After-meal digestive treats

Mouth fresheners add an enthusiastic zest to a sumptuous meal, writes Renuka Krishnaraja

Isn’t it quite ironic that a good lavish meal is typically followed by a bloated feel and bad breath? These undesired after-effects could simply ruin the pleasant ambrosial experience. But we can’t let that happen after all. Luckily, there are some quick remedies to cope with such nuisance. Munching on a spoonful of mouth freshener can efficiently keep all the discomfort of a heavy meal at bay.

Mouth fresheners are flavoursome post-meal tidbits that aid in digestion and also top us up with fresh breath. Indeed, they ensure happy endings to happy meals.

An entire range of tongue-teasing preparations is available in the market. From age-old digestive churans, golis, betel nut suparis and betel leaf paans to the more recent ones like the sugar-coated saunf or fennel seeds, mints, dry paan mixes, candies made of amla or gooseberries, tamarind and ginger, chocolates, liquids, the list could go on and on. Mouthwatering, isn’t it? Well, that’s how they work.

These mouth fresheners are laden with a blend of robust flavours that burst in the mouth to stimulate the flow of saliva which cleanses the palate and leaves behind a refreshing after-taste and aroma. The freshness then lingers on for a while.

One of the most popular mouth fresheners is the multi-seed, fibre-rich mukhwas that often comes with a minty touch. Mukhwas is a colourful, piquant mixture with assorted nuts and seeds like the fennel, sesame, anise, melon seeds, coconut shreds, cardamom with additives like gulkand or dried rose petals, tiny cubes of rock sugar or mishri dana, tutti frutti among the others. This mix can also be readily made at home with the ingredients of your personal preference.

Likewise, you don’t have to reach out to commercial products all the time. Natural elements found in our kitchens too can come in handy. It’s the breakdown of certain foods like garlic, onion, coffee, alcohol to name a few that cause the offensive odour. The idea is to mask the smell wherein fennel seeds, coriander, aniseeds, cardamom, clove and other aromatic spices can do the needful in toto. They serve as exemplary mouth fresheners. With a subtle sweetness and a fragrance that slowly seeps into the mouth, the tiny fennel seeds can render lasting fresh breath. Besides promoting digestive health, they are also known to have several other benefits. Even the crisp mint leaves could be chewed on to instantly freshen the palate.

With their vigorous delightful flavours, mouth fresheners are something we all look forward to as they add an enthusiastic zest to a sumptuous meal.