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Home > Nutrition > 10 Foods That Cause Bad Breath and Bad Odor

10 Foods That Cause Bad Breath and Bad Odor

July 5, 2022 - Updated on January 3, 2023
6 min read
By Sarita Sanke, MD | Dermatology

The food you eat plays a major role in the maintenance of your overall health. It is no surprise then that it also contributes to body odor and bad breath. (1)

avoid these foods that can make you stink

Read on to learn more about what food items to avoid to smell fresh always. (2)

Common Foods and Drinks That Cause a Stinky Smell and How to Avoid Them

Most odors caused by food are due to the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they contain. Excessive consumption of some foods may trigger the release of these volatile compounds through your sweat and breath.

Here are a few of these odor-causing foods:

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1. Onions

consuming onions regularly can lead to bad breath

Onions (Allium cepa) are a common ingredient in many dishes around the world. They are well known for their strong flavors and ability to induce tears. This is due to the high amounts of volatile organic compounds present in them.

While onions may contain several antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds beneficial for their body, eating them regularly may lead to bad breath. (3)

You may want to chew gum or mint after eating onions to prevent bad breath. (4)

2. Garlic

garlic consumption in excess can make you smell bad

Garlic is filled with sulfurous odor-causing compounds that can make you smell bad. In fact, garlic smell is hard to get rid of for quite a few hours – even lasting a day!

You can drink green tea or mint juice after consuming garlic to neutralize its odor. This may not get rid of it completely, but it helps reduce the smell. (5)

3. Cruciferous vegetables

eating cruciferous vegetables can cause smelly farts

Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage are notorious for causing smelly farts. It is best to eat them in moderate amounts.

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Some people may also experience gas troubles after consuming these vegetables, and if you are one of them, it is best to avoid them altogether. (6)

You may chew a piece of gum to reduce bad breath from cruciferous vegetables. (7)

4. Asparagus

asparagus consumption can impart a strange smell to your urine

Asparagus does not necessarily have a very strong odor, but certain compounds in asparagus can give a sweet but unnatural smell to your urine, which some people may find off-putting. (8)

Try taking a vitamin C pill after eating asparagus to neutralize the odor. (9)(10)

5. Red meat

eating red meats can lead to release of foul odor from body

Red meat also contains lots of sulfurous compounds. These compounds are broken down in the digestive system and can lead to a release of foul odor from your fart and poop.

At times, excessive consumption of red meat can also cause body odor as sulfur is released via your sweat.

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Eat red meat in moderate amounts only, and do not overindulge to prevent such occurrences. (11)

6. Fish

eating fishes can cause a fishy odor in your breath and sweat

Fish is well known for its classic ammonia smell. This is due to a compound called trimethylamine N-oxide. (12)

Trimethylamine N-oxide can accumulate in the body in some people and cause a fishy odor in their breath and sweat. (13) This disorder is called trimethylaminuria. (14)

7. Alcohol

avoid alcohol consumption as it can lead to bad breath

Alcohol is a major cause of bad breath in people who drink it every day. The alcohol is converted to acetic acid in the body, which causes the weird sweet smell on your breath. (15)

8. Coffee

coffee consumption can lead to bad breath in the long run

Coffee consumption can cause dental issues, which can lead to bad breath in the long run. It also dries your mouth out, which can be a contributor to smelly breath. (16)(17)

Drink water as soon as you finish your coffee to reduce the dryness in your mouth.

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9. Dairy products

avoid dairy products as it can lead to a bad body odor

Dairy, when broken down by the body, produces hydrogen sulfide, which has a very powerful rotten eggs smell. Also, fungal agents such as mold can easily proliferate on dairy and can lead to a bad odor emanating from the body when consumed. Avoid eating dairy products that have been stored for too long. (18)

10. Cumin and curry powder

cumin and curry powder usage can lead to bad body odor

Cumin and curry powder (curry powders usually consist of turmeric, cumin, ginger, and black pepper and sometimes garlic which causes strong pungent smell) are widely used in a variety of Asian dishes. However, they are also known to cause a “curry” body odor when eaten in excess.

