Researchers found a simple food that may help
That food is a raw apple.
In a 2016 study, researchers had people eat raw garlic before testing how different foods and drinks affected the sulfur compounds in their breath. Raw apple, raw lettuce and fresh mint all reduced the garlic-related compounds measured during the following hour.
Apple and lettuce reduced some of the compounds by more than half during the first 30 minutes, while fresh mint performed even better.
But there was an interesting catch: how you consumed the food mattered. Juiced apple and mint weren't as effective as eating the fresh versions.
Researchers suggested that enzymes and phenolic compounds found in certain raw fruits and vegetables could help reduce the odor-producing compounds left behind by garlic.
Milk may help as well. Earlier research from the same group found that both skim and whole milk reduced garlic odor, with whole milk being particularly effective against some compounds that dissolve more easily in fat.
So if garlic-heavy pasta, aioli or garlic bread leaves you worrying about your breath, there may be something surprisingly simple to try.
Instead of reaching for another piece of gum, grab a crisp apple.