuming any dish infused with garlic. Hopefully, people who attend the upcoming 14th Annual North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival in Orange, Massachusetts, will have plenty of alcohol-free mouthwash on hand to get rid of halitosis caused by this powerful food.

The event is nicknamed "the festival that stinks" and boasts more than 100 exhibits this year. There will be garlic-pressing workshops and agricultural demonstrations, as well as some non-garlic-related events. For example, according to Mass Live, there will also be leather work, basket weaving, cider pressing, children's events and more than 40 local poets presenting their work.

"The event was founded to create a vibrant, family-oriented venue to celebrate the artistic and agricultural richness in the North Quabbin region," organizer Deborah Habib told the news source. "People from many cultures and walks of life share a common interest in this tasty bulb. At the same time, even if people absolutely dislike garlic, they should come anyway and find much to enjoy!"

The event takes place Sept. 29 and 30, but don't go without the right specialty breath fresheners and tips on how to get rid of garlic breath.

Why does garlic stink?

While there are many foods that cause bad breath, garlic in particular seems to pack a heavy punch. That's because the ingredient is a sulfur-rich food that contains pungent odors. According to The Mayo Clinic, after consumed, garlic enters into the bloodstream and is carried into your lungs, where it affects your breath until it's expunged from the body.

While alcohol-free mouthwash will be able to eliminate the smell of garlic breath until it leaves your system, there may be ways to fight this unpleasant odor before you eat your garlic-laden meal. For example, Women's Health Magazine spoke to Sheryl Barringer, Ph.D., a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State University, who stated that studies have shown that sipping milk before eating garlic may help reduce the chances of having truly stinky breath afterwards.

However, it's important to note that milk is also one of the most prominent causes of halitosis. But, since milk breath is far less offensive (and easier to get rid of) than the smell of garlic, it may be a good idea to give it a try.
Don't give upYou should be sure to stock up on alcohol-free mouthwash and other breath fresheners so you don't have to miss out on all of the health benefits of garlic. According to an article published in The Huffington Post by Leo Galland, M.D., studies have shown that consuming garlic may lower one's risk of prostate cancer. Furthermore, a study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center showed that the food may be able to help remove toxins from the blood.

According to the doctor, the benefits of garlic are known worldwide.

"Scientists from the U.S., England, France, Italy and other countries are confirming the outstanding health benefits of allium vegetables such as onions, garlic and scallions," Galland wrote for the news source.

While they may be healthy, all of these foods cause mighty bad breath. So be sure to pair them with some specialty breath fresheners!