Garlic breath can be an unpleasant experience for many people, especially during a date or business dinner. However, researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a simple remedy that could lead to the development of foods specifically designed to combat garlic breath. According to their publication in the journal Molecules, the researchers found that natural full-fat yogurt can almost completely prevent the volatile compounds that cause the typical garlic smell from escaping into the air. The experiments showed that both fat and protein effectively prevent the release of garlic odors. The researchers believe that high-protein foods could be developed in the future to combat garlic breath.
In previous studies, the researchers found that other foods, including apples, mint, salad, and milk, can neutralize the sulfur-based compounds that cause the lingering smell of garlic. In their current study, the researchers conducted treatment experiments by placing identical amounts of raw garlic in glass bottles and measuring the number of sulfur-based volatile molecules that the human nose recognizes as garlic odor. The results showed that yogurt alone removed almost all (99%) of the main odor-causing volatile compounds of raw garlic. Fat and protein were found to be the most effective components of yogurt in removing garlic odors.
The researchers believe that the results provide a basis for future studies that could analyze a variety of proteins to develop the perfect food for reducing garlic breath. They plan to conduct clinical trials to investigate how yogurt can contribute to combating garlic breath in humans. Barringer predicts that Greek yogurt, which has a higher protein content than the yogurt used in the study, could be particularly effective in eliminating garlic breath. The discovery of this simple remedy could lead to the development of foods that not only provide nutritional benefits but also serve as a breath freshener.
