How to avoid the effects of Antisocial Foods
You’d probably avoid baked beans on a big date or before a business meeting, but what about asparagus or red wine? Their effects, too, linger long after you’ve left the table, making them among the most antisocial of foods.
You might want to dodge their after-effects, but many of these positively unfriendly foods are good for you – and they taste delicious. So how do you enjoy them without offending everyone around you?
GARLIC AND RAW ONION
The effects are immediate and can last for hours – the smell on your breath will leave your companions’ eyes watering and you reaching for the mouth freshener well into the next day.
Why it happens
Garlic and onions contain sulphur compounds that are very smelly and can contribute to bad breath. The smell doesn’t just come from particles of food left stuck in your teeth; as the foods are digested, the pungent oils they contain are absorbed into your bloodstream, then carried around your body to your lungs. You breathe them out until the foods are eliminated from your body.
What else causes bad breath?
Other foodie culprits include coffee, pickled foods such as gherkins, processed and smoked meats, sardines and anchovies.
Why you should eat them anyway
Adding herbs, spices, garlic and onions to food means you need less salt, so it’s a healthier alternative, says dietitian Rebecca Valle. “Garlic and onions also contain phytochemicals that are thought to protect against diseases and promote good health, so they’re not all bad,” she says.
What you can do about it
Eat less of the garlic and onion, and drink plenty of water, as good hydration will ease the problem. Drinking milk also helps reduce the compounds that cause garlic breath. Chewing on parsley or natural chewing gum, sucking on a mint or sipping peppermint tea will also help. Halitosis can be a sign of poor digestive function or dental hygiene, so see your doctor if your bad breath continues.
CARROTS
You’d have to eat them in large quantities, but too many carrots can give your skin a orange tinge.
Why it happens
It’s called “carotenaemia” – a harmless condition in which an overload of beta-carotene turns the skin orange. It’s most commonly seen in vegetarians and small children, who may be given a lot of carrots as mushed-up baby food, and is a condition that’s sometimes confused with jaundice.
What else affects your skin?
Too much sugar, too much alcohol and dehydration are all bad for your skin. Highly processed and fatty foods may make acne worse.
Why you should eat them anyway
Carrots are high in vitamin A, which is good for your eyes.
What you can do about it
Your skin reflects your diet and lifestyle. Drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, and make sure your diet is full of variety. Particularly good for skin are omega-3 fatty acids, derived from fish, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin C.
ASPARAGUS
It’s been well documented that asparagus makes urine smell – but only in some people. About half the population is affected, while the other half are “non-excretors”, for whom it makes no difference. It’s now thought that your genes determine not only whether your urine emits an odour after eating asparagus, but also whether you can smell it.
Why it happens
It’s the sulphur compounds in asparagus that smell as they are expelled from your body. Although the vegetable has been a delicacy since Roman times, according to an article in the US medical journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition, mentions of its “foetid smell” only started occurring in the 1700s – about the time sulphur and sulphate were introduced as fertilisers to improve its taste.
What else affects your urine?
Beetroot can turn the urine red in some people. It’s thought that those people with food allergies and anaemia are particularly susceptible.
Why you should eat it anyway
Asparagus is a great source of dietary fibre and also contains the B vitamin folate.
What you can do about it
Reduce the amount of asparagus you eat in one sitting and drink plenty of water to flush out the chemicals. “Smelly urine may also be a sign of a urinary tract infection,” warns naturopath and director of education at Blackmores, Pam Stone. “So see your healthcare professional if symptoms persist.”
BAKED BEANS
There’s no polite way of putting it: beans make you fart. The more you eat, the more explosive you’ll be.
Why it happens
Beans and pulses are high in soluble fibre, which is not broken down until it reaches the large intestine. Here, when it’s finally digested, it produces gas.
What else produces gas?
There are plenty of other culprits: beans, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, wheat, beer, yeast, eggs and excess dairy, to name just a few.
Why you should eat them anyway
A high-fibre diet is essential to ward off many diseases and keep your digestive system healthy. It’s been shown to have benefits for diabetes, blood cholesterol levels and weight control.
What you can do about it
Pam Stone suggests herbs such as peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm, ginger and licorice to help soothe a bloated and gassy tummy. “Drink these herbs as a strong tea,” she says. Probiotics may also help over a period of time, while digestive enzymes taken with food can improve the digestive processes. Long-term bowel upsets can be a sign of a food intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome, so you should see your doctor if this is happening.
RED WINE
We all know the red wine smile: drink too much and you start to resemble Dracula.
Why it happens
Red wine contains polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that stains the teeth. Its alcohol content also has acidic properties that can wear tooth enamel.
What else discolours teeth?
Tea, coffee, cola, soy sauce and cranberry juice are all foods that dentists warn against if you want to keep that pearly white smile.
Why you should drink it anyway
A moderate amount of red wine helps reduce the chance you’ll develop periodontal disease. Its high antioxidant content is good for preventing illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, though only in small quantities: the current recommendation is no more than two standard drinks a day.
What you can do about it
Thoroughly rinse your mouth after you finish to prevent stains. And brush regularly.
Source: Readers Digest Asia
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
