6/28/12
Dear Dr. Kate: Why Does My Vagina Taste Bitter Sometimes?

Dr. Kate is an OB/GYN at one of the largest teaching hospitals in New York City who answers your medical questions here once a week. To ask her your own question, click here.

Hello Dr. Kate,

My question is about the taste of my vagina. Both from what my boyfriend has said/his reactions and my own taste-tests, I know that sometimes I taste of nothing and sometimes almost bitter (even after showering). Is this change due to hormones, or is it like with men where the foods you eat affect your taste? Thank you so much!

— (Would Rather Be) Tasteless

Dear Tasteless,

Every woman has a unique taste that changes based on many things. At different times in your cycle, your taste can change from sweet to salty to sour. When you’re aroused, or if you’re sweating (or both), the flavor can also be different. And certainly having an infection (yeast or vaginosis) can cause your taste to change.

It’s unclear if diet can really change the taste of vaginal secretions — unsurprisingly, it’s hard to get funding to do such research. But anecdotally, different foods in your diet can change how you taste. The foods I hear about most: raw garlic, citrus fruits (particularly pineapple), strawberries, coffee, and asparagus. Even alcohol, nicotine and vitamins have the potential to change your taste. Violet Blue goes into further details that she learned while researching her book on cunnilingus.

I’d love to hear about this from you all… Have any of you (or your partners) noticed a change in your vaginal taste? What do you think it’s due to?

— Dr. Kate

Want more tips on keeping things fresh down there?
“10 Easy Ways to Keep Your Vagina Healthy”



121 Comments

  1. 53 year old bi woman here and my husband allows me to date, so yes I have tasted several other women. Most of the time it tastes slightly metallic but pleasant . I have been told many times that I taste great and I sometimes use a flavored gel. My husband loves to go down and I strive to always taste good. Sometimes when I am having another woman she will squirt and it is more metallic but still very nice, I swallow as much as possible. It’s so hot and very arousing!!

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