The Surprising Ways Food Can Change Body Odor, According to Experts

It’s no secret that certain foods give off certain odors, but the way they interact with the gut, skin, and other parts of the body can also change people’s body odor.

Research underway in Europe has discovered that human scent contains biological information about health, age and genetic compatibility, and can also indicate attraction to others.

SCIENTISTS DESCRIBE THE CODE ON HOW DIETARY FIBER PROTECTS YOUR BODY FROM THE HARMFUL HARM OF SUGAR

In a BBC report, Lina Begdache, assistant professor of health and wellness studies at the State University of New York at Binghamton, revealed how foods affect body odor on a biological level.

As food is digested, the interaction between its chemicals and the bacteria in the intestine releases gases that can cause bad breath, also known as halitosis.

As the chemical components of food are metabolized, some perspire through the skin, interacting with bacteria and creating a different smell, according to the expert.

Foods that are “spicier” contain sulfur as a common ingredient.

The Scathing Culprits and Surprising Exceptions

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are “very full of sulfur compounds,” British nutritional therapist Kerry Beeson told the BBC.

Foods in the Allium family, such as garlic and onion, can also affect the odor of your breath and sweat.

NEUROLOGISTS REVEAL THE 3 BEST FOODS YOU SHOULD AVOID TO PROTECT THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM

While garlic can make your breath smell bad, some research over the past decade suggests it might make sweat smell more attractive.

Since garlic has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, this may make men’s smell more “pleasant” to women, study researcher Jan Havlíček, from Charles University in the Czech Republic, told the BBC.

Other vegetables, such as asparagus, are known to cause smelly sweat and urine due to a compound called asparagus acid, as well as sulfur, the BBC reported.

The volatility of sulfur compounds promotes greater dispersion into the air, creating a stench that can last more than five hours, according to research from the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

But a study published in the journal Chemical Senses suggested that not everyone can smell the smell of asparagus in urine, depending on genetics.

‘Anti-aging’ kitchen hack goes viral after experts reveal major health benefits

A 2017 Australian research found that, in general, men who eat more fruits and vegetables are “significantly associated” with sweat that smells more pleasant and of floral, fruity, sweet and medicinal quality, according to the participants.

Self-reported dietary data also revealed that consumption of fat, meat, eggs, and tofu resulted in more pleasant-smelling sweat, while higher carbohydrate intake produced less pleasant-smelling sweat.

When meat, fish and alcohol make odors worse

Meat and fish can produce a “different” body odor because animal proteins can interact with bacteria on the skin when they are broken down and excreted, Beeson told the BBC.

Fish and beans contain a strong-smelling compound called trimethylamine, which can cause a rare syndrome called trimethylaminuria, or “fishy odor syndrome.”

SCIENTISTS REVEAL FOUR NEW DISCOVERIES ABOUT HOW BEER AND WINE REALLY AFFECT THE BODY

More research from Havlíček from 2006 studied men who ate meat for two weeks compared to those who did not eat meat. The women then rated their smell.

Men who followed meat-free diets were rated, on average, as more attractive, as well as more pleasurable and less intense.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE News APP

“To our surprise, those who ate meat smelled slightly worse than when they didn’t eat meat,” Havlíček told the BBC. “It’s something that wasn’t common during our evolution, eating meat every day.”

According to Begdache, consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause odors in sweat and the gastrointestinal tract, due to a compound released by the liver called acetaldehyde.

Alcohol also dehydrates and reduces saliva flow, causing more bacteria to infect the mouth and increasing the risk of bad breath.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

For coffee and tea drinkers, Beeson noted that caffeine can stimulate apocrine glands, which produce sweat in the armpits and groin, potentially resulting in stronger body odor.

Diet, hydration and the path to a fresher aroma

In an interview with News Digital, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein noted that specific diets, such as keto, can cause “smelly, metallic” breath.

This can occur when someone follows a diet high in fat, moderate in protein, and low or no carbohydrates.

“When the body breaks down fat for energy in a state of ketosis, it naturally produces different chemicals, including acetone, also known as nail polish remover,” she said, which is how many people describe the smell when following a strict ketogenic diet.

TRY OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Muhlstein reiterated that bad breath is often caused by odorous bacteria, so consuming probiotic-rich foods that improve the microbiome in your mouth and body, such as yogurt and kefir, can help.

“To our surprise, those who ate meat smelled a little worse than when they didn’t eat meat.”

Staying hydrated is also key to suppressing unpleasant odors, according to the expert.

“Bad breath and body odor could be a sign of dehydration because the bacteria in the body are more concentrated and therefore smell more, so drinking more water and staying hydrated with electrolytes can help,” he said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

“Adding things like mint leaves or ginger to water can have additional benefits, because they can add more antimicrobial elements and provide a fresh aroma.”