coffee Archives - Northpad Nigeria

10 Surprising Foods That Are Bad for Your Breath (No. 5 Will Shock You)

by Abdulsalam Yunusa | Apr 6, 2022 | Health & Wellness

You have probably taken several measures to avoid bad breath, including regular brushing, flossing, rinsing with a mouthwash, and many others, but it all does not seem to be working. The culprit could be right under your nose – the food you eat! Here, we are going to look at some of the foods that cause bad breath and what to do regarding them.

Foods That Causes Bad Breath

1. Garlic

This is usually the first food to come to mind when this topic is mentioned. From experience, most of us have tasted a meal containing garlic and we must have noticed people’s reactions to us when we speak shortly after. And while it adds a good flavour and even taste to food, the aftermath is usually disturbing.

After enjoying your meal containing garlic, it gets absorbed into your bloodstream and makes its way to your lungs; so apart from the odour resulting from chewing the garlic, an additional one will be released from your lungs and through your mouth whenever you breathe out.

2. Onions

One of the foods that cause bad breath is onions. Onions are widely used worldwide for their taste as well as nutritional and health benefits. However, along with garlic, it is considered to be among the top causes of halitosis, a fancy word for bad breath. I personally love onions to the moon and back, so getting rid of them completely from my meals might be a very difficult thing to do.

The good news is that you can avoid the bad breath that comes along with eating it by, cooking it a little bit longer than you normally do.

It’s easy, right?

3. Coffee

Coffee has caffeine as one of its constituents, and caffeine has an effect on saliva production.

You might have experienced some level of dryness in your mouth after taking coffee a number of times before. Coffee has caffeine as one of its constituents, and caffeine has an effect on saliva production.

The decrease in saliva that results from drinking coffee means there will be more accommodation for odour-causing bacteria in your mouth.

4. Canned Fish

Yes, canned fish is among the foods that cause bad breath. When seafood begins to oxidize as a result of storage, it tends to become sour.

Eating this without brushing your mouth afterwards might likely leave you with a stinking breath.

5. Protein

Protein is also among the foods that can cause bad breath, as eating too much of it and too little carbohydrates

Proteins form a very important part of our meals due to their body-building qualities. Nevertheless, it is also among the foods that can cause bad breath, as eating too much of it and too little carbohydrates will lead to the production of an unpleasant smell, known as ketone breath. This occurs when the body resorts to using proteins and fats as fuel due to a shortage of carbohydrates.

Unfortunately, this smell cannot be masked by brushing and/or flossing, so it is best prevented by avoiding excess proteins in your diet and taking adequate water.

6. Sugar

Apart from the white sugar we all know, carbohydrate foods are also converted to sugar in our bodies after eating. A lot of us cannot do without sugar in our meals and beverages. The sugar debris that remains in our mouths after having that sumptuous pounded yam or rice meal or even after licking sweets can encourage the growth of odour-causing bacteria because they feed on it to survive.

Therefore, cutting down on your sugar intake and maintaining very good dental hygiene can keep you safe from the embarrassment that might result.

7. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are acidic in nature and this is just what odour-producing bacteria need to thrive. Whether you eat the fruit raw in your salads or as a sauce for your rice or yam, try as much as possible to drink an adequate amount of water to reduce the acidity, then you can brush afterwards.

8. Peanut butter

This is a paste made from ground dried peanut and spread on bread, toast, crackers and even sandwiches. Its thick nature makes it difficult for saliva to break down so it could stay for hours in your mouth and ultimately cause bad breath.

Rinsing with mouthwash after consuming peanut butter can help keep your breath fresh.

9. Cheese

Whenever you eat cheese, the bacteria in your mouth will act on amino acids contained in the cheese to produce sulfur compounds that can give you bad breath.

This can make your mouth smell like rotten eggs! I am sure you wouldn’t want that. Drinking enough water, flossing and brushing with s fluoride toothpaste can do the trick.

10. Citrus fruits

It is not new knowledge that citrus fruits are acidic. You must have experienced this yourself after tasting some —especially before it is completely ripe. The acid provides a comfortable environment for the bacteria to survive and trouble you with bad breath. This occurs especially when you are suffering from acid reflux conditions like peptic ulcer disease.

