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What is fiber and why are we supposed to eat it!? Do you have no idea what probiotics are? I’m a trained food scientist hoping to help everyone understand what’s in their food and why, because once we are educated we no longer have to live in fear of what we eat.

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Can Garlic Really Make You Smell Bad?

Abbey
5 min readMay 19, 2025

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There’s a moment, right after you crush a clove of garlic, when its potent aroma fills the air. Sharp, earthy, and unmistakable, garlic has been celebrated for centuries — not only for its flavor and health benefits but even for its ability to ward off vampires.

But garlic has one major flaw: it lingers. It clings to you. And no matter how many times you brush your teeth, floss, or chew gum, garlic persists.

This had me wondering — what is it about garlic that makes its smell so impossible to escape?

And as I dug deeper into this mystery, I uncovered something even more surprising: garlic’s power goes far beyond bad breath.

Garlic’s Chemical Culprits

When you chop or crush garlic, you aren’t just releasing flavor — you’re setting off a chemical chain reaction. Inside each clove lies a compound called alliin, and when garlic is disrupted, an enzyme called alliinase converts it into allicin.

Here’s the twist: allicin is unstable and quickly breaks down into a group of sulfur…

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Food Science Fusion
Food Science Fusion

Published in Food Science Fusion

What is fiber and why are we supposed to eat it!? Do you have no idea what probiotics are? I’m a trained food scientist hoping to help everyone understand what’s in their food and why, because once we are educated we no longer have to live in fear of what we eat.

Abbey
Abbey

Written by Abbey

I’m a food scientist by PhD, a science writer, and a YouTuber. I’m fascinated by food science and enjoy writing and sharing what I’ve learn.

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