Asparagus is very ancient, in fact in many legends, it was sown in the Eden valley and was known as far as Egypt. In reality however, asparagus was born in Asia and from there it developed in Spain, Greece and then throughout Europe. It was already widespread among the Romans and Greeks thanks to its therapeutic properties, in fact used as a detoxifying vegetable. It is rich in mineral salts and vitamins. Furthermore, this vegetable is also very good for mood, in fact it increases the levels of serotonin, or the hormone of happiness. It must be said, however, that it contains asparagusic acid, which causes bad and strong smell of urine.
Why does eating asparagus make your pee smell? “Beyond belief”
Asparagus, as we have said, can cause urine to smell bad. Thanks to some studies, it has been seen that the bad smell appears after ingestion. With just 15 minutes, the smell could last for hours. The same goes for the color of the pee, which could vary and go green. This phenomenon is due to a mixture of metabolic derivatives of asparagusic acid.
The chemical that causes this odor is present in asparagus, which when ingested becomes the precursor that drives numerous sulfur-based metabolites. These sulfuric compounds are generated by a degradation, which are then eliminated in the urine and cause the bad smell. These sulfur-based metabolites are sulphurous compounds, however it should be clarified that not all of them are products of metabolic degradation.
Sometimes, due to genetic situations related to their DNA, some people do not suffer from bad smell in urine due to asparagus. In any case, these vegetables are very good for health, as they contain folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and above all vitamins. Plus, they’re also full of water and are very diuretic, so they’re great for peeing a lot, even if it might smell a bit.