# a spicy question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spicy-question/380048>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 11, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spicy-question/380048 "2006-11-11T22:15:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![caturday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a87d85/32.png) [@caturday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caturday)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spicy-question/380048/1 "2006-11-11T22:15:29Z")

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Can the consumption of spice (red pepper, black pepper, chile powder, etc) affect one’s sweat and make it a bit more pungent? I had two helpings of spicy chili last night and when I woke this afternoon I smelled funky.

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**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spicy-question/380048/2 "2006-11-11T22:34:01Z")

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From [Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions](http://www.answers.com/topic/body-odor)

> [@](#):
>
> Some foods and spices can intensify body odor. Onions, garlic, and cumin contain oils that may cause odor as they are excreted through the skin. Caffeine and nicotine increase sweating and therefore the risk of odor.

I can smell myself if I’ve eaten a whole mess of garlic or a lot of curries in a row. It also comes out in hubby’s sweat I find.

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**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spicy-question/380048/3 "2006-11-11T22:34:19Z")

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I’ve never noticed it with peppers, but garlic and one or more of the curry spices definitely do!

/my honking bed linen afterwards is my cite

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spicy-question/380048/4 "2006-11-12T01:02:05Z")

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[QUOTE=Sierra Indigo]  
I can smell myself if I’ve eaten a whole mess of garlic or a lot of curries in a row. It also comes out in hubby’s sweat I find.  
[/QUOTE]

Same here. My girl is the same way.

Someone on my Board told me that fenugreek would flavour women’s breastmilk in a positive way which would make it more palatable to newborns. I don’t know the facts behind that, however.