I’m not ripping on vegetarians, first off. However I have noticed that many of them have a particular smell to them. Theother day I was at the grocery and I smelled that particular smell. I knew that there was one right behind me. Sure enough there was a couple with the “look” of vegetarian. Now don’t hijack my thread with “how do you know they are veg just from looking?”. I am wondering if there is something that a particular group of vegetarians eat that gives off that smell, because not all vegetarians smell like that. However those that do have an odor all have the same one.
Beans are a very important source of protiens that many dieticians urge vegetarians to eat to replace the protein they miss out on by not eating meat.
As you may know, beans have a distinctive effect on the lower gastrointestinal tract.
(Actually, I have no idea what the OP is talking about, and even if this question makes any sense. :dubious: )
I lived with a vegetarian for a while. The only distinctive smell I recall came from the kitchen when he was making curry… the dish contains a critical mass of tofu and exotic (to my taste) spices.
I may be completely misinformed here, but I understand that this phenomenon has been observed between groups whose diet differs generally on a national level; “Europeans find that Asians smell of curry, Asians find that Europeans smell of dairy products” is how I heard it.
Although I realise that this is at best probably a vast overgeneralisation, we are what we eat; some foods (and particularly those that have stongly flavoured volatile components) make us smell, both because the odour adheres to ourselves and our clothes when we cook, but also because the volatles (or their components) end up coming out of our pores.
Beans, beans the musical fruit. . . Well that certainly could explain the smell and “that look”.
Actually, I have allowed my honorary international membership to drop, so I’ve missed the last several annual veggie conventions, and therefore haven’t recently been around crowds of celery bitters recently.
I believe the OP has his arians mixed up. Perhaps he means veterinarians or even octogenarians. A vanload of those type folks won’t make a fun weekend that’s for sure!
Humph.
Shortly after I was inducted into the society, I was told by a member in good standing that I should prepare myself for routine olfactory assaults from proximity to meateaters. Go figure.
Alas, I’ve allowed my membership to lapse after my free one-year trial. I never smelled anything peculiar. shrug
I was thinking that perhaps there is something that vegans or vegetarians eat in significantly larger quantities that could cause them to smell different. Notice I didn’t say smell bad.
I am convinced the answer is spices and herbs. Especially garlic and curries, which can be redolent for 3 days, and seem to be more prevalent in vegetarian diets. Vegetarians, I think, tend also to take herbal supplements, such as goldenseal, echinacea, St. Johns Wort which can have subtle, distinct smells.
I had a friend who said vegetarians smelled and tasted better. However, maybe that was just an urban myth. Anyone have direct experience with intimate relations with vegetarians versus carnivores?
And it could be that they all wear patchouli perfume, or have a lingering aroma of incense. Just brainstorming here folks.
Could it be B.O.? Vegetarians may be more likely to live a “natural” lifestyle. This could mean not bathing every day, wearing clothes multiple times between washing, not using deodorant, etc. This was my observation with many of the vegetarians I have known, but it certainly doesn’t apply to all of them.
If you are referring to the counter-culture hemp-wearing earth-first variety of of vegetarian, it was probably Patchouli Oil, or some product containing patchouli. It’s been a signature scent of the hippy set for decades.
No, because the smell would vary more between individuals and probably much more offensive. The smell I’m thinking of is not necessarily a bad smell, but a distinctive one that I have only smelled on certain veggie types.
:rolleyes: Can we please redefine the question?
“Why is it that some people that Texican thinks looks like vegetarians don’t smell like other people who Texican thinks looks like vegetarians.”
I think that makes it a lot clearer that the answer lies not in comparing and contrasting anyone’s diet but in Texican mind.
That may be it, as the smell is usually associated with “those types”. Unfortunately I have no idea what patchouli smells like. I hate using the word “smell” as it sounds like it is offensive, when it really is just a peculiar scent.
I’ve heard the same thing, Texican, but so far I haven’t been able to find a cite…if I do, I’ll be sure to post it.
FWIW, I had a good friend in college who was vegan. She said that she could tell who was a carnivore and who wasn’t by smell alone, and that the carnivores always give off a “strong” smell.
At the time it didn’t occur to me to ask her more about it…sigh
Have you ever smelled the smell on anyone that didn’t “look” like a vegetarian? I used to wear patchouli. Of course I am a vegetarian, but I dress pretty conservatively.
You can smell patchouli by purchasing, or just smelling patchouli insense, which you should be able to find at any grocery store. You can find the perfume oil at certain natural food markets. Ask your hippie veggies if they are wearing patchouli. You should ask them, in a very polite way of course, why they smell differently. Don’t be shy. Most hippie people are very boistrous about their beliefs and would love talk about their dietary habits.
[slight hijack]
It’s a funny thing. I was talking with a couple of Mexican friends of mine about how different cultures smell differently. He brought it up actually. He said Asians smell like fish, Mexicans smell like burritos or beans, and I asked what Caucasions smell like. His wife said, “sandwiches.” We still bust a gut with that joke.
[/hijack]
It smells like vegetarians.
Funny, I was going to say Patchouli before I even opened this thread.
Diet certainly does affect body odor. If they people in the OP were vegans, the difference might be due to a LACK of a dietary item, rather than something they’re eating.
I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years and nobody’s ever said I smell funny. Mind you, I have a bath every day with that lovely Lush stuff…and I’m well aware of what deodorant’s for! Come to think of it, people should be telling me how gorgeous I smell!
stupid… that smell is called “pot” damn dirty hippies!
(I’m kidding, I’m kidding)
I notice this difference at times. I think because I eat meat, I don’t notice the “meateater” smell, but do notice the “vegetarian” smell. I had to cut back on dairy several years ago and noticed that I was then able to smell a “spoiled milk” odor from many people. I have recently cut my protein and animal products way back, and my partner says my kiss tastes different.