Although garlic is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, its notorious pungency puts many off including it in their diet. Garlic contains an organosulphur, allyl methyl sulphide (AMS), which cannot be broken down during digestion, causing it to be released from the body in the breath and sweat.
 
Food scientists at Ohio State University found that drinking a small glass (200ml) of milk can reduce the presence of AMS on the breath by 50 per cent. In tests with raw and cooked cloves, milk was shown to ' significantly reduce' concentrations of the chemicals that give garlic its long-lasting smell.

Previous tests have found that even brushing teeth or chewing gum after a meal often fails to solve the problem. Now, it seems, garlic-lovers can breathe a fresh-smelling sigh of relief.

The US study concluded that full-fat milk gave better results than skimmed and it was also better if diners drank with their meal, rather than having it later.

Neutralise garlic breath

Though the odour goes away with time, here are some of the home remedies used to get rid of garlic breath:

1. Parsley: Chewing on fresh parsley has been a long time remedy for bad breath. It is believed to work because it has high levels of chlorophyll that helps rid the body of toxins (such as hydrogen sulfide)
2. Fresh herbs: Herbs such as peppermint, coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are also reported to work similarly to the way parsley does. Simply pop a sprig in your mouth and chew
3. Lemons: Lemon juice is often used to remove garlic odour off the hands. Many people also believe it can be used to help eliminate garlic breath by chewing on the peels
4. Yoghurt: Eating yogurt has been proven to reduced the levels of hydrogen sulfide in the mouth
5. Green Tea: Green tea can reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the mouth
6. Cardamom seeds: Chewing on cardamom seeds is supposed to work as well as parsley
7. Fennel seeds: Fennel seeds, which are often served at Indian restaurants, are reported to neutralise the smell of garlic

Pic: desing123