Today, I want to share a super-healthy and highly effective way to freshen breath and reduce bad breath: Ginger. Ginger already enjoys rock-star status as a potent anti-inflammatory spice (second only to turmeric as the most potent of all anti-inflammatory foods!), and now it seems freshening our breath and cleansing our palates are two additional accolades ginger can claim.

So how does ginger achieve this refreshing feature? Ginger’s primary flavor ingredient, 6-gingerol, boosts saliva levels of the enzyme, sulfhydryl oxidase.

In fact, it can boosts it  up by 16-fold within a few seconds. Sulfhydryl oxidase, in turn, breaks down the smelly sulfur compounds in the oral cavity that are the cause of bad breath, as well as the unpleasant aftertaste that foods like coffee and garlic can impart.

This is wonderful news! Fresh ginger is available at all grocery stores and has a long shelf life even outside the fridge. Simply take a little nibble off of a piece of fresh ginger and chew. You can do this  after your meals  or when needed as a fast and healthy way to stop bad breath! I keep it handy in my car as well as in my home.