If you woke up this morning with DRAGON BREATH . . . listen up.

We all know the foods that give us BAD breath . . . sadly, most of them are the ones we like BEST. But here's a list from EatingWell.com of TEN common, healthy things you can eat or drink every day that actually FIGHT bad breath.

 

1.  Black or Green Tea.  Black and green tea both contain polyphenols, which fight bad breath by preventing the growth of bacteria in your mouth.  Green tea has a higher concentration, because of how it's processed.  Also, leave out the sugar for best results.

2.  Yogurt.  Unsweetened yogurt is a great defense against bad breath, because the active yogurt cultures compete with other bacteria in your mouth.  Yogurt also gives you healthier teeth.  People who eat it regularly have less plaque and less gum disease.

3.  Water.  The bacteria that cause bad breath live best in a dry mouth.  Drinking water keeps them from growing, and helps with saliva production.  And it also flushes away food particles, which cause bad breath as they break down.

4.  Parsley, Basil . . . and Spinach.  Herbs like parsley and basil are also high in polyphenols, which fight bacteria and help to break down sulfur compounds. Look for ways to combine parsley and basil in the same dish with garlic or onions.  Spinach works great too.

5.  Apples.  Try eating an apple after a GARLIC-heavy meal.  Apples also have a lot of polyphenols, so they're great for breaking down sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.

6.  Cherries and Lettuce.  Studies show that cherries and lettuce are effective against a certain smelly chemical called methyl mercaptan, which is released by bacteria in your mouth as they break down food particles.

The great thing is that all of these foods are healthy anyway . . . and low in calories.  So if you can't live without your garlic fries and onion rings, you can add these foods to your meals without worrying about gaining weight.

Here's to another stank free day!

Freshly yours,

Behka

 

More From Mix 92.3