This Is Why Your Pee Turns Red After You’ve Eaten Beetroot
Bring on those delicious beets. We want them in all kinds of ways. Beet gazpacho with an incredible vinaigrette, for example. Or a beet tart with sweet rhubarb. And what about roasted beet with Jerusalem artichoke and beurre-boom? However you enjoy the delicious pink, earthy root, the next day—during your first visit to the bathroom—you get the fright of your life. Why is your pee red?!
The worst thoughts race through your head. Make a doctor’s appointment. Call work. Is it really that serious? We investigated.
The cause: betanin
Beets contain a substance called betanin. It is a pigment that causes their red color. In some people, the beetroot pigment is decolorized in the digestive system. But not in everyone. The beet pigment then enters the bloodstream through the intestines. The kidneys subsequently filter out the excess pigment, after which it leaves the body along with your urine. And that’s what causes a red toilet bowl.
Differences from person to person (and from one bathroom visit to the next)
Everyone’s urine contains pigment after they’ve eaten beets. Yet not everyone can see it with the naked eye. Less than 1 percent of the original pigment in your beets ultimately ends up in your urine. If you produce little urine, the pigment concentration is higher, making the red color more visible. The red color can also be more intense one time than another. Scientists haven’t figured it out 100% yet, but it may be because your metabolism is different at that moment or because the amount of pigment in the beets varied.
Why doesn’t red cabbage cause red pee?
If beets give you red pee, red cabbage should do the same. Right? No, that’s not the case. Red cabbage doesn’t contain betanin, even though the cabbage itself is red. That’s exactly why your pee won’t be red after you’ve had a delicious plate of red cabbage with beef stew.
Beet tips
Beets aren’t just delicious; they’re incredibly healthy too. Do you struggle with beets because of their earthy flavor? Thanks to this tip, your beets will taste much less earthy. That way, you’ll actually enjoy them—bet you will! Oh, and one more handy tip after cutting beets: here’s how to easily remove that pink color from your hands.
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