Many people are concerned about how they smell. It's natural that you'd want to generally smell pleasantly and that you might be a little bit embarrassed if there are any less-than-pleasant odors wafting off your body. Just like foods can affect the way that your breath smells or the way that your sweat might smell, they can also potentially have an effect on the way that you smell down there. The foods that cause body odor below the waist are, in many cases, foods (and beverages) that your might associate with changes in the way that your breath smells, for instance. If it affects one, chances are fairly good that it might affect the other.
Though many people find it embarrassing when their breath smells or fret about how their vagina or general ladyparts area might smell, particularly if it's not so good, generally speaking, the way that your vagina might smell is not something about which you need to worry. Unless it smells particularly fishy or like garbage, it's probably not that big of a deal — it's not supposed to smell like flowers or perfume. That being said, if you're stressed about it and think there just might be something wrong, talking to your doctor about what's going on and why you're worried might help. They can help determine if you have some sort of infection or anything else that might need to be addressed. Otherwise, drinking lots of water and eating a healthy, varied, well-balanced diet might be able to help get rid of any less-than-desirable scents, regardless of from where they might be emanating.
1Onions
Onions are one such food that might affect the way that you smell down there. Medical News Today noted that onions are just one food that can change the smell of bodily fluids, which are why they can potentially cause some below the waist body odor.
2Asparagus
You might already know that asparagus can sometimes affect the way that urine smells after someone eats it, but you may not have realized that it might also have an affect on vaginal scent. In an interview with Women's Health, Dr. Mary Rosser, MD, PhD, an OB/GYN, said that asparagus is one of the foods that can disrupt the "balance" of your vagina, which is why it can have an effect on the way that you smell.
3Coffee
It might be surprising to hear that all that coffee you're guzzling throughout your day could actually potentially have an effect on the way that you smell, but the previously-mentioned article from Medical News Today argued that coffee is yet another food that can change your bodily odors. That might be another reason to make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day as well as all that coffee.
4Garlic
Just as garlic can wreak havoc on your breath, it can also potentially change the way your body smells, which you may have already known if you've ever spent time with someone the morning after they ate a particularly garlicky meal. In an interview with Bustle, Dr. Nicole Scott, OB/GYN, said that foods that make your breath smell can also change the way that your vagina smells. If it noticeably affects one, it might affect the other.
5Curry & Spices
Curry and spices might also affect your below-the-waist body odor. In an interview with BuzzFeed, Dr. Djinge Lindsay, MD, MPH, a family physician, noted that since those foods can have pungent odors, that can potentially change the way that you smell down there. But Lindsay also noted that much of the research regarding this isn't super extensive, which means that its true effect is a bit uncertain.
6Broccoli
Broccoli, as a cruciferous vegetable, tends to have a fairly strong scent, particularly after being cooked. Because of that, you might not be all that surprised to hear that it might also affect the way that you, yourself smell. An article from Berkeley Wellness noted that broccoli and other strong-smelling foods might have more of a negative effect than other sorts of food, according to research.
7Red Meat
As Lindsay told BuzzFeed in the aforementioned article, red meat is more alkaline, while your vagina's pH tends to be a bit more acidic, which might throw off your scent a little bit in some people. So if you smell differently after eating a bit of red meat, it might not just be your imagination.
There are tons of different things that can affect the way you smell, ranging from stress to what you eat and beyond. Drinking lots of water might help the way that you smell, but if it seems like your scent is off somehow or isn't going away, talking to your doctor about potential causes might help alleviate any stress or embarrassment you may experience.