Reducing your intake of citrus, chewing sugar-free gum or candy and generally maintaining s good mouth hygiene can protect your breath from going sour.

Conclusion

Now that you know some of the foods that can cause bad breath, I hope you will also share the knowledge with your friends and save them the confusion and embarrassment that comes with it.

Do you know of any other food of a similar category? Please do let us know in the comments section; would love to hear from you.

12 Foods That Improve Metabolism

by Aisha Zakari | Jul 27, 2021 | Food & Kitchen

Humans eat. We one way or another depend on foods to increase our metabolism, get the required nutritional requirements, and get the energy we need for our day-to-day activities.

What Is Metabolism?

Our bodies undergo chemical reactions that change the food we eat into the energy we use to get through our activities, from moving to thinking to working to feeling to growing, and that is metabolism.

Having a high metabolism in the body can give you energy and make you feel better. In this article, you’ll discover foods that increase metabolism in the body and that are mostly found in protein.

12 Foods That Increase Metabolism

1. Avocado

Avocado provides the body with necessary nutritional benefits as it contains fat and mono-saturated fats—these are the good fats that lower bad cholesterol. It also contains nine essential amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

Eating avocado has been proven to be a food that increases metabolism and keeps us healthy.

2. Milk

Whole milk does the body good as it is a good source of protein. More so, it is a bone-building food that increases our metabolism as it has calcium in it. Add this to your diet or drink it as a whole. You will still get the same benefits.

3. Beans

In addition, there are varieties of beans based on their color – black, white, red, and brown beans. Research suggests all varieties do good to the body but black bean does the most.

This food increases metabolism in the body as it is a complete protein meal.

4. Leafy vegetables

This is also one of the foods that increase metabolism. Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, asparagus, green peas, and broccoli help increase metabolism as they have a high content in protein, iron, and magnesium. Iron is required to accelerate the metabolic rate in the body. It also helps in the growth and development of the body.

5. Soy-bean

This is a versatile protein food that increases metabolism, as it could be consumed either as tofu or soy-bean milk. Make sure to make tofu with a healthy oil such as sesame seed oil, coconut oil, grapefruit oil, or hempseed oil.

6. Eggs

Eggs are low in carbohydrates, an excellent source of protein, and contain vitamin B. Eat your eggs in any way you desire—cooked or fried—but make sure you use a good source of healthy oil.

7. Spicy Foods

Chilli pepper! Studies show that spicy foods have natural chemicals that boost metabolism in the body. Add chilli pepper or chilli flakes to enjoy that pasta as it is guaranteed to increase metabolism in the body.

8. Ginger

This root spice is also versatile as you could grate/mince them to your meal or use them in their dried form. Add this to a meal or the dried form to your tea as breakfast to get that energy and boost you require.

9. Fish

This is also one of the foods that increase our metabolism. Our bodies burn calories when we eat protein; replace those carbohydrates with protein to boost metabolism in our body. In addition, fish is a great source of protein, be it salmon or tuna.

10. Seeds

Good foods that increase metabolism in the body are found in these seeds: hemp seed, flaxseed, and lentils. Another is chickpea, as it has a high protein content. Chickpeas are cooked, eaten, and sometimes topped with these varieties of seeds.

11. Green Tea

Furthermore, green tea is one of the foods that increase our body’s metabolism. Studies show that drinking 2–4 cups of green tea a day pushes the body to burn 17% of its calories. They are also anti-inflammatory.

12. Coffee

Coffee increases body metabolism due to its high caffeine content.

Other Ways of Increasing Metabolism in the Body

1. Water: Drink enough water before and after every meal, as this keeps you hydrated and fills you up.

2. Adequate Sleep: Have a good night’s rest for at least 8 hours. This helps keep you sane, active, and well-rested.

3. Exercise: Sitting too much is bad for you, and even doing nothing, in particular, makes your body burn calories. So, walk, run, and stand more often if you can. Have a routine you do at home to activate those core, glutes, and muscles.

Protein is the most effective for increasing metabolism because the body needs to use more energy to digest it than it does carbohydrates.

Eat a balanced diet if you can, stay hydrated, get adequate sleep, and exercise too; you’re on your way to increasing the metabolic rate in your body. I hope this article helped you by telling you about foods that increase metabolism in the body. Add them to your meal when you can, thank you!