Freshen Your Breath to a “Tea!”

By Better Health Research Team • Jan 18th, 2010 • Category: Health E-Hint

If you’re a fan of sprays, mints and mouthwashes to freshen your breath—you might be surprised to know that green tea works even better!

Bad breath is caused when bacteria in your mouth break down proteins to form sulfur compounds. Breath fresheners are used to either eliminate the odor of these compounds or stop them from forming.

Japanese researchers found that toothpaste simply removed the odor. And gum, mints and parsley oil didn’t hold a candle to green tea powder. It successfully cut odor AND stopped production of sulfur compounds! They chalk it up to a chemical in the tea with antioxidant properties.

So why not try a cup of green tea with each meal—and kiss bad breath worries goodbye!