Some food items that can stop bad breath

#badbreath #dentalhygiene Makers of toothpaste, mouthwash and the likes promote the concept of using their products to avoid bad breath that can sour relationships. They will certainly not be happy to know that not just their products but there are some food items that can also play a leading role to prevent bad breath.
On top of the list of foods that can avoid bad breath is plain and simple water. The more you drink water, the less chance is there of bad breath spoiling your show. Drinking enough water at regular intervals can actually blow the bad breath away. Moreover, regular drinking of water at an interval of an hour throughout the day will help to keep the mouth hydrated, and the bacteria at bay.
Next on the list is the common cheese or yoghurt. A tiny piece of cheese in the mouth can be effective to neutralize the dietary acids that remain stuck in the mouth after every meal. These are usually the culprits responsible for bad breath. Therefore, at the end of the meal, pop a small piece of cheese into the mouth or a small serving of unsweetened yogurt.
Another food item that helps to avoid bad breath is raw vegetables like carrots, celery and apples. Usually, crunchy fruits and vegetables are beneficial to wage a war against bad breath. Eating such raw items help to scrape out the plaque which are believed to be the reason for frequent bad breath.
Of course, salt water gargle is another option to combat bad breath because, such gargling helps to tackle the problem of sore throat simultaneously eliminating bacteria from the throat and tonsils.
Most importantly, any food item that can increase the flow of saliva will help in reducing the odor in your mouth. Items in this category are sugarless candies, gums or even mints apart from spices like cinnamon, clove or cardamom. It’s all about good dental hygiene.

Let us tread along the Milky Way

Life minus milk is unthinkable – a mother nursing her newborn is the first step one takes into the world of milk. Milk is the raw material necessary to make butter, cheese, ice creams and condensed milk. Pizzas are considered to be incomplete without a generous topping of grated cheese!
India is a bit different. Here, milk is the basic ingredient of innumerable varieties of delicious sweets found from Kolkata to Coimbatore. In the sixties, Dr Kurien and his ‘Operation Flood’ created a revolution of sorts and gave rise to a phenomenon called ‘Amul’! It has, since, become a household name associated with practically all types of preparation involving milk, except, possibly, rosogollas! Gone are the days when the milkman would milk the cow or buffalo right in front you and transfer the fresh warm frothy milk from his bucket to your container. The complete system of storage and distribution of milk has undergone a tremendous change – with pouches being delivered at your doorsteps today along with the newspaper!
One of the simplest of sweet dishes that can be prepared with milk base by anyone is ‘payas’ (in Bengali) and ‘payasam’ (in Malayalam). It is the end product of raw rice being boiled in milk. When the mixture starts to thicken, sugar is added apart from cashew nuts, pistas (pistachios) almonds and kish-mish. Bay leaves and ground cardamom impart a heavenly flavor. The preparation should be allowed to cool to room temperature before serving. This special dish is a must in birthday parties. The Malayalam version adds grated coconut.
Another simple dish takes a great deal of time and patience and is to be attempted only if you have an abundance of both. All you have to do to have a helping of ‘kheer’ is to take about two liters of milk in a large vessel and simmer for at least four hours over a slow flame. After four hours, you have to ensure that it does not start to stick to the walls of the vessel hence you must continuously stir the contents. The final product also should be served when cool. In Bengal there are innumerable moulds made of clay or wood which are used to give attractive shapes. No flavoring agent is necessary because, when two liters of milk is reduced to two hundred grams, it automatically acquires a distinct flavor of its own.
Other popular milk preparations in the North and the East are made from ‘chhana’. This is nothing but milk intentionally curdled by using lime or alum or some sour substance. The curdled mass is drained of all traces of water and used to prepare mouthwatering rosogollas. Recently, the curdled mass is being compressed mechanically and marketed as slabs of paneer. Of course, paneer does not fall in the category of sweets but are used to make tasty wholesome dishes with plenty of spices. Alu paneer, matar paneer and palak paneer, to name a few, taken with tandoori roti or roomali roti are relished by young and old alike.
And, of course, a brief on milk products must make a mention of curd and raita to ensure completeness. These two are Indian version of dessert.