The Keto diet has gain popularity over the past couple years, but some of its followers are now realizing that “Keto breath” is a real phenomenon.
What is Keto breath?
Until your body adapts to being on a ketogenic diet, you may develop Keto breath. It’s not as horrible as it sounds. Some have described Keto breath as smelling sweet or even fruity.
Most experts agree that the symptom will likely go away after a minimum of 21 days on the diet. This is the point when your body becomes more effective at burning the ketones it produces, leaving fewer ketones to exhale.
Getting rid of Keto breath
If you can’t wait for 21 days for your body to adapt, there are some things you can do to help reduce Keto breath.
First, increase your water intake. Your body expels more ketones in urine than in your breath, so increasing your water consumption will produce more urine. In addition, water helps flush odor-causing bacteria out of your mouth.
Next, increase your carb intake. Being on the Keto diet doesn’t mean you can’t eat carbs at all; it’s just about eating fewer carbs. By increasing your carb intake, you’ll produce fewer ketones. As for how many grams of carbs you should be eating, that varies from person to person. For a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, this could range from 20 grams to 50 grams, depending on a number of factors.
You can also try chewing sugarless gum. While the minty scent of the gum will help cover the smell, just chewing sugarless gum in general can help by increasing the amount of saliva in the mouth, which can help stop the odor-causing bacteria from growing in the mouth.
Finally, brush and floss your teeth frequently. Like the minty chewing gum, the scent of the toothpaste will help mask the smell of your Keto breath. And, just like any other cause of bad breath, brushing and flossing will help by dislodging and food stuck in your teeth.
