Original source :
http://www.foxnews.com
Posted : February
2012
Author : the Daily
Meal
You're sitting on a
train that’s slightly warm, packed with passengers, and suddenly you get a
whiff of "rotten egg" stench. Stop after stop,
the crowd thins out, but that onerous odor remains. You search for the offender
as subtly as you can, so you can find a seat in the opposite direction. As your
head swivels, you’re hit with that stench again, so strong you could swear it
was you. You nonchalantly
dip your head down toward your underarm - wait a minute. It is you. But you
didn't even work out today. And you took a shower this morning. And you’re
wearing deodorant.
What you eat can
directly affect how you smell, and in more ways than just your breath. Scientifically,
this boils down to the way your body metabolizes the stinky sulfur compounds
found in many foods like garlic, cumin, and asparagus. While smelling like
garlic is not new (it is said to ward off both vampires and mosquitos), the
stench of asparagus-tainted urine might not be quite as familiar and you may
not have even realized that some of the foods on our list could have this
effect on you. If you have a hot
date, an interview, or plan to be out in public, you may want to keep these
foods off the day’s menu. And if you can't, here are a few tricks to help
deodorize nasty smells.
Red Meat
In 2006,
researchers from the Czech
Republic collected
perspiration samples from meat-eating and vegetarian men. They then asked a group
of women to identify the foulest odor, based on numerous factors.
Overwhelmingly, the vegetarians’ body odor was found to be much more appealing
than the meat-eaters’.
Deodorize: A simple
way to remove potential stench is to cut out red meat all together. If a
vegetarian's life is not for you, try cutting out some meat and replace it with
seafood or veggie dinners.
Curry/Cumin
The taste of Tikka
chicken may not be worth the lingering stench that comes with it. The aromas of
spices such as curry and cumin can make a home for themselves in your pores,
and stew for days at a time.
Deodorize: Even a
brief brush with cumin can cause a lasting odor. Instead try cardamom, an
aromatic seed of a plant from the ginger family, which permeates the body
quickly and leaves a fresh aroma.
Garlic
Garlic stink oozes
from your skin because allicin, within another sulfur compound called allin, is
released when garlic is cut or crushed. Allicin breaks down quickly after
consumption and converts to other substances, which cause bacteria to mix with
sweat and results in a strong odor. However, it is said
that if you are at dinner and both you and your date consume garlic, you’ll be
less likely to notice it. (It’s up to you to take that risk.)
Deodorize: If your
underarms become some serious stinkers, apply white or cider vinegar to keep
you odor-free throughout the day.
Asparagus
The ripe smell of
asparagus crops up in a seemingly harmless way, but tell that to the guy
sharing five bathroom stalls with five other men. Asparagus makes urine stink
when the sulfur compound mercaptan breaks down in the digestive system. If
you're wondering why your urine doesn't smell after eating asparagus, it’s
because your body doesn’t possess the enzyme to break mercaptan down.
Deodorize: If
you’re afraid offending in a public restroom, try finding a tasty asparagus
alternative. Bell peppers can easily be roasted or grilled much like asparagus
without the after effects.
Cruciferous
Vegetables (Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts)
Little kids across America now
have a reason to snub some of these loathsome vegetables. These sulfur-rich
foods pack nutrients and antioxidants that may help rid the body of toxins and
carcinogenic cells, but they’re also responsible for severe smells. This stench
introduces itself in the socially-crippling form of flatulence. The sulfur in
these foods is responsible for the rotten-egg smell toots tend to leave behind.
Deodorize:
Cruciferous vegetables are vital to our health. So, when you're in the comfort
of your own home, eat those greens! You can also par-boil to remove some of the
stench before you finish cooking them. In the meantime, spices like coriander,
turmeric, and caraway will not only leave you smelling fresh, they’ll help
control your bottom.
Onions
Onions have a
daring flavor that we can't get enough of, but those around us may wish we
would cut back. After onions are digested, their pungent oils absorb into the
bloodstream, seep into your lungs, and come through your breath. The more
onions you eat, the longer you subject yourself to their offensive odor. Until
the onions leave your body, the stink won’t stop.
Deodorize: Instead
of eating them raw, try sautéeing them to let the offensive oils out. Squeeze
any excess oil out with a paper towel, and enjoy a significantly weaker smell.
High Fiber Foods
High fiber foods’
power to keep you full and fuel your day should not go unnoticed. But indulge
in any more than 5 grams of fiber (especially just before working out), and get
ready to stink the place up. Not only will your sweat reek, but you're more
likely to become bloated and gassy. High fiber foods contain gases like
hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. When they’re digested in the large
intestine, these gases release, creating fetid flatulence.
Deodorize: Drink a
glass of water, and you’ll easily balance out fiber-filled foods. Guzzle more
water to reward yourself with fresh looking - and smelling - skin as well as to
break up offensive gases.
Fenugreek
Waking up to the
smell of crackling bacon and sweet maple syrup is a comforting feeling. But
working out at the gym to the smell exuding from your underarms... not so much.
You may want to cut back on the fenugreek, an herb often found in Middle
Eastern food. Fenugreek contains an aromatic compound called solotone, which is
responsible for the sweet-smelling "perfume" your sweat emits.
Deodorize: Sure,
syrup isn't the worst thing to smell like, but days of this strong scent
lingering can grow rather nauseating. If you can't resist the taste of fenugreek,
try dabbing your offensive areas with a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice
to kill bacteria.
Durian Fruit
When you get a
whiff of durian fruit, it’s no shock that this leaves a stench in its path. A
delicacy in Southeast Asia, durian fruit is a
fleshy (yes, as in fleshy like your skin) fruit encompassed in a hard, spiky
shell. Its skin causes breath to smell unfathomably revolting. The fruit is
rich in carbohydrates, protein, fat, and sulfurous compounds, all of which
combine to cause the horrid stink. As Anthony Bourdain said, "Your breath
will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."
Deodorize:
Scientists are working on an odorless durian fruit (much to the dismay of
durian fruit fans). But if you’d rather not smell like rotting flesh, then
citrus is a great alternative. Whether you squirt it into water or a bite into
a juicy orange, your body can quickly process the citrus juices.
Coffee
This beloved
morning pick-me-up will hardly make a hot date want to pick you up. Caffeine stimulates
your central nervous system, invariably causing your sweat glands to activate.
Coffee also is highly acidic, which instantly dries your mouth out. When saliva
is lacking, bacteria grows and feeds off the sulfur compounds that create bad
breath.
Deodorize: Skip the
coffee in the morning and go for some decaffeinated herbal tea. Not only is it
a healthier choice, but it actively keeps bad breath at bay!
~Blog Admin~
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