1. Red meat

 

In a 2006 study published in Chemical Senses, women rated vegetarian¹ men's perspiration² samples as overwhelmingly more attractive, as opposed to those who had recently consumed red meat. Because red meat is harder to digest, it leaves behind residue⁴ in the digestive tract³ that eventually mingles⁶ with bacteria, and then is released in your sweat.

 

2. Alcohol

 

According to Berkeley Wellness, when you consume alcohol, most of it is metabolized by the liver into acetic⁷ acid. However, a bit of that alcohol is released through your sweat and your breath. This smell is worse the more you drink.

 

3. Fish

 

As most of us know, fish is seriously great for your health and contains glorious amounts of omega-3s, aka the "good" fat. The downside? A 2007 report in the JAMA Network found that people with an unpleasant body odor tested positive for an inability to break down the food-derived compound (trimethylamine). Folks with this metabolic⁸ disorder⁹ -- called trimethylaminuria -- will develop a fishy¹⁰ odor when they eat fish and other high-protein foods.

 

4. Cruciferous vegetables

 

Despite their health benefits, vegetables that are in the Brassicafamily -- cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli¹¹, for example -- contain high levels of sulfur¹². This chemical has a naturally unappealing smell that can worsen your odor. The pungent¹³ aroma¹⁴ will escape through your breath, sweat, and, yep, gas. This doesn't mean you should snub these veggies altogether; boiling them removes most of the stench. You can also add spices like coriander, turmeric, and caraway to level out the sulfuric scent¹⁵.

 

5. Asparagus

 

Asparagus is mostly known for making urine smell terrible. Often compared to boiled cabbage, this scent is the result of your body breaking down the sulfuric compound, mercaptan, which can cause your body odor to suffer as well.

 

6. Curry¹⁶ and cumin

 

You may want to think twice before ordering the tikka masala: Strong spices such as curry and cumin can wreak¹⁷ havoc¹⁸ on your body's natural odor, according to Medical Daily. This advice rings even truer for pregnant moms; a prenatal diet that regularly includes spices like curry and cumin could possibly affect a newborn's body odor.

 

7. Coffee

 

The diuretic nature of coffee dries out the mouth, which harbors the growth of bacteria and creates an universally unpleasant smell. According to Andrew Weil, MD, this can extend to your body odor as well. Stimulants¹⁹ like coffee increase the activity of apocrine sweat glands²⁰.

 

8. Garlic

 

It's safe to say that you don't have to be an expert nutritionist to know that garlic stinks²¹. This stench can be chalked up to allicin, another sulfuric compound that is released when garlic is cut or crushed. After consumption, it quickly breaks down in the body and converts to other odiferous substances that mingle⁵ with bacteria and seep²² out in your sweat. However, some recent studies have actually indicated that this smell may be construed²³ as sexy by some.