These are smelliest offenders for bad breath – and the foods to fix it

The dreadful realisation that your breath smells awful can be mortifying. Unfortunately many of our daily favourites – coffee, garlic, onions, fish and spicy curries – can linger unpleasantly long after eating. There are various reasons for this, from the chemicals in the foods themselves (such as the sulphurous compounds in onions and garlic) to reduced saliva production causing a dry mouth (coffee). Other foods, such as fish and curries, can cause bad breath (also known as halitosis) by stimulating the production of odorous bacteria.

Mercifully, nature provides some clever neutralisers, foods that can nix the niff and restore our breaths to a more socially acceptable state. Here are some of the best edible remedies.

Banish coffee breath

With the average Briton drinking two cups of coffee a day, there’s a lot of potential coffee breath out there. Coffee contains caffeine and tannins, both of which inhibit saliva production causing that familiar dry-mouth sensation. Eating crunchy fruit and vegetables can get the saliva glands going again to freshen things up.

Tip: To banish mouth dryness, try having an apple or a carrot or celery stick after your morning coffee. If that’s not practical, copy the continental habit of washing down your coffee down with a glass of water.

Fix a fishy smell

Eating fish, particularly saltwater and canned fish, increases the production of a compound called trimethylamine (TMA) in the gut, which, in certain individuals, can result in bad breath. Adding acidic ingredients to fish before eating helps the TMA bind to water, which reduces its effect.

Tip: Lemon juice squeezed over fish enhances the flavour and helps neutralise any fishy odours. Vinegar also works. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to tinned fish.

Get rid of garlic breath

Ginger is brilliant for garlic or onion breath. It’s nature’s breath freshener because it contains several odour-fighting compounds, including 6-gingerol, which activates the salivary enzymes that break down and neutralise the smelly sulphurous compounds found in garlic and onions. As an added bonus, ginger is also a digestive aid, speeding up the passage of food through the stomach to reduce indigestion and bloating.

Tip: Fresh ginger tea is easy to make and a great way to cleanse the mouth and banish garlic breath. Slice up a 5cm piece of ginger (no need to peel) and place in a mug along with 2 slices of lemon. Add boiling water and allow to steep for 5 minutes before drinking.

Cure curry breath

Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of medicine that focuses on boosting the body’s natural defence systems. One ayurvedic practice is to chew an aromatic seed mix called mukhwas – from the Sanskrit words mukha (mouth) and vasa (to keep) – after a spicy meal to freshen the breath and aid digestion. Fennel seeds are commonly used because of the aromatic oils they contain, and studies have also shown them to have antibacterial properties.

Tip: Make your own mukhwas by placing 1 tbsp each of fennel, coriander, sesame, flax and pumpkin seeds in a bowl. Add 1 tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of salt, mix well and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then toast the mixture in a dry frypan on a low heat for 5 minutes or so, until starting to turn golden. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. To eat mukhwas, place ¼ tsp in your palm and pop into your mouth; chew the mixture until the seeds completely break down and you are able to swallow.

Help with halitosis

It may sound counter-intuitive, but eating more fermented foods may actually help prevent bad breath. A recent study published in the BMJ identified four strains of beneficial bacteria found in foods such as kimchi, kefir and sauerkraut that help prevent the buildup of smelly compounds known as VSCs, or volatile sulphuric compounds, in the mouth.

Tip: Raw kimchi or sauerkraut are excellent condiments that complement a wide range of foods from cheese to eggs and salads. Look for those with live bacteria in the chiller cabinet of the supermarket – they’re more beneficial for your gut. As for kefir, it can be used much as you would plain yoghurt. It’s especially good stirred into a soup, stew or curry.

The Telegraph, London