The average person flatulates 14 times a day, but it doesn’t stop
there. Breath, sweat, skin oil and more contribute to the cocktail of odors we
carry around with us through life. And probably the biggest determining factor
on our aroma is diet.

This doesn’t just mean
garlic and beans (though it does mean garlic and beans). It’s not just about
avoiding smelly food. The balance of minerals and vitamins in your body affect the smells your body produces day to day, and there are actually foods you can eat to improve the overall way you smell.

Bad: Cabbage (rich in sulfur)

When digested, sulfur-rich
foods produce hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide smells bad when it... leaves the body. Sulfur is necessary for many processes within the body, and you can’t really (and shouldn’t try to) avoid eating it. But knowing when not to eat it—say, before your date on Friday—can help.

Bodies produce a lot of smells.

The average person flatulates...

Bodies produce a lot of
smells.
The average person... Photo-4769020.64322 - SFGate

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Good: Raw nuts (high in zinc)

Zinc is essential for
many processes within the body, helping to carry signals between cells and
keeping (in particular) our metabolism running smoothly by regulating insulin.
An efficient engine means less exhaust. But by keeping your system balanced,
zinc will also improve your overall smell—down to the odor of your sweat. Oddly enough, Zinc also helps improve our sense of smell and taste. So not only will you smell better, but you’ll smell better too.

Trimethylamine is a common little organic compound with a powerful “fishy” odor. It’s produced when a body breaks down eggs. It’s not news that eggs spike flatulence with a mean little punch, but now at least you know why. Some people even have a genetic disorder that keeps them from being able to process trimethylamine at all, making the problem even worse.

You probably would have loved an excuse like this when your mom used to tell you to eat your cauliflower. Now you have a good reason to avoid it; or at least, to avoid it before that big presentation. The enemy
again is sulfur, the essential but smelly element.

Red meat makes people smell worse. A study published in a 2006 issue of the Oxford journal “Chemical Senses” showed that participants ranked the overall body odor
produced by meat eaters as more offensive than that of vegetarians.

Spices like curry and cumin can leave their odor in your pores for days. While not “bad” smells exactly, like flatulence or pungent sweat, these foods can certainly change the way you smell. Additionally, spicy foods increase perspiration in general—so however you smell, you’ll be smelling more.