Garlic has an amazing ability to elevate dishes, give them a more complex flavor profile, and make them taste way better. But there is one big problem with garlic that makes people think twice about eating it: garlic breath.
Fortunately, there are several ways that you can get rid of the pungent smell that comes out of your mouth when you eat garlic, including washing your teeth, eating an apple, or chewing some mint. However, a recent study conducted by Ohio State University showed that yogurt is actually the most efficient way to combat garlic breath.
Dr. Sheryl Barringer, professor of food science and technology, and her team conducted a series of tests to determine the most efficient treatment for lowering sulfur-based volatiles that are responsible for garlic’s bad smell. It turned out that yogurt does a surprisingly good job, removing “99% of the major odor-producing raw garlic volatiles.”
The study was conducted in a laboratory on raw and fried garlic placed in glass bottles, and the results were obtained by measuring the level of volatile compounds before and after the treatment. The researchers plan to have a study that would also include human breath tests.
In the meantime, Barringer advises opting for Greek yogurt after eating garlic due to its high protein content. She also recommends having yogurt as soon as you eat garlic.
“With apples, we have always said to eat them immediately,” Barringer told Ohio State News. “The same with yogurt is presumed to be the case – have your garlic and eat the yogurt right away.”
