The Popular Keto Diet Makes Your Breath Smell Like Nail Polish Remover, Apparently

What if instead of legs, Ariel asked Ursula for a super fit body (whatever that meant to her, obvs)? And what if instead of taking Ariel’s voice as collateral, Ursula instead gave Ariel horrendously bad breath? Yeah, it would be a completely different movie. But for those on the keto diet, this situation might soundvaguely familiar. Apparently, when one follows a ketogenic diet, that is, nixing carbs and training your body to burn fats for energy, your breath ends up smelling like nail polish remover. Um…what?

“Keto breath” is one of the main side effects of the diet and, according to Delish, it’s completely normal. But why does your breath go sour once on the keto diet?

Scott Keatley, R.D., of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, told Delish that once you shift into ketosis,meaning your body runs out of sugar to produce energy so it instead uses fats, your body produces ketones, which are actually chemicals like acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. Yes, acetone— the same chemical listed on your bottle of nail polish remover.

This is a completely natural process, so it’s not like you’re randomly producing unnaturally occurring chemicals. You’re just producing a lot more of these chemicals when on a keto diet than normal. And when you’re producing more of them, you’re ejecting more of them from your body.

So, yeah. You literally have acetone breath.

Luckily, keto breath is only temporary. It occurs when your body is just warming up to the idea of a keto diet. Once you’re in the keto routine, the acetone breath should subside.

If your keto breath lingers, you might want to head to an oral health specialist or dentist to get your mouth checked out. Bad breath is also a symptom of poor oral hygiene, Keatley reminded readers.

Rock on, keto warriors — don’t let the bad breath hold you back from your fitness/body goals. Just remember to carry a couple mints with you and you’re good to go.

Editor’s note: Please consult your doctor before trying on any kind of diet, whether it’s keto or something else. Every body is different, and it’s best to talk to a professional before you restrict yours of any kinds of food.