Why do some people of a particular race have a strange odour about them??

Question

Don't take this the wrong way or anything but I've noticed that (for example) some Indian people and Oriental people have a particular odour about them. Why is this?? I used to think it was because of their diet, but it can't be because not all the people of a particular race have this same odour. Anyone have any ideas?

I would also welcome replys from people of a non-white background with their views on odours of other races. For example do you find that particular White people have particular odours about them?

Answer 1

Some food produces a distinct body odor. Try some Korean Kimchi...

It might not even be a body odor but a smell that clings to the clothes (e.g. incense).

Since you do not belong to that ethnic group you are probably aware of that different smell.

It has nothing to do with race but rather ethnicity.

Regarding white people - yes they do. you can smell the fry food off some particular American groups; Sausages off certain Europeans; etc.

Answer 2

I do not believe that it is only the food. I had a Chinese girlfriend for a while and although we ate similar food, she never had any smell at all. She said that most white people have a distinctive odour.
While diet may be a contributing factor to the Asian odour, Negros eating similar food to white people normally smell different.

Answer 3

I'm astonished at some of the answers put up here already!! Everybody is different and everybody has their own smell!
The food you eat can affect your body odour, but all manner of things can influence the way your body smells and these things are different for every individual. Same goes for everyones sense of smell, it's an individual experience for you. Every ne will have at least one strange odour about them, which different people will pick up on.

Answer 4

Some Japanese people think white people smell. Apparently we sweat more than them so I guess they can pick up a slight odour. When I visited Korea I noticed many people smelled of the national dish, kimchi (pickled cabbage). Don't have a problem with that. If I ate a lot of kimchi I guess I would smell of it too.
It's not your race that determines your odour, it's your lifestyle. If you smoke you will smell of cigarettes, if you eat garlic you will smell of garlic, if you never wash you will just stink.

Answer 5

This was told to me by my boss, who was a physician. We used to have a physician that was from Egypt. He always smelled kinda funky strange. My boss told me that it was the oil they use on their body. Most people from this race didn't have as much water available to them as we do so they used perfumes and oils on their bodies. So a lot of them continue to do this as part of their religion as well.

I have noted that anyone who does not bathe regularly or use deodorant will have an odor.

Regarding your last paragraph, I don't know if that is an urban legend or fact, but since pheromones have a lot to do with attraction, there is a strong possibility that some of us or all of us who are different races have particular odors.

Happy Holidays. Interesting question.

Answer 6

It might not be their diet totally but something Mainly people from the east use in most of their cooking like a particular spice or garlic. Or because of certain faiths, things they use on their hair or skin. They do buy a lot of their foods and soaps etc from their own shops which stock things from their own countries.

Answer 7

Interesting question. I have noticed that asians have a particular odor, but I thought it was all the sushi. There used to be a black guy I knew that every time he sweated, he smelled like cheese curls.

Answer 8

Perhaps it is for a couple reasons . It is probably their diets and the other is that we all give off different scents that attract the other sex , this smell is not always a good one to everyone else .
Thinking about it I probably smell like ice cream and chicken with lemon pepper .

Answer 9

are you serious?? not any culture is the same. america is the meliting pot and as i agree with some of this you cant just think its thier body wash or they dont shower. take for example indian people they use diffrent spices in some of thier foods and even have creams they use on thier skin made of diffrent spices and fragrances. also have you ever been in an asian resteraunt?

Answer 10

sorry but it is diet ( and possibly bathing products - did you think of that or do you assume we all use your soap and shampoo ) there is no physiological difference to account for this

and don't forget the other odors that we are all exposed too like cleaning products not to mention hair gel ( in the 70's i thought blacks smelled different - it was a combination of Florida heat and Afro-Sheen lol )