You're not alone, a lot of women wonder about their vagina. We not only wonder about how it looks, how strong or tight it is, we also wonder how does it taste to our partner (don't like, I know you wonder too). Questions like, "Does garlic make it taste strange?" or "Does eating asparagus affect it?" come up. And does pineapple really sweeten "the pot?"
"Scientifically researching this would be a very difficult process," says Jerry Coyne, Ph.D., professor of ecology and evolution at the University of Chicago. "You could take sperm samples, but flavor is a subjective phenomenon based on how chemicals react with receptors in your brain."
However, there has been plenty of informal testing (seriously).
Here's one thing to remember: As long as you're healthy, your vagina should smell and taste perfectly fine. It's not supposed to smell like roses or taste like candy all the time anyway. The only time for concern is when it smells "fishy" or otherwise unpleasant because that can hint at bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, or some other health issue.
But, with that said, foods and other things that you intake into your body, can definitely impact your body's excretions. Your sweat, vaginal secretions, even male semen, is all impacted by what you eat and drink.
Jessica O’Reilly, Ph.D clients have consistently reported that eating sweet fruits, vegetables, and herbs can “temper the taste of vaginal discharge to heighten its sugary flavor,” she says. “They also suggest that smoking, caffeine, and preservatives can result in a more bitter taste.”
Foods that usually cause distaste in that area would be things like asparagus, but others can enhance the taste, like pineapples.
Eating fresh pineapples or drinking cranberry juice should be incorporated into your every day practices if you are concerned or worried about your natural bodily taste or smell. Always drink plenty of water too.
While it may be tasty, foods that have heavy amounts of the spice curry, have been known to throw off a woman's smell down there too.
Keep your diet clean, make sure that you do drink a lot of water and hydrate," says OBGYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd. "You don't want your bodily secretions to be concentrated if you're not hydrated."
Now, what about the men? Can men eat anything to make their semen taste better or at least less smelly?
1. Caffeine –
A little is okay but large amounts will end up making your body, and your private parts, taste bitter
2. Dairy –
The good bacteria in your digestive tract doesn’t equate to good Southern sweetness. You will taste more sour.
3. Red Meat –
A steak or burger might taste great, but it will just add extra salt to the system. If the carnivore in you craves flesh, go for some white meat instead.
4. Processed Foods –
These have plenty of chemicals that will infuse and mess up your discharges.
5. Asparagus –
It should be pretty obvious since it makes your pee smell funky.
6. Alcoholic Drinks –
Many people may think drinks help with taste, but these feel-good substances are...
... better left for after playtime (if you want your juices to be something palatable).
That stuff will leave a bad taste in your mouth (literally). But here are the foods that can help:
7. Water –
Good ol' water. Dehydration will reduce the amount of seminal fluid.
8. Citrus and Other Fruits –
Everyone knows pineapple will work some magic, but did you know that lemons, plums, blueberries, kiwis, and cranberries (which help with PH levels) will work just as well.
9. Certain Herbs –
Things like peppermint, parsley, and wheatgrass.
10. Cinnamon –
Highly recommended across the board.
Honorable Mention - Smoking – While it's technically not a food, this bad habit gets infused in more than just semen. It will also come out of your skin and nipples. Not to mention making your breath taste foul. Better to cut it out altogether.
So what does all this mean? Hopefully, you are keeping a clean vagina, that's the first thing. The second thing is, hopefully, you're with someone who says, "As long as you're healthy, I really don't care what you smell or taste like anyway."