Food for thought! Etiquette expert reveals the dishes and drinks you should NEVER enjoy on Valentine’s Day if you want to keep the romance alive – from Caesar salad to OYSTERS
- Etiquette expert says you should dodge Caesar salad with ‘hidden ingredients’
- Other foods to avoid are aphrodisiacs as it ‘may give the wrong impression’
- Expert also revealed foods to fight bad breath, like dark chocolate and cherries
The candles are lit, the mood music is just right… but then your Valentine’s Day date is derailed when you start feeling a little bit queasy.
Was it the spicy food? Or the cheese you definitely shouldn’t have indulged in?
To help you avoid this scenario, FEMAIL has asked an etiquette expert to share their tips on how to keep the romance alive during your day of love, from why you should be dodging that Caesar salad to why you should say no to a coffee date.
Myka Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette, has trained in Switzerland and in London under a former member of staff of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Not only has she laid out the ingredients you shouldn’t be ordering or cooking on your date, but also the ones that will keep bad breath at bay.
Beware of hidden ingredients! Keep your eyes peeled for onion and garlic – especially when it comes to salad dressing
Etiquette expert Myka Meier told DailyMail.com romancers should skip ‘horseradish and any kind of canned fish’ (stock image)
No one wants to be that person, constantly checking their breath to see if your date can smell your last meal.
It’s a rookie mistake but Myka has reminded people to avoid cooking or ordering dishes that are heavy on garlic or onions.
‘Additionally, horseradish and any kind of canned fish (skip the sardines and tuna fish, being the most common),’ she added.
Also the etiquette expert warns ‘beware of hidden ingredients.’
‘You might love Caesar salad, but one of the first ingredients in the dressing is garlic, second [is] anchovy paste,’ Myka told DailyMail.com.
Say no to coffee dates! Don’t risk a dry mouth and bad breath
Myka has trained in Switzerland and in London under a former member of staff of the late Queen Elizabeth II
If you’re someone whose mouth goes dry when you’re nervous, don’t pile onto it by going on a coffee date on Valentine’s Day.
Myka isn’t warning just coffee drinkers, but tea lovers as well.
‘Beware of coffee dates! Both coffee and tea dry out your mouth and can cause “coffee breath”,’ she said.
‘To combat coffee breath, drink plenty of water.’
Sulfur-containing compounds are released when coffee beans are roasted, Healthline explains.
‘Along with the acid content in coffee, these compounds can produce bad breath,’ the website says.
‘Coffee also causes dry mouth, which can worsen bad breath. Coffee-induced dry mouth is produced in part by caffeine, which is slightly dehydrating. Tannins, a molecule found in coffee, are another culprit.’
Asparagus and oysters: Why you should AVOID these aphrodisiacs
If you suspect your date might end with you spending the night, plan ahead.
Despite it being an aphrodisiac, asparagus is not your friend so keep it off the menu, Myka says, because you may regret it later.
‘If you might be spending the night with your date, you may want to avoid asparagus,’ she said.
Despite it being an aphrodisiac, asparagus is not your friend and keep it off the menu, Myka says, because you may regret it later
‘While it’s said to be an aphrodisiac, it can make your urine smell strongly of rotten cabbage and the smell can linger.’
What’s responsible for the smell is asparagusic acid, which is found only in the vegetable, and when it’s broken down it releases ‘sulfur-containing byproducts,’ the Cleveland Clinic explains.
‘When you pee, the sulfur byproducts evaporate almost immediately, causing you to smell that unpleasant scent,’ the website says.
Additionally Myka suggests avoiding aphrodisiacs all together as it ‘may give the wrong impression.’
‘If you want to serve or order foods that are considered aphrodisiacs, such as oysters, make sure it’s appropriate to do so,’ she told DailyMail.com
‘A first date with someone where you order oysters may give the wrong impression.’
Oysters as an aphrodisiac dates back to Roman Empire, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
The delicacy was apparently enjoyed by famed seducer Giacomo Casanova as a ‘virility-booster.’
Additionally Myka suggests avoiding aphrodisiacs all together as it ‘may give the wrong impression,’ like oysters (stock image)
Not the type of gassing up you want: Ditch beans and spicy foods
It’s something we should all know, but beans and cabbage should be on your no-go list of foods on Valentine’s Day.
There’s nothing less romantic than passing gas in front of a potential love interest, so just take this scenario off the table but avoiding these ingredients.
The reason for the gas buildup is both of these foods contain sugars known as raffinose, according to Bon Appetit.
‘A shortage or absence of certain enzymes’ means some sugars may not be digested properly in the small intestine and then passes into the large one, ‘where harmless and normal bacteria break down the food,’ Johns Hopkins explains further.
This process is what leads to excess gas.
Myka adds: ‘In some instances spicy foods or even dairy can be upsetting to the stomach.’
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news for those Spice Lords and cheese lovers out there.
Pick up some dark chocolate, cherries and ginger
We’ve talked a lot about foods giving you bad breath, but what about those that will help fight it? Dark chocolate is one of them (stock image)
We’ve talked a lot about foods giving you bad breath, but what about those that will help fight it?
Myka has a few suggestions: ‘Stick to foods that… will encourage a bit more intimacy including dark chocolate, cherries, ginger, most raw fruits and vegetables.’
As for an after-dinner mint, WebMD recommends chewing gum instead.
‘The bacteria in your mouth love sugar. They use it to make acid. This wears down your teeth and causes bad breath. Chew sugarless gum instead,’ the website says.
Hygienist Pamela L. Quinones, past president of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, added: ‘Gum stimulates saliva, which is the mouth’s natural defense mechanism against plaque acids, which cause tooth decay and bad breath.’
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