These tasty spears unleash a stinky problem.
Asparagus is aneasy side dishthat is universally loved.
All but one part: Asparagus can make your pee smell funny.
Credit: Dotdash Meredith
There, we said it.
Asparagus can turn urine into a odiferous stream.
Some people avoid the springtime vegetable entirely due to this stinky caveat.
Credit: Courtney West/Southern Living
If you find yourself shying away from asparagus because of the olfactory offense that follows, don’t.
Go ahead and enjoy that healthy side ofoven-roasted asparagusat your next meal.
The compound, as the name suggests, is found exclusively in asparagus.
When the body breaks down asparagus, asparagusic acid metabolizes into several sulfur byproducts.
“After eating asparagus, many people report having a sulfur-like odor to their urine.”
While asparagusic acid is only found in asparagus, other foods produce similar sulfur-rich compounds.
These include onions, garlic, Brussels sprouts, and even coffee.
How Long Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell?
The body begins absorbing and breaking down asparagusic acid quicklywithin minutes of your first bite.
So your next trip to the bathroom post-meal could be quite smelly.
How long the asparagus pee smell will last is variable.
Either way, the smell won’t last more than a day.
If it does linger, it might not be because youate some asparagus spears.
It could be a sign of an infection or other issues, and you should consult your doctor.
Does Asparagus Make Everyone’s Pee Stink?
The study mentioned above asked nearly 7,000 people if they sensed a stench after eating asparagus.
Those are all related to the smell of sulfur.
How To Get Rid Of Smelly Urine
it’s possible for you to’t.
If your body produces these compounds when you eat asparagus, it’s possible for you to’t stop it.
But it’s completely normal, so you shouldn’t be worried or even embarrassed.
Go ahead and enjoy yourgrilled asparagus.
The bathroom bouquet will end soon enough.
Mitchell SC, Waring RH.Asparagusic acid.Phytochemistry.
2014;97:5-10. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.09.014
Bhattacharjee P, Singhal RS.Asparagus: production, quality, and processing.
In: Siddiq M, Uebersax MA, eds.Handbook of Vegetables and Vegetable Processing.
2019;8(6):407-414. doi:10.1002/psp4.12401
