Why Onions Make Us Cry...and Other Food Mysteries Solved

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Why do garlic and onions give you bad breath?

Unfortunately, no one is immune to the stinky effects that garlic and onions have on breath. Both of these vegetables come from the allium plant family, and they both contain sulfuric compounds that are responsible for causing bad breath (halitosis). Consumed raw, onions and garlic are especially potent, while cooking helps tame things down a bit and removes some of their distinctive sharpness. But once you're done eating, the body begins metabolizing those sulfuric compounds and releases them into the bloodstream, which reaches every part of your body. That explains why you might smell like garlic and onions for hours, or even a day or two—not just through your breath but also your pores.

There's no magic cure to eliminate this smelly consequence, but good dental hygiene (brushing, flossing and scraping your tongue after eating), eating fresh mint leaves or apples, rinsing your mouth with mouthwash, and staying hydrated might help to neutralize the odors.