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Why does asparagus make your wee smell?

FAQ

Have you recently eaten asparagus and noticed that your wee smells funny? Or have you heard about the phenomenon and wondered why it doesn’t affect you?

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Why does asparagus make your wee smell?

Have you recently eaten asparagus and noticed that your wee smells funny? Or have you heard about the phenomenon and wondered why it doesn’t affect you? Well, it is thought that the prime suspect for this pungent smell is due to the metabolism of asparagusic acid found in asparagus, into other sulfur-containing compounds, such as methanethiol, the most prominent odorant identified in “asparagus pee.”

Interestingly, not everyone can detect the “asparagus pee.” A research study of almost 7,000 adults found that 40% could smell the odour, while 60% could not. When looking at possible genetic causes, the researchers found that the ability to detect the smell was linked to a specific DNA sequence that varied between different people. This means a single molecule change in the genes responsible for smell may be linked to the inability to smell asparagus odour in urine.

For more info on this check this out: https://theconversation.com/why-does-asparagus-make-some-peoples-pee-smell-but-not-others-48514

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What you eat or don’t eat affects how you look, feel and perform. Take our short quiz to find out what foods you could introduce to help you be your best.

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What is healthy eating?

Eating healthy is making sure you enjoy a wide variety of foods from each of the five major food groups daily, in the amounts recommended. The five major food groups as recommended by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating are:

vegetables and legumes/bean
fruit
lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes/beans
grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties
milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat.

Foods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients and eating a variety of foods from the list above helps to promote good health and reduce the risk of disease.

How do I improve my diet?

If you want to improve your diet you have come to the right place. By completing the Healthy Eating Quiz you’ll receive instant personalised feedback and a report on your diet quality to highlight any areas where you can improve your overall eating habits. Your score is based on the frequency and variety of the foods consumed from the five major food groups mentioned above. No Money No Time can help you improve your score by providing tips, goals and suggestions. On top of this we will provide quick, cheap and healthy recipes as well as credible answers to diet hacks, myths and FAQ’s.

Is my diet healthy?

Dietary habits are different between people. Some people choose to follow a particular diet (i.e., Keto diet or vegan diet) while some have to make changes due to certain food restrictions or health conditions. If you want to know if what you usually eat is healthy, then do the Healthy Eating Quiz today to give you the answers in less than 10 minutes.

Why is healthy eating important?

Your HEQ score and personalised feedback report is based on the frequency and variety of healthy core foods you usually eat. This is important because no single food contains all the nutrients we need to stay healthy. Some foods are higher in nutrients than others and people who have a lot of variety in the foods they eat are more likely to be healthy and to stay healthy. In other words, if you can eat a large variety of vegetables as opposed to only 2-3 types of vegetables, the benefits are much greater. This type of diet also helps you to feel better, think better and perform better during your usual daily activities.

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The University of Newcastle Australia