French kisses give 80 million healthy bacteria between mouths. Wow! That is a lot! It may sound scary to get that much bacteria but these bacteria may benefit your body.
Scientific Research About French Kisses
Scientific Research in the Netherlands got 21 couples visiting a zoo in the Netherlands to participate in a study on French kisses. Saliva is collected before and after a timed ten-second French kiss.
What is interesting is that the bacteria in the saliva of couples are more similar than those of two strangers.
“Apparently, being with somebody for an extended amount of time and having a relationship leads to a similar collection of bacteria on the tongue.” – Professor Remco Kort, lead researcher, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research.
To find see how similar the shared bacteria were, the researchers did one more test. One person in the couple drank a probiotic yogurt drink containing bacteria called Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria and waited a bit and the couple shared 10-second, French kisses. Then they took a sample of the bacteria in the mouth of the partner who hadn’t drunk the yogurt. What the research found was that the amount of bacteria transferred to the other partner was on average full of 80 million healthy bacteria!
Quantity and Quality of French Kisses Make a Difference
The research team also found out through questionnaires that the more often a couple kisses, the more bacteria they share. A dry, prudent kiss only transfers 1,000 bacteria and a French kiss will give millions of bacteria! The study found that ten-second French kisses give 80 million healthy bacteria
Even though bacteria in the saliva changed quickly after a kiss, the bug populations on the tongue remained more stable.
“French kissing is a great example of exposure to a gigantic number of bacteria in a short time. While 80 million bacteria being transferred in just one kiss sounds scary, it is probably a good thing, acting as a form of immunization and building resistance from exposure to different microorganisms.” says Professor Remco Kort.
“If you look at it from this point of view, kissing is very healthy,” added Prof Kort.
Not Enough French Kisses In Your Life?
Maybe chocolate is something you need: What Do You Think Stimulates Love More: a Kiss or Some Chocolate?
You and your partner may need a little help with healthy food aphrodisiacs like honey, almonds or chocolate. Learn how to make chocolate treats without the sugar at the Healthy Chocolate Project.
If there is no one for you to be kissing, don’t worry there are many ways to get probiotics into your diet and boost your immune system in general.
Learn How to Stay Healthy with a Strong Immune System
- Most fruits and vegetables contain a lot of fiber so they provide a healthy bacterial environment in your digestive tract.
- Check out my Free Health Webinar on how to keep your immune system strong in the winter.
- Here is a great immune recipe: Immune Booster Fruit Salad
Do you Love Kissing?
French kisses are so good for us and full of health benefits.
Chocolate may have love benefits but kissing burns calories while chocolate adds calories.
Did you know that even Chimpanzees kiss with their mouth?
Here are some fun kissing facts for you in this infographic.
Infographic with permission by byuidating.com.
Learn More About Chocolate and Kisses
Is Chocolate Good for You?– Chocolate is a favourite for many people and chocolate can be good for you. The good news is that there is research suggesting how healthy it is.
The ingredient phenylethylamine that gives chocolate the reputation of being the ‘love food’ raises serotonin and dopamine level which stimulates the nervous system, and even raises libido.
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