Body odor is a very sensitive issue and most of us spend countless amounts on perfumes and deodorants that can mask the odor that emanates from our body. It is the apocrine glands that are present in the underarm region, scalp and genital area that causes fatty perspiration that when bacteria act on this fatty sweat, the result is body odor. There are several foods that cause body odor and must be avoided by those who sweat profusely and smell bad. Though these foods may be healthy, they could add to your woes and increase body odor. The foods that make you a little bad are red meat, processed foods, garlic, high fibre diet, low fibre diet, low carb diet, dairy products, beverages, choline rich foods, baked products, trimethylamine foods, etc.
Red meat
Red meat is a heavy food and takes a long time to digest as well. This causes the digestive process to slow down and results in the decaying of food particles in the stomach. The undigested food particles putrefy and release unpleasant gases and toxins which linger in your digestive tract, breath and body, causing bad breath, body odor and indigestion as well. Flatulence is another major problem caused by the intake of red meat in great amounts. Therefore, it is best avoided by people who sweat profusely and those who have problems with digestion. Red meat is also high in fat and is not recommended for daily consumption.
Processed and junk foods
Processed food and junk food contain huge quantities of sugar, salt, trans fat, preservatives, refined flour, hydrogenated oils, etc. to mention a few that cause rotting of food particles inside the body and resultant body odor and bad breath. These foods are also difficult to digest and lead to indigestion and many other stomach problems. Processed and junk foods also release toxins and hence not good for the overall health of a person. Stay away from such foods if you suffer from excessive sweat and body odor. Add more whole grains and whole wheat to your diet to combat body odor.
Garlic
Garlic is a medicinal bulb with amazing healing and anti bacterial properties that make it an excellent addition to your daily diet. Unfortunately, the pungent and offensive smell of garlic puts us off and we would rather avoid this wonderful bulb in our diet. Garlic produces sulphurous gases during the digestion process and these gases are absorbed by the blood and released into the lungs and pores, releasing it through our breath and sweat. The smell of garlic can last for several days in a person’s body and therefore, if you have body odor and bad breath, avoid garlic completely in your diet.
High fiber diet
We have been brought up with the belief that fiber is good for our body and can cure a number of digestive problems including constipation. But too much fiber can cause a whole lot of problems including body odor. Foods that are high in soluble fiber like vegetables, fruits, legumes, beans, whole grains, etc., cause the release of gases like methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide into the large intestine during the digestion process. This will lead to body odor and also bad breath. Keep the fiber content neither too low, nor too high to balance the impact on your digestive system.
Low fiber diet
While fiber is good for your digestion process, its intake must be controlled in such a way that it is neither too high nor too low. A diet that is very low in fiber can cause body odor due to several reasons. The food that is left in the intestine will start releasing methane in the absence of enough fiber and the stool will be hard and constipated, causing difficulty in passing stool and putrefaction of food materials in the intestine due to poor excretion. This will cause bad breath and also body odor.
Low carb diet
Carbohydrates that are energy giving foods may cause obesity if taken without monitoring. Therefore, we always look at them with a certain amount of suspicion. However, when it comes to controlling body odor, carbohydrates score high and are high on the chart. When you are on a low carbohydrate diet, you tend to increase the protein intake and this will lead to the body burning the fat reserves for production of energy. This process will lead to the release of ketones in your blood stream and our mouth as well as body will start emanating bad odor as a result.
Dairy products
Whilst calcium from the diary products is essential for stronger bones and teeth, excess intake of dairy products can cause body odor and bad breath. This is because dairy products are also very high in proteins and during the digestion process, these proteins lead to the breaking down of the bacteria present in the stomach, leading to the release of sulphur compounds. The compounds like hydrogen sulphide and methyl mercaptan are highly volatile and release bad breath and cause body odor as well. Limit the intake of dairy products and change to healthy options like yoghurt instead.
Beverages
Beverages like coffee, alcohol, etc. can cause your mouth to smell really bad and also lead to body odor. Intake of coffee causes bad breath as the acidity of coffee is much higher as compared to the acidity of saliva. This will cause the bacteria to act on the saliva and cause bad breath. Drinking alcohol will cause the alcoholic content to leak into your sweat and also breath and this can cause foul smelling odor which can be difficult to camouflage. Therefore, if you want to avoid body odor and bad breath, avoid these beverages entirely.
Choline rich foods
Choline is a component that is found in eggs, nut, liver, fish, etc. It is not easily digestible and hence can putrefy and can release a fishy odor in your sweat and breath. For people who are prone to body odor and excessive sweating, eating choline rich foods can cause the problem to aggravate and cause foul smelling gases to be produced in the intestine, which will reach the sweat and breath as well. Avoid choline rich foods to smell fresh and sweet.