Try drinking parsley water or mint water after eating cumin or curry dishes to reduce this smell. (19)

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Final Word

Bad breath and body odor are embarrassing conditions to suffer from and can negatively affect your social life. Maintaining proper hygiene, showering and brushing your teeth regularly, and avoiding odorous foods can go a long way in maintaining a fresh smell.

References
  1. Analysis of volatile organic compounds released during food decaying … https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272622041/.
  2. Smelling sickness. National Institutes of Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/09/smelling-sickness. Published October 1, 2018.
  3. Løkke MM, Edelenbos M, Larsen E, Feilberg A. Investigation of volatiles emitted from freshly cut onions (Allium cepa L.) by real time proton-transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). Sensors (Basel). 2012;12(12):16060-16076. Published 2012 Nov 22. doi:10.3390/s121216060.
  4. Mitra J, Shrivastava SL, Rao PS. Onion dehydration: a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2012;49(3):267-277. doi:10.1007/s13197-011-0369-1.
  5. Mirondo R, Barringer S. Deodorization of Garlic Breath by Foods, and the Role of Polyphenol Oxidase and Phenolic Compounds. J Food Sci. 2016;81(10):C2425-C2430. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.13439.
  6. Mackay RJ, McEntyre CJ, Henderson C, Lever M, George PM. Trimethylaminuria: causes and diagnosis of a socially distressing condition. Clin Biochem Rev. 2011;32(1):33-43.
  7. Frank D, Piyasiri U, Archer N, Jenifer J, Appelqvist I. Influence of saliva on individual in-mouth aroma release from raw cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra L.) and links to perception [published correction appears in Heliyon. 2019 Mar 07;5(3):e01258]. Heliyon. 2018;4(12):e01045. Published 2018 Dec 20. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e01045.
  8. Pegiou E, Mumm R, Acharya P, de Vos RCH, Hall RD. Green and White Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis): A Source of Developmental, Chemical and Urinary Intrigue. Metabolites. 2019;10(1):17. Published 2019 Dec 25. doi:10.3390/metabo10010017.
  9. Mogilnicka I, Bogucki P, Ufnal M. Microbiota and Malodor-Etiology and Management. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(8):2886. Published 2020 Apr 20. doi:10.3390/ijms21082886.
  10. Brouwer-Brolsma EM, Brandl B, Buso MEC, Skurk T, Manach C. Food intake biomarkers for green leafy vegetables, bulb vegetables, and stem vegetables: a review. Genes Nutr. 2020;15(1):7. Published 2020 Apr 9. doi:10.1186/s12263-020-00667-z.
  11. Havlicek J, Lenochova P. The effect of meat consumption on body odor attractiveness. Chem Senses. 2006;31(8):747-752. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjl017.
  12. Trimethylaminuria. NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/trimethylaminuria/. Published October 21, 2020.
  13. Mohri S, Kanauchi M. Isolation of Lactic Acid Bacteria Eliminating Trimethylamine (TMA) for Application to Fishery Processing. Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1887:109-117. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-8907-2_10.
  14. Messenger J, Clark S, Massick S, Bechtel M. A review of trimethylaminuria: (fish odor syndrome). J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2013;6(11):45-48.
  15. Suzuki N, Yoneda M, Naito T, et al. The relationship between alcohol consumption and oral malodour. Int Dent J. 2009;59(1):31-34.
  16. Han K, Hwang E, Park JB. Association between Consumption of Coffee and the Prevalence of Periodontitis: The 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0158845. Published 2016 Jul 7. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158845.
  17. Gov Y, Sterer N, Rosenberg M. In vitro effect of coffee on oral malodor-related parameters. J Breath Res. 2010;4(2):026004. doi:10.1088/1752-7155/4/2/026004.
  18. Garnier L, Valence F, Mounier J. Diversity and Control of Spoilage Fungi in Dairy Products: An Update. Microorganisms. 2017;5(3):42. Published 2017 Jul 28. doi:10.3390/microorganisms5030042.
  19. Yoshioka Y, Matsumura S, Morimoto M. Deodorant Activity of Black Cumin Seed Essential Oil against Garlic Organosulfur Compound. Biomolecules. 2021;11(12):1874. Published 2021 Dec 14. doi:10.3390/biom11121874.
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