Every individual possesses a distinct and complex scent profile, akin to a biological fingerprint. This is constantly being shaped by a vast array of factors. According to Craig Roberts, a professor of social psychology at the University of Stirling in Scotland, our personal aroma is profoundly influenced by everything from our genes, hormones, and overall health to specific psychological traits like extroversion or dominance. However, a growing body of research suggests that a highly controllable and significant influence on the way we smell is the food we consume. This dietary impact not only shifts our general aroma but also affects how we are perceived by others. There is a surprising effect on our perceived attractiveness. Recent diet body odor attraction research delves deeper into understanding this intriguing connection.
On a physiological level, food components affect our body odor through two main routes: the gastrointestinal tract and the skin. During digestion, gut bacteria metabolize food, releasing volatile molecules that can lead to bad breath, or halitosis. Simultaneously, metabolized chemical components from food travel through the bloodstream. They are eventually excreted via the skin through perspiration, where they interact with bacteria to create a unique scent. While many foods contribute, those with the most pungent results often contain sulfur. Surprisingly, some studies indicate these odorous, sulfur-based compounds can have an unexpected positive effect on how pleasant our scent appears.
The Paradoxical Appeal of Sulfur-Rich Foods
The effect of sulfur-rich foods, particularly members of the allium family like garlic and onions, presents a compelling paradox in the science of human attraction. When metabolized by the body, these vegetables break down into distinct compounds such as diallyl disulfide and allyl methyl sulfide. These chemicals are then emitted by the body, affecting both breath and sweat. Foods like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower—while healthy diet staples—are also heavily packed with these sulphurous compounds. They can often produce a smell reminiscent of rotting eggs when interacting with skin bacteria. Despite the strong odor, multiple studies suggest that consuming a lot of garlic makes men’s armpit sweat more attractive and more pleasant to women rating the scents.
Scientists, including Jan Havlíček who studies human ethology at Charles University in the Czech Republic, speculate that this unexpected positive effect may be linked to garlic’s antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. This suggests a healthier body scent is being communicated. The consumption of fruits and vegetables more broadly has been linked to a more appealing scent. A 2017 study found that men who ate more produce were associated with smelling “more fruity, floral, and sweet.” Furthermore, consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoid—the molecule found in carrots, pumpkins, and papayas—has also been found to be attractive. This is due to the slightly yellower, healthier-looking skin tone it imparts. Details on the biochemical pathways of digestion and metabolism can be researched further at the National Institutes of Health website.
Meat, Alcohol, and the Smell of Diet
Dietary choices extending beyond vegetables also create distinct and measurable effects on body odor. Meat and fish, rich in animal proteins, are broken down into amino acids and fats. When excreted through sweat, they interact with skin bacteria. Fish and beans, in particular, contain trimethylamine, a powerful smelling compound. In rare cases, it can lead to a condition called trimethylaminuria (or “fish odor syndrome”) if the body cannot properly metabolize the compound. More commonly, a 2006 study by Havlíček’s team found that men who consumed a non-meat diet for two weeks produced body odor that was, on average, rated by women as more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense than the odor produced while they were on a meat-heavy diet.
This unexpected finding highlights that the sheer quantity of meat common in modern industrial society may negatively impact one’s natural aroma. Separately, the consumption of alcohol also causes a distinct smell from both the gastrointestinal tract and the sweat glands. As the liver processes alcohol, it releases acetaldehyde, a toxic and volatile compound with a strong, stale scent. Moreover, alcohol causes dehydration and reduces saliva flow. This fosters bacteria growth that prolongs bad breath.
Even caffeine found in coffee and tea can stimulate the apocrine glands. This increases sweat production in areas like the armpits and groin, thus providing a more favorable environment for odor-causing bacteria. Research into the specific compounds causing these scent effects is often published in journals like the Journal of Chemical Ecology.
Fasting, Carbs, and the Complexity of Human Pheromones
The relationship between diet, scent, and attraction is complex, often yielding surprising and sometimes contradictory results. This emphasizes the vast variability in human biology. For example, while one study showed that carb-heavy diets produced the least sexy scents, another experiment conducted by Havlíček’s team found that women who fasted for 48 hours had sweat that was rated as more attractive than those who ate normally. However, this finding is immediately complicated by another study. It indicated fasting made people’s breath smell worse.
The constant scientific surprise in these areas demonstrates that there is no single, simple formula governing how food intake translates to perceived human attractiveness. Researchers acknowledge that odor is just one subtle cue among a “vast range of factors” that influence attraction. These factors include visual presentation, behavior, and vocal tone. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to isolate the pure effect of smell. However, the consistent thread throughout the research is that odor “almost certainly has an important influence on social interaction,” confirming that our diet is a powerful and subtle tool for chemical communication. Understanding these subtle biological interactions helps clarify the deep evolutionary role of smell.
Detailed information on human ethology and chemical communication can be found through resources provided by the International Society for Human Ethology. For general dietary guidelines that can impact overall health and potentially body odor, reliable information is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
