Women's Health

Foods That Keep Your Vagina Smelling Right (And The Ones That Don’t)

While using the right products definitely plays a part in the sensational scent or unforgiving odor between your legs, an even bigger factor are the foods that you eat. Yes, you are what you eat, and sometimes you even smell like what you eat… even down there, boo. And it's the foods with the strongest odors that are the biggest culprits.

But it doesn't have to be all bad. Just like there are foods that make your vagina smell bad, there are also quite a few that give it a refreshing scent. But before we start, just know I'm not telling you how your vagina should smell. I'm just letting you know the impact certain foods have on it.

So, let's explore both sides, shall we?

Foods That Make Your Vagina Smell Good

Pineapple

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I figured we could start off with the obvious one. It hasn't been scientifically proven, but there are enough songs about the fact that eating pineapples provides an enjoyable scent down there. Now, I can't say when and how many pineapples you would need to eat for it to start making a difference, but trust, over time, it will. And you and anyone who has any interaction with your vagina will be happy about it. The same goes for other citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit thanks to their natural sugars.

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Green Vegetables

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Unlike cinnamon and pineapple, while green vegetables don't necessarily taste or smell great themselves, they can do wonders for the scent of your vagina. Celery in particular has lots of water and Vitamin C, so it can help get rid of some of that extra bacteria. Sweet potatoes are also great for your vagina's scent and general health. Keep in mind this point is for celery and leafy greens like spinach. Broccoli and asparagus are not included in this list. They are the devil when it comes to making your vagina (and even your pee) smell bad.

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Peppermint

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Peppermint is another one in the herb and spice category that is a miracle worker for your vagina and its odor. It's one of the few foods with a strong smell that doesn't make your vagina or anyone who comes close to it give you the side eye. It's also a great substitute if you don't like cinnamon. I haven't tried this myself yet but word is, rinsing your vagina with mint tea weekly is a secret that keeps it smelling and feeling fresh regularly. Other go-to spices that will be friendly to your vagina are nutmeg, parsley, and even wheatgrass.

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Yogurt

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While most dairy products are said to be terrible for your vagina's odor (more on that later), yogurt is the exception to that rule of thumb. It has tons of good bacteria that helps your vagina operate the way it should. It also helps your vagina steer clear of any nasty infections and keeps the equilibrium of the pH balance on track. Ultimately, yogurt doesn't only make the smell (and the taste... cha-ching) of your vagina better, it improves its overall health, which is pretty difficult for just any food to accomplish.

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Foods That Make Your Vagina Smell Bad

Fish

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It probably shouldn't be your favorite dish. Not unless you want your vagina to smell like it. And anyone who has heard about any joke about a vagina smelling, knows that fish is somewhere in the punchline. It has such a bad rap for vaginal health, which it has definitely earned. Seafood is just not the move for those who want their vagina smelling right. I'm not saying give up fish, or any of the foods on the negative end of this list. But you should definitely consider the portions you're taking in and how it can impact your vagina's odor.

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Junk Food

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This one hurt a little bit. Who knew junk food gives your vagina an odor? Yes, processed snacks, simple sugars, and even white flour has a negative impact on how your vagina will smell; especially the sugar. Apparently, yeast is a huge fan of sugar. And since our vaginas aren't fans of yeast, we should really consider consuming sugary foods at a minimum. The same goes for fried foods like fried chicken and French fries as they have been known to increase the chance of bacterial vaginosis. And while BV is completely normal, if you can prevent or reduce it by monitoring your diet, junk food and fried foods might be the ones you want to take a look at first.

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Red Meat

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Considering fish is also on the list, of course you don't have to be an all-out vegetarian to stop your vagina from having an odor. Again, it's all about portions and the amount you choose to intake. Anyway, the issue with red meat is that it makes you sweat more, and when you sweat more, you smell more. It's the circle of life. You might not realize the impact of red meat immediately, but it certainly has an effect on the sweat glands down there, and not in a good way girl. Plus, eating red meat completely messes up your pH balance, and we know we can't have that.

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Caffeine & Alcohol

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This one might be the most difficult for you ladies who are loyal to their morning cup of coffee and evening glass of wine. Thanks to their strong smells, coffee and alcohol don't have the best influence on your vagina's odor. The cool thing is that water actually has a great impact on your vagina's odor, so you can always replace coffee and wine with water. Of course, good old H2O isn't nearly as fun as coffee or alcohol, but on those days you want to make sure vagina is on point more than usual, you might have to embrace a bottle of water instead of a coffee mug.

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Garlic

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Once again, it is garlic's very heavy and strong smell that causes the vagina to smell… not so great. I'm pretty sure this is stating the obvious, but this also goes for onions and curry. While there hasn't been a ton of research done on the direct impact of garlic, it is known that garlic effects the body odor, including the vagina's scent. Garlic also has the reputation of making your pee smell too. So it's pretty much a lose-lose with this vegetable. But if you're a garlic fanatic, especially when it comes to foods like garlic bread and pasta, just watch that intake.

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Related Stories:

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My Vaginal Health Was Out of Wack Until I Made This Change to My Diet - Read More

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