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Spring is here, and although there are many things I love about it, mosquito bites are not one of them. These little blood sucking buzzards can ruin your outdoor fun and in some cases, even infect you with some serious diseases. While some foods like garlic and apple cider vinegar are effective edible deterrents, some foods do the exact opposite. Eating these things basically turns you into a huge mosquito-magnet and might lower the repealing powers of some products. So if you hate mosquito bites as much as I do, and especially if you are allergic, avoid eating these foods in large amounts: Alcohol
As painful as it is to say, it's unfortunately true. Research exploring the relations between alcohol consumption and malaria mosquitos, found that even a single beer can increase the likelihood of getting bitten by a significant percent. What makes this even worse is the fact that this is the only food that is likely to subsequently numb the itch of a bite… Bananas and other potassium-rich foods
Eating these food will lead to an increased secretion of lactic acid by our bodies as the potassium is ingested. Our blood becomes much more appealing to mosquitos as the amounts of lactic acid in it increase. This is also the reason why many other foods attract mosquitos, but we will get to that later. Sweets
Mosquitos can pick up on aromas and are especially attracted to the sweet kind. This means that they are not only going to come if you leave any sweets on the picnic table, they will also find their way to you if you eat too much of it. Dairy products
This is arguably worse news than the beer, so many summer favorites like ice cream and layered parfaits, are dairy-based. But just as they are loved by us, they are loved by mosquitos. These desserts are not only sweet, but they also trigger the body to produce lactic acid, just like most other dairy goods. Both of these factors mean you’ll have to eat your ice cream inside to avoid those biting bugs. Pickled vegetables
Sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers and many kinds of sour condiments are a real treat for mosquitos. These foods don’t make your body produce lactic acid, they are simply full of it themselves. While keeping away from these foods will make your hot-dog a bit less savory, it will also keep those annoying bugs away. |
