6 Foods to protect yourself from the Mosquito Bites

The World Mosquito Day, marking the day when Ronald Ross confirmed that the female anopheles mosquito transmitted malaria to humans. Mosquitoes are the world’s deadliest insects since they carry many diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya virus, or Zika virus.

A female mosquito extracts up to 0.01 millilitres of blood at a bite to help her eggs mature before they hatch and leaves behind a red bump which is itchy and might cause irritation. It is caused as a result of an allergic reaction to her saliva. But do you know the food you eat can make you invisible to mosquitoes? Mosquitoes can’t stand certain smells and are deterred by chemical compounds found in selected foods, which makes them ideal foods to try if you want to avoid mosquito bites. Read below to discover which foods help repel mosquitoes.

• Tomatoes: They are a great source of Vitamin B1 that alters your body scent to repel mosquitoes. Vitamin B1 or Thiamine makes you release a mosquito-repelling smell. Flavour your food with tomatoes and have beans and lentils as sides or as entrees.
• Garlic and onions: Much infamous for repelling mosquitoes, when consumed garlic and onions make you release a compound called allicin. Other members of this plant family, such as shallots and chives, also have the same functions and benefits. Consume them raw or add them to your dishes and prevent mosquitoes.
• Grapefruit: It’s a chemical compound found within citrus fruits that has proved to be highly effective in warding off mosquitoes and ticks. Of all citrus, grapefruit has the highest concentration of nootkatone (a naturally occurring compound in grapefruit peels), so eating plenty of grapefruit should make you less attractive to those bloodsucking mosquitoes.
• Lemongrass: Lemongrass contains oil called citronella which is a mosquito repellent. You can also change your summer glass of lemonade for a chilled glass of lemongrass tea or carefully use lemongrass oil on your skin for a quick mosquito repellent. Before using any oil, consult your doctors if you have sensitive skin.
• Neem: It is a natural mosquito repellent that you must try! Neem contains antiprotozoal compounds that have a peculiar smell which in turn wards off mosquitoes. Neem does not have any side effects and their anti-inflammatory property soothes irritation and reduces skin inflammation.
• Chilli Peppers: Chilli peppers contain capsaicin, which is a heat-producing compound that helps in repelling mosquitoes away. Add them to your diet and keep mosquitoes at a distance.

Over to You:

Keeping mosquitoes away isn’t just about the insect repellent you put on your body but it is also about the food you put in your body. So, try the above-mentioned foods and keep mosquitoes at bay!