You might’ve heard about an urban legend that says that eating pineapple can make the taste of your vagina or sperm taste better, but unfortunately: it seems that rumors of pineapple’s powers are greatly overexaggerated. While it’s true that some foods can change your body up dramatically (like, how asparagus might be able to make your pee smell especially pungent and red meat can make your sweat smell especially meaty) there’s no hard academic or scientific evidence that consuming pineapple can dramatically change your taste during oral sex. But there are benefits of pineapple sexually, just maybe not in the way you’ve previously thought.

“Including pineapple as part of a balanced diet could indirectly contribute to a healthy sex life,” says OB/GYN Jillian LoPiano, MD, chief health officer at Wisp. “The nutritional value of pineapple includes better immune function, reduced inflammation, improved energy levels, and enhanced mood—all of which are important factors for a healthy and satisfying sex life,” Dr. LoPiano adds.

“Including pineapple as part of a balanced diet could indirectly contribute to a healthy sex life.”—Jillian LoPiano, MD, chief health officer at Wisp

Indeed, it does seem that there are many benefits of pineapple sexually when it comes to overall health, just perhaps not in the direct way the urban legend suggests. We talked to the experts for the tea on exactly what pineapple does for your body, where this myth came from, and how to make yourself “taste” better. Curious about the potential libido boost pineapple can give you, along with its other benefits for erectile function and sexual health? Read on for more.

Benefits of pineapple sexually

1. Pineapple contains vitamin C

When it comes to the benefits of pineapple sexually, we have to talk about vitamin C. “Pineapple contains high levels of vitamin C, which is known for its antioxidant properties,” explains certified nutritionist and physician Michael O. McKinney, DO. “Antioxidants help fight oxidative stress, which can improve general health and well-being,” Dr. McKinney explains, adding that “when the body is healthy, it also means better sexual health because it can perform various functions more efficiently.”

Another way that the vitamin C in pineapple may have benefits sexually is by “improv[ing] the nitric oxide pathway, which may positively impact vascular health,” explains preventive cardiology dietitian Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD. This vascular health is crucial for optimal sexual function, Routhenstein adds (and we’ll talk more about that in a bit.)

2. Pineapple contains anti-inflammatory ingredients that can help increase blood flow

You can thank pineapple’s bromelain enzyme for that, as it contains anti-inflammatory effects, Dr. McKinney explains. “Sexual function needs proper blood circulation as it affects the ability of men to get and maintain their erections as well as enhance arousal in women,” he adds. When you consider that an erection is basically a rush of blood, anything that promotes proper blood flow and vascular health gets an A+ in our book.

3. Pineapple is rich in manganese

Another one of the benefits of pineapple sexually? Besides nutrients that help with vascular health, pineapple also has manganese. Manganese is thought to play a role in sexual health as an aid in the production of sex hormones and increased libido, Dr. McKinney adds. Routhenstein also agrees, adding that manganese’s antioxidative effects “may help protect cellular function, contributing to overall sexual well-being.”

How can you tell if your vagina smells ‘normal?’

First, it’s worth noting that there’s certainly no rule for what any vagina should (or shouldn’t) smell or taste like. Just like the people who have them, vaginas are all naturally unique and a whole host of factors can determine how your vagina smells and tastes, says double-board-certified gynecologist Monica Grover, DO, medical director at VSPOT medi spa. What is ‘normal’ for one person may not be normal for another. At the same time, taste is subjective, so what one oral sex-giver might deem pleasant, another might not.

All of that said, there’s not really any reason, per se, to start messing with the taste (or smell, for that matter) of your vagina, whether to purportedly improve it or otherwise. Even so, mainstream culture has unfortunately pushed many people with vaginas to think otherwise.

“People are fascinated with the topic of eating pineapple to change the taste of their vagina because we tend to be overly self-conscious about how we smell and taste during sex,” says sexologist Rebecca Alvarez Story, founder of sexual-wellness marketplace Bloomi. In fact, a 2019 survey of 1,000 people who identify as women found that two-thirds of them have turned down sex due to concerns about the scent of their vagina. But, again, a vagina doesn’t need to smell or taste particularly sweet or floral or anything else. “It’s a vagina, not a piña colada,” gynecologist Jen Gunter, MD, previously told Well+Good.

