Dietitian reveals 4 foods that can 'neutralise' body odour
Topics: Health
Faima Bakar
Featured Image Credit: PeopleImages/Getty Images
Topics: Health
They say you are what you eat (so, a snack?) but not all food is created equal. Since the days of Jamie Oliver hammering home the message of healthy eating, Brits have been acutely aware of all the fruits and veggies we should be consuming.
And while we all know the effects of eating healthily - or unhealthily - on our body, have we considered its effect on other things? Smell, for example?
And no, we don't mean how asparagus supposedly makes your urine smell, or even the myth about pineapple making semen taste better...
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One dietician has shared that certain foods can make our body odour worse while conversely, others can make us smell better.
Erin Palinski-Wade, a dietician from New Jersey, U.S, revealed that there are four common foods that can give off an odour which might not be so pleasant.
She revealed that these are fish, spices, vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, and red meat.
“Some spicy foods are known to increase body odour due to their sulphur-containing compounds and specific metabolites,” Erin told Fox News Digital.
“When they are released, they interact with skin bacteria, resulting in specific odours.”
If you're noticing that you are causing a bit of a funk after you eat these meals, there are things you can do. Eric added: "You may be able to improve body odour by reducing sulphur-rich foods, cutting down on red meat or excessively spicy foods, and increasing your intake of water, fruits and vegetables."
In some cases, if you smell fishy after eating fish, it can be due a condition, trimethylaminuria, where the body converts a seafood byproduct called choline into a fishy-smelling compound called trimethylamine. This compound moves through the body and is released through the breath and skin, hence why you may smell 'fishy'.
Equally, Erin said you could make sure you always smell good by eating food that can improve body odour, with four things in particular that she backs.
She said: "Foods like apples, leafy greens, yogurt and green tea may help to neutralise odour-causing compounds and support beneficial gut bacteria, which can reduce unpleasant body odours."
And there are other things you can do, she added: "Staying well-hydrated and focusing on supporting metabolic health by improving quality sleep, reducing stress". There are of course tried and tested methods too, like showering regularly, applying deodorant, you know all the classics.