Freshen Your Breath With A Little Green Tea

Since starting this blog about a year ago and learning so much, one of the things that I have really put to use is all the incredible benefits of green tea (you can read my post Tea, Tea You’re the One For Me if you are interested in knowing more about the benefits of tea). So, today while flipping through the October issue of Good Housekeeping the article on how green tea can freshen your breath really caught my eye. I probably drink at least 5-6 cups of green tea a day (I am not going to lie-this really takes some effort on my part but I do it) and now I have even more reason to drink up. Forget the mints and gum-have some green tea.

A Breath Of Fresh Air

First I want to thank Swubird for giving me the idea for that title. He left a comment on my last post saying something to the effect that my next post on fresh breath would be well a breath of fresh air and I just loved it so thank you Swubird.

Gum, mints uh uh you are going to need green tea if you really want fresh breath according to a group of “Japanese researchers who tested a variety of breath fresheners in the lab. Bad breath is largely caused by sulfur compounds created when bacteria in the mouth break down proteins, so the scientists measured how well would-be-fresheners could either deodorize the compounds or halt their formation. Sugarless gum, mints and parsley-oil products all struck out. Toothpaste removed the odor but didn’t cut production of stinky substances. Only green tea powder succeeded at both properties. The secret: a chemical in the tea that also has antioxidant properties. So end dinner with a cup of green tea or try some delicious green tea ice cream. Beyond the tea’s benefits, the fat in the ice cream helps remove odor-producing bacteria says lead reasearcher Ken Yaegaki, D.D.S., PH.D.”

I personally like my green tea with a little more flavor so I sometimes buy the kind with pomegranate or other flavor in it. I think I will go have a cup now, won’t you join me?

30 comments:

  1. Wow...green tea ice cream? Now I could get into that!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Health:

    Thanks for mentioning my site in your article.

    My Queen drinks green tea every day. I would to except that my stomach will not take anything that contains caffeine, or that is a little acidic. So I drink warm water. How exciting!

    Great article, and well worth the time out in your busy day to brew a few pot of green tea.

    Happy trails.

    ReplyDelete
  3. love green tea! here's another good reason for taking green tea! and yes miss you heidi!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think I'll join you. I have heard about the many good effects of green tea and this is yet another reason to drink up. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Green tea is great for health! Have you tried green tea ice cream? Very popular in Japanese restaurants.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fresh green tea is the best. I didn't even know it helped kick up my breath in a positive fashion.

    ReplyDelete
  7. of course, we'll join you, heidi. you are always full of such good ideas and i'd love to hear them first hand over a cup of tea, count me in. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was in Whole Foods Market the other day and saw Green Tea Mints, i don't recall who makes them but they have this idea too - thanks for a great post, as always!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I always tend to forget about making myself some green tea but here's one more reason to do it. Thanks for the information!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great post, I love green tea and green tea ice cream. My grandfather are parsley after breakfast every morning now I know why. :D I can't stand the taste so I will stick with the tea.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, I was on a green tea jag for awhile! I know bad breath starts in your stomach and correcting any imbalance there, will lead to fresher breath. I tend to lean toward citrus(lemons~terrible for your teeth)pro-biotics (to correct my good/bad bacteria), and sugarless gum. My late mother chewed parsley after every meal. It's so interesting to experiment and find out what works for us. Heidi, almost everything you write makes me examine my own behavior. Mad love and admiration for you, sweet girl!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wouldn't it be fun if we could all sit down and chat over a nice cup of green tea with a delicious bowl of green tea ice cream!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. i actually love green tea ice cream. but for now, i'll join you in having a cup of green tea.

    ReplyDelete
  14. green tea is great stuff i drink it every day.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love green tea, never had green tea ice cream...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Maybe adding lemon jucie to the green tea will help it even better! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yeah I drink green tea almost everyday and do so because it keeps me from being sleepy after lunch. Black tea has a bigger caffeine kick but somehow I feel more drowsy compared to having some green tea.

    Good to know green tea has bad breath bashing properties.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Green tea. Lots and lots of benefits! Amazing. Thanks Heidi.

    ReplyDelete
  19. green tea ice cream is my favorite, and my son's too. that's another great reason to have green tea. ;)

    nice post heidi

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Heidi,
    I do not like tea, but I do take a supplement of green tea that helps to boost my metabolism, energy and promotes weight loss. Green tea is good for us, but I just never did like the taste. Interesting post! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  21. I guess that would explain why my wife still kisses me after a day of green tea consumption...or maybe it's my natural good looks?
    Green tea works on so many levels I'm amazing there are still people out there not drinking it.

    peace,
    mike
    Streeeeeetch Your Life

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've always known that green tea was good for digestion, but didn't know about it's affect on bad breath!
    (not that I have to worry...;) )

    ReplyDelete
  23. You know, I think I will! Is it only the green tea that does this?

    ReplyDelete
  24. I like Green Tea a lot and it is excellent for many stuff, and that's why green is the colour of nature though it's not my favorite colour

    ReplyDelete
  25. I know a couple of people I'll be buying green tea for.

    I hope they're not reading this

    ReplyDelete
  26. That would be a blast wouldn't it. Would I have to promise not to talk politics though? (I'm kidding of course, I talk politics like I've got some strange form of hitherto unrecognized Tourette's)

    The hits just keep coming for green tea don't they? Love that stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  27. here i am again, Hi! Heidi! i added you to my sensational six,Please check out my latest post, And hope you could do your sensational six too! thanks and god bless!

    ReplyDelete
  28. To be honest I don't struggle to drink 5+ cups of green tea per day. I love my hot drinks so I simply just substituted some coffee or tea with green tea. However, I never even thought about how it could help with bad breath. Is there any end to the benefits of green tea?

    ReplyDelete
  29. How cool! Green tea it is. I have been drinking Green tea for years now. Its always wonderful to learn the additionals benefits. Thank you for the info! :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wasn't aware of this...will look for decaf green tea!

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete

Fat, Fat I Ain't Down With That! Easy Tips To Revive Your Metabolism!

 I get a little lazy in winter since generally the swimsuit is many months away however this year I am determined to not let the holidays an...