What can I eat to smell and taste good? The diet-body odor connection

December 18, 2025 •

4 min read

A study from Australia's Macquarie University found that a higher intake of fruits and vegetables was significantly associated with more pleasant-smelling sweat, characterized by fruity and floral notes. This reveals how your dietary choices can directly influence what you can eat to smell and taste good.

Quick Summary

Certain foods and drinks can affect your natural body odor and taste. Incorporating nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and probiotics while limiting sulfur-rich foods, red meat, and alcohol can lead to a fresher scent by influencing internal processes.

Key Points

Eat More Fruits and Veggies: Studies show a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lead to more pleasant, floral-scented sweat.
Incorporate Probiotics: Foods like yogurt with live cultures help neutralize odor-causing sulfur compounds in your gut.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is essential for flushing toxins from your body, preventing concentrated, pungent sweat.
Reduce Red Meat: Digestion of red meat can release odor-causing amino acids, leading to a more intense body odor.
Limit Sulfur-rich Foods: Garlic, onions, and some cruciferous vegetables contain sulfur compounds that can be secreted through your pores, intensifying your scent.
Opt for Leaner Proteins: Choosing white fish or plant-based proteins over red meat is easier on your digestive system and less likely to cause a strong odor.

The Science Behind Your Scent

Your body's unique scent is a complex mix of genetics, hygiene, lifestyle, and diet. While sweat itself is odorless, the bacteria on your skin's surface break down its components, producing odor. Your diet plays a crucial role by influencing the chemical composition of your sweat and how efficiently your body eliminates toxins. This is why eating certain foods can cause a stronger scent, while others promote a milder or even more pleasant aroma.

How Diet Affects Body Odor

The digestive process breaks down food into various compounds. Some of these, like volatile sulfur compounds found in garlic and onions, are absorbed into the bloodstream and later released through your lungs and pores. Similarly, the amino acids in red meat can produce residue that intensifies body odor as it interacts with skin bacteria during perspiration. Maintaining a balanced diet rich in detoxifying and antioxidant-rich foods can help your body's natural systems function optimally, flushing out unwanted compounds and contributing to a fresher overall scent.

Foods to Include for a Fresher Scent

Focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods can have a positive impact on your body odor and overall well-being. Incorporate the following categories into your diet:

Fruits and Vegetables

Citrus Fruits: Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits contain citric acid and powerful antioxidants that help flush toxins from the body.
Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and other greens are high in chlorophyll, a natural deodorizer that can neutralize odor-causing compounds.
Apples: High in fiber, apples aid digestion and act as a natural breath freshener.
Pineapple: This fruit's refreshing qualities and antioxidants can contribute to a sweeter-smelling body scent.
Celery: Contains pheromone-like compounds (androstenone and androstenol) that may make sweat more attractive.

Herbs and Spices

Parsley: Contains chlorophyll and can combat bad breath and body odors.
Mint: Helps cool the body, contains antibacterial properties, and freshens breath.
Rosemary: Like other herbs, its natural oils can help fight off odor-causing bacteria.
Cardamom: This fresh spice is known for its pleasant, aromatic properties.

Probiotics and Fiber

Yogurt: Probiotic yogurt is rich in beneficial bacteria that neutralize sulfur compounds in the gut, which can lead to unpleasant smells.
Beans and Lentils: High in fiber, these legumes facilitate digestion and efficient elimination of waste.
Green Tea: Packed with antioxidants, green tea supports detoxification and helps reduce odor-causing compounds.

Hydration

Water: Staying well-hydrated is one of the simplest and most effective ways to combat body odor. Water flushes out toxins and keeps your sweat diluted, preventing concentrated, pungent smells. Infusing water with lemon or cucumber can offer added benefits.

Foods That Can Worsen Body Odor

Limiting or avoiding certain foods is just as important as increasing your intake of fresher alternatives.

Sulfur-rich Foods: Garlic, onions, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage contain sulfur compounds. While nutritious, these can be secreted through sweat and intensify your natural scent.
Red Meat: Digestion of red meat requires significant effort and can release odor-causing amino acids. Studies have shown that men on a non-meat diet had sweat judged as more attractive, pleasant, and less intense than those consuming red meat.
Alcohol and Caffeine: Alcohol is metabolized into acetic acid, which is released through your skin and breath. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, causing an increase in sweat production.
High-Carbohydrate Foods: Excessive intake of carbs can lead to stronger, less pleasant sweat, according to some research.
Processed Foods and Refined Sugar: These can negatively affect your gut bacteria balance, contributing to odor.

Dietary Effects on Body Odor Comparison


Food Group	Effects on Body Odor	Examples
Positive	Promotes fresher, milder scent; helps neutralize internal odor-causing compounds.	Fruits (citrus, pineapple, apples), leafy greens, herbs (parsley, mint), probiotics (yogurt), green tea, fiber-rich legumes.
Negative	Can cause stronger, more pungent scent; releases sulfurous or acidic compounds through sweat.	Red meat, garlic, onions, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli), alcohol, spicy foods, high-carb and processed foods.

Beyond Your Plate: Other Factors Influencing Your Scent

While diet is a powerful tool, it's part of a larger strategy for a fresher scent. Other factors include:

Personal Hygiene: Regular washing with antibacterial soap is essential to manage the bacteria on your skin that produce odor when mixed with sweat.
Gut Health: Maintaining a healthy microbiome through a diet rich in fiber and probiotics is crucial. An imbalanced gut can contribute to body odor.
Clothing: Wearing breathable fabrics like cotton can help sweat evaporate, while synthetic materials can trap moisture and promote bacterial growth.
Stress Management: Stress-induced sweat from apocrine glands can be more pungent. Managing stress can help reduce this effect.
Addressing Medical Conditions: Certain conditions like diabetes, kidney, or liver disease can affect body odor. If dietary changes aren't effective, consult a healthcare professional to rule out underlying issues.

Conclusion

Making conscious food choices is a natural and effective way to influence your body's scent and taste profile. By prioritizing fruits, vegetables, and probiotics, and limiting odor-causing foods like red meat and strong spices, you can support your body's natural detoxification processes. This, combined with proper hygiene and stress management, offers a holistic approach to feeling and smelling your best. Remember that everyone's body is different, so what works best for you may require some personal experimentation. For more on the science, check out the study on the connection between diet quality and body odor attractiveness from the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

The speed of change varies, but some individuals may notice a difference in as little as a few days to a week. Consistent dietary habits, proper hydration, and individual metabolism are all factors that influence how quickly results appear.

Complete elimination isn't necessary for most people. Moderation is key. If you find that these foods cause a noticeable body odor, you can reduce your intake or consume them less frequently.

While less scientifically studied, anecdotal evidence suggests that diets high in fruits (especially citrus and pineapple) may influence the taste of bodily fluids. Conversely, strong-smelling foods and red meat are often cited as having a negative impact.

Some studies have focused primarily on men, but the basic principles apply to both sexes. The breakdown of certain compounds and their release through sweat is a physiological process common to both, though hormonal differences can also play a role.

No, a diet change will not eliminate body odor entirely, as it is a natural biological process. However, it can significantly alter the intensity and character of your scent. Good hygiene practices remain essential.

Proper hydration is crucial for controlling body odor. Drinking enough water flushes out toxins from your system and dilutes the concentration of odorous compounds in your sweat, leading to a milder scent.

While whole foods are the primary recommendation, some people report success with supplements like chlorophyll or fenugreek, which are thought to have deodorizing properties. However, consulting a healthcare professional is recommended before starting any new supplement.