Body odour is defined by three factors, genetics, overall health and personal hygiene. However, it turns out that your diet, or at least some foods, may also affect body odour. What you eat can directly affect how you smell, in more ways than just your breath. Scientifically speaking, it also depends on how your body metabolises the foods you have consumed. Moreover, when your body temperature rises as a result of stress, anxiety or just excessive heat, it activates your sweat glands, producing odourless sweat. Many factors affect this process, including your diet. Here are 7 foods that impact and influence how your body smells.
1. Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli can affect the body odour due to the presence of sulphur compounds. These compounds are absorbed in the body and secreted through sweat. In fact, your odour may change for the worse one hour after consuming these vegetables. In order to reduce this effect, all you need to do is to parboil these vegetables in water and add a dash of salt. This process will be able to remove odour-producing compounds, including sulphur while retaining their beneficial nutrients.
(Also read: How To Prevent Body Odour Naturally?)
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli can affect the body odour
2. Red meat
According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the body odours of the participants who ate vegetarian foods were attractive, more pleasant and less intense, while the ones who consumed red meat had a negative impact on the body odour. Perhaps it has to do with how red meat is digested in the body, but studies show that people who are prone to unpleasant body odour could do better by bringing in more vegetables into their diet.
3. Alcohol
According Berkeley Wellness, University of California, most of the alcohol that we drink is generally metabolised in the liver into acetic acid, while some of it is released through your sweat and the respiratory system. Now you know, it is not just your breath that stinks of alcohol the day after, but also your body.
Most of the alcohol that we drink is generally metabolised in the liver into acetic acid
4. Spices including cumin, fenugreek
Widely used spices like cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds may enhance the flavour of your curries, but may also wreak havoc on your body’s natural odour by staying in your pores for more than just one day. The sweat that secretes from your pores is then bound to smell of these spices.
5. Fish oil
According to a report published in the journal Experimental Dermatology in 2012, certain chemicals linked to body odour were caused by specific foods, which may include fish oil. The presence of choline, which is a member of B-complex vitamin family that is found in these fish, delivers a natural fishy smell.
The presence of choline, which is a member of B-complex vitamin may cause odour
6. Tomatoes
According to a study published in the journal Medical Hypotheses, tomatoes may be the hidden culprits that are affecting your body odour; thanks to the chemical called terepenes that boost the pungent smell of your sweaty skin folds.
7. Garlic
As per a study published in the Journal of Food Science, garlic can ooze out stink from your skin, due to the presence of allicin, a sulphur compound that is released whengarlic is crushed or cut. Allicin tends to break down quickly after consumption and converts into other substances that cause bacteria to mix with sweat and this may result in a strong body odour.
Allicin tends to break down quickly after consumption
While these foods may be responsible for your body odour, it is also important to take care of your personal hygiene for avoiding unpleasant odour. Make sure you intake of water is adequate too.
[“Source-ndtv”]
