Here’s Why Asparagus Makes Your Pee Smell
If you happen to have a fondness for asparagus, then you already realize that it does something rather unusual to your body. Shortly after you eat the asparagus, you may find yourself in the bathroom and when you urinate, it is going to put off the most unusual smell.
Some people even may have a moment of panic, forgetting that they ate asparagus and then wondering why the smell is happening. Actually, it happens for a reason, and knowing that reason can help you to enjoy all of the asparagus you want.
First of all, there is a compound known as asparagusic acid inside of asparagus. It is only found in that particular vegetable and it doesn’t matter if you are eating your asparagus raw, roasted, or fried, it is going to end up in the body.
As you eat asparagus, your body produces some sulfuric byproducts in response to the asparagusic acid you are consuming. That is why you have a sulfur-type smell in your urine after you eat asparagus. Sometimes, it may happen very quickly and you may notice the odor within just a few minutes.
If this happens to you, you may assume that it happens to everyone. In reality, the Cleveland Clinic states that only about 20-50% of the population is going to experience it. The others can eat all of the asparagus they want without the sulfuric side effect.
Nobody is really sure why up to half of the population or perhaps, even more, do not have that unusual side effect when they eat asparagus. Perhaps it is in their genes that they can break down the sulfur compounds and their urine truly doesn’t smell. On the other hand, they may have developed their sense of smell to the point where they simply don’t smell it.
In any case, if you do suffer from this unusual side effect, there is no way to avoid it. That being said, asparagus is delicious, and eating it whenever you can may be worth the unusual smell the next time you use the bathroom. If you find that it is extremely difficult to handle, try drinking some more water to dilute the effect.