I LOVE asparagus!
After many weeks of wondering why I had smelly asparagus pee, I decided to look it up.
As archived in the Boston Globe at www.boston.com, below are more details about why asparagus causes urine to have a unique odor:
Asparagus is filled with sulfur-containing amino acids that break down during digestion into six sulfur-containing compounds. These can impart a unique smell to urine as they are excreted. "It's the same sulfur group that makes skunks smell," said Barbara Hodges, a dietician with Boston University's nutrition clinic, the Evans Nutrition Group.
Scientists remain divided on why people have different urinary responses to eating asparagus. One camp thinks only about half of the population have a gene enabling us to break down the sulfurous amino acids in asparagus into their smellier components. Others think that everyone digests asparagus the same way, but only about half of us have a gene that enables us to smell the specific compounds formed in the digestion of asparagus.
"There's something of a dispute," said Dr. David Stollar, chairman of biochemistry at Tufts University Medical School.The unusual smells are nothing to worry about, though. According to the Dictionary of Medical Syndromes, which includes an entry on the urinary excretion of odoriferous components of asparagus: "The syndrome does not have any pathological significance."
Don't let that stop you from eating it, it's nutritional benefits far outweigh smelly pee syndrome!
Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.
Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease.
Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today's health-conscious consumer.
Asparagus is:
Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.
Contains no fat or cholesterol.
Very low in sodium.
A good source of potassium.
A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving).
An excellent source of folacin.
A significant source of thiamin.
A significant source of vitamin B6.
One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.
Contains glutathione (GSH).
Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.
Contains no fat or cholesterol.
Very low in sodium.
A good source of potassium.
A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving).
An excellent source of folacin.
A significant source of thiamin.
A significant source of vitamin B6.
One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.
Contains glutathione (GSH).
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