Eating garlic, the "stinking rose," is good for you, doctors say. But try explaining that to someone after you do - better stand back, because your breath will pack a punch not everyone can take.
The pungent smell - some would say reek - of garlic is caused by the release of volatile sulfur-containing compounds when its cells are ruptured by, for example, chopping, crushing or chewing. For many people, the aroma of cooking garlic is mouthwatering.
If you find the smell too strong though, you can considerably reduce it by using whole cloves in your cooking, then removing them before serving, points out nutrition expert Katharina Holthausen. Heating chopped or crushed garlic tones it down too.
"Heat breaks down many of the strong-smelling substances, making the flavour milder," Holthausen says. You need to be careful when browning garlic though, since it burns quickly, developing a bitter taste.
As for neutralising garlic breath, consuming foods high in protein and fat directly afterwards, such as milk or yogurt, can be effective, according to Holthausen. Fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs - for instance parsley, spinach, peppermint or an apple - help as well.
Drinking green tea, lemon juice or lemonade can also be useful in dousing the fumes. And combining any of the above-mentioned remedies with garlic when cooking or eating it can help prevent garlic breath from forming at all. – dpa