That said, certain elements of your lifestyle, including what you eat, could affect the usual taste and smell of your vagina (whatever that might be) by altering your vaginal pH and, in turn, supporting the growth of healthy bacteria…or doing just the opposite. “The scent of vaginal discharge can range from normal physiology to abnormal pH, bacterial overgrowth, sexual fluids, exposure to detergents and lubricants, sexually transmitted infections, and even hydration status,” says gynecologist and sexual-wellness expert Christie Cobb, MD. For example, intercourse through sexual penetration or even experiencing a period can change the balance of your pH, as can lifestyle habits such as using certain products or even a build up of sweat and discharge from not showering after a workout. And FYI: when it comes to products you use in and around your vagina: there are a few ingredients that the best feminine washes and best flavored lubes try to stay away from (and with good reason). Since some of the ingredients in these products can be irritating, it’s best to read up on any potential irritants before diving in.

Given all this, it makes sense that consuming pineapple, which is quite acidic, could have an effect on the pH of a vagina and therefore affect how it tastes and smells. However, adding more pineapple to your diet is not a panacea for a sweeter smelling or tasting vagina because “even if two people have the same exact pH, one may not smell like the other person’s because of our own individual physiologies,” says Dr. Grover.

Does pineapple change the smell of the vagina and vaginal discharge?

With all this said, where exactly does that leave pineapple in the vagina-taste and smell department? Because your vaginal pH depends on so many factors, it’s possible that pineapple could change the smell and taste of the vagina and its discharge in a way that you may like, but it’s not a guarantee.

Though there aren’t any specific studies on the connection between eating pineapple and having a vagina that tastes “good” (again, a tough thing to measure, anyway), research does support that “fermented pineapple juice can help support the growth of healthy vaginal bacteria¹, just as yogurt and kombucha can,” says OB/GYN Amy Roskin, MD, JD, chief medical officer at Seven Starling, a mental health provider serving mothers and caregivers. And again, healthy bacteria is what a vagina thrives on, so a good bacterial abundance could theoretically keep a vagina from taking on a funkier or stronger odor than it typically has.

Where does this urban legend come from then?

When it comes to regular old pineapple and pineapple juice, though, the intel is less black-and-white. Sexologist Jess O’Reilly, PhD says that anecdotally, her clients who are “experienced tasters—or folks who’ve tasted many a lover’s juices—do report that when you eat sweet fruits [like pineapple], vegetables, and herbs, it seems to heighten the sugary flavor of vaginal fluids and ejaculate.” She also notes “they also suggest that smoking², caffeine, and processed foods can result in a more bitter vaginal taste.” For the same reason, Dr. Grover says pineapple may affect the smell and taste of semen by altering the pH. “It’s probably for the same reason and with males their fluids are more alkaline, so you’re adding higher fructose and glucose levels which makes it a little bit more acidic,” she says.

However, these anecdotal associations of pineapple making the vagina taste and smell better nod to the aforementioned benefit for your vagina of just following an overall healthy lifestyle—of which pineapple can certainly be a part. Eating pineapple has a multitude of health benefits, says Dr. Roskin, like fighting inflammation, promoting tissue healing, and boosting your immune system. Not to mention, pineapples are also notably composed of between 85 and 89 percent water, and “staying hydrated is also crucial to promoting natural vaginal lubrication,” says Dr. Roskin. The more lubricated your vagina is, the more diluted its secretions may be, potentially cutting some of the tang from its taste.

How can I make myself ‘taste’ better?

As we’ve discussed, there’s really no need for you to feel that you need to ‘taste’ better as long as you’re healthy. But if you’re really curious, keep in mind that “there is no physiological basis for [pineapple making you taste better] or scientific data, only anecdotal reports on several different factors that can change smell and taste,” Dr. LoPiano explains, adding that this “is why overall health and wellness is much more important than focusing on a singular dietary change or food item such as pineapple.”

So, as far as the benefits of pineapple sexually, it seems that incorporating a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables in general might also do the same.

When to talk to a doctor about vaginal smells

If you notice any big odor changes from your usual smell (or even, your post period vagina smell—because changes in your cycle are real and normal), it’s a good idea to consult your doctor. “If you start to experience a bad or fish-like odor in your vagina, this could be a sign of a medical condition—like an infection or bacterial vaginosis,” says Dr. Roskin. According to Dr. Grover, yeast infections typically are marked by itching and discharge that has the consistency and appearance of cottage cheese, while bacterial infections are more typically associated with an odor. The cure for these is not pineapple, but rather going to the doctor for help.

It’s a really good idea to reach out to your doctor, according to Dr. Grover, if you experience a change in smell paired with other symptoms such as itching, discomfort, or more discharge than usual because something else may be up. “I can’t necessarily say if it’s going to smell a specific way something is off because it could just mean that’s normal for you, but if it’s out of the norm I would say do some investigation,” says Dr. Grover.