parsley for bad breath
Various herbs have been used to treat bad breath, but parsley for bad breath is probably the most common herbal home remedy of all. Petroselinum crispum, a plant native to southern Europe and Asia, is grown all over the world: it has found its way into virtually every kitchen. For some, the flavor, different and at the same time complementary to so many others, is its main virtue. For others, the clean, fresh smell it gives to their breath, and in particular its ability to mask the garlic and onion in their breath, is its best feature. Almost incidentally, parsley is very nutritious: it is high in the antioxidant vitamins A and C and iron, and provides significant amounts of other vitamins and minerals. If you still don’t like this weed, try trying it out.
A traditional parsley remedy for bad breath will use the herb in one of two ways. The simplest thing is to take a sprig of fresh parsley and chew it well. Particularly effective after a meal containing garlic or onion, it will also work just as well as any breath mint as a quick fix for more chronic bad breath. The other use of parsley for bad breath is to simmer a handful of fresh leaves in a couple of cups of water with several whole cloves or a few ground cloves. The solution can be used as a mouthwash as many times as needed. Be sure to use fresh parsley for both remedies: dried parsley doesn’t have the admirable breath-freshening abilities or exceptional nutritional value of the fresh herb.
One weakness of any parsley remedy for bad breath is that, like many breath fresheners on the market today, it is of little value for the long-term treatment of a chronic bad breath problem. Although it has some antiseptic qualities and contains a lot of chlorophyll, another natural remedy for bad breath, it doesn’t seem to do much more than temporarily mask the characteristic odor of chronic halitosis. To combat chronic halitosis, you will need to use a product that is more capable of killing or displacing odor-producing bacteria that live in the mouth. There are natural alternatives to parsley for bad breath that are designed to provide a longer lasting effect.
Regardless of how severe your bad breath is, using parsley for bad breath won’t do any harm—in fact, its nutritional value alone is a good reason to use it more. Add a fresh sprig to your plate or garnish your sandwich with a bunch of leaves. Add some to salads for a fresh, strong flavor reminiscent of celery. Some people carry a handful in a plastic bag in a pocket so they have a parsley remedy for bad breath when they need it. Although not the most powerful breath remedy out there, parsley is a healthy and surprisingly effective short-term option.