Why does yogurt make me stinky?
May 30, 2015 9:42 AM Subscribe
I love yogurt. Sadly, it is clearly linked to awful body odor. What's going on and how can I go back to enjoying my homemade granola for breakfast?
This has been a noticeable issue for the last few years. My yogurt preference is plain unsweetened, either regular or Greek. I add granola and fruit or sometimes a bit of honey. This is what I like to eat for breakfast. Nancy's is the brand I bought most often because it comes in a large size. I've tried several brands, however, and they all seem to cause the same problem. If I stop eating yogurt, the problem goes away. If I try again, it returns. I've had to stop eating yogurt altogether. Sad!
It did occur to me that maybe the cause was something in my granola, but now I eat it with almond milk and I do not experience stinkiness.
I'm female, mid 40s, I jog, I eat a healthy diet of mostly whole foods. Could the stink be related to hormonal changes? I really like yogurt and would love to go back to eating it. Any suggestions?
This has been a noticeable issue for the last few years. My yogurt preference is plain unsweetened, either regular or Greek. I add granola and fruit or sometimes a bit of honey. This is what I like to eat for breakfast. Nancy's is the brand I bought most often because it comes in a large size. I've tried several brands, however, and they all seem to cause the same problem. If I stop eating yogurt, the problem goes away. If I try again, it returns. I've had to stop eating yogurt altogether. Sad!
It did occur to me that maybe the cause was something in my granola, but now I eat it with almond milk and I do not experience stinkiness.
I'm female, mid 40s, I jog, I eat a healthy diet of mostly whole foods. Could the stink be related to hormonal changes? I really like yogurt and would love to go back to eating it. Any suggestions?
I think dairy is the issue here, as I've experienced the same side effect from eating yogurt and cheese regularly (I'm lactose intolerant so I don't eat too many other types of dairy in general). On a side note, I can tell when someone has a diet high in dairy because their breath emits the most foul odor I've ever smelled on a human, as well as a certain aura of pungent body odor.
I've heard taking chlorophyll tablets helps neutralize (<--- probably not the right term) strong body odor, perhaps you could keep eating yogurt and take the chlorophyll to help keep things on an even keel.
posted by the ghost of so and so at 10:03 AM on May 30, 2015
I've heard taking chlorophyll tablets helps neutralize (<--- probably not the right term) strong body odor, perhaps you could keep eating yogurt and take the chlorophyll to help keep things on an even keel.
posted by the ghost of so and so at 10:03 AM on May 30, 2015
I make my own yogurt and culture it for 24 hours to kill the lactose, which doesn't sit well with me. As far as I know I don't stink.
posted by chaiminda at 10:39 AM on May 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by chaiminda at 10:39 AM on May 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
You are having a reaction to lactose probably. Maybe Lactaid might help, though I doubt it; more likely you need to cut lactose from your diet.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:15 AM on May 30, 2015
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:15 AM on May 30, 2015
For the lactose - what happens if you drink a cup of cow's milk with your granola for a few days instead of yogurt?
Otherwise, it could be due to one of the cultures, I suppose? Different yogurt brands use different bacteria. See if you can narrow it down at all, based on the yogurts you have tried. I would also try cutting out the yogurt and taking a probiotic every morning with your granola, noting which specific species are in there. And finally, you can make your own yogurt and buy specific cultures for it, which would allow you to eliminate whichever types give you trouble, once you have narrowed it down.
It will be a lot of trial and error, but it could be very interesting!
posted by umwhat at 11:57 AM on May 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
Otherwise, it could be due to one of the cultures, I suppose? Different yogurt brands use different bacteria. See if you can narrow it down at all, based on the yogurts you have tried. I would also try cutting out the yogurt and taking a probiotic every morning with your granola, noting which specific species are in there. And finally, you can make your own yogurt and buy specific cultures for it, which would allow you to eliminate whichever types give you trouble, once you have narrowed it down.
It will be a lot of trial and error, but it could be very interesting!
posted by umwhat at 11:57 AM on May 30, 2015 [3 favorites]
May not be related at all, but when my kid turned 5, I quit buying organic milk. After a couple months, I noticed she had the WORST body odor. I switched back to organic milk, with no other dietary changes, and the problem went away. Now she smells like her twin sister (who did not get stinky with non organic milk). Maybe you could try organic yogurt?
posted by orangemacky at 12:28 PM on May 30, 2015
posted by orangemacky at 12:28 PM on May 30, 2015
You might be reacting to cow's milk in ways you won't react to other milks -- try goat yogurt if you enjoy that type of flavor (I think it's great!) and if that's still leading to issues, try non-dairy yogurts like almond milk or, my favorite, coconut milk.
posted by ananci at 11:36 AM on May 31, 2015
posted by ananci at 11:36 AM on May 31, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by BinaryApe at 9:50 AM on May 30, 2015 [3 favorites]