# Urine and Asparagus **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 5, 2000, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438 "2000-01-05T15:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phillies\_Phan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b2d939/32.png) [@Phillies\_Phan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phillies_Phan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/1 "2000-01-05T15:41:00Z")
At the end of Unk Cec’s column on urination he notes that one shouldn’t drink their urine after eating asparagus. Why? Does asparagus make it smell bad? It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten asparagus and don’t remember my subsequent urination. * * * Alone we can move buckets; together we can drain rivers.–Mike Brady, from the Brady Bunch movie ---
**Author:** ![BigRoryG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigRoryG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigRoryG)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/2 "2000-01-05T17:02:00Z")
You said it… i can’t remember what column he said it in, but he discussed the rankness of asparagus urine. It is deep yellow and it shtinkz. * * * “C’mon, it’s not even tomorrow yet…” - Rupert If you need a graphic solution, [http:\ alk.to\Piglet](http://talk.to%5CPiglet) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/3 "2000-01-06T07:04:00Z")
The column was [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_383.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_383.html) As I’ve read other literature on this, I’ve come to the conclusion that the “gift” is being able to smell the odor, not to make it. I believe that everyone makes the odor in their asparagus after eating it, but only some can smell it. And if you can smell it, you’ll never forget it. If you can’t smell it, the general reaction of that group is “Gee, I never knew asparagus did that.” I’ve polled all my friends on asparagus. Some still talk to me. [Note: This message has been edited by JillGat] ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/4 "2000-01-06T16:22:00Z")
I’m worse off than that. Asparagus itself smells like asparagus urine to me. (So do broccoli, sprouts, and some other veggies – not all, thank God!.) I’d as soon eat raw sewage as asparagus. * * * John W. Kennedy “Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.” – Charles Williams ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2000, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/5 "2000-01-08T02:56:00Z")
How it smells should not effect whether you can drink it or not. I dont see anything more dangerous about drinking it after eating that stuff, but come on, who wants to talk about that? Wheat also makes a funny pee smell. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2000, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/6 "2000-01-08T04:11:00Z")
I don’t like eating tuna fish sandwiches, because of how it makes my urine smell. More than you wanted to know… * * * _It is too clear, and so it is hard to see._ ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2000, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/7 "2000-01-16T02:44:00Z")
At the risk of sending this thread deeper into MPSIMS territory . . . Back in '97 my job took me to meetings all over the E. Coast US, and while at one of those meetings in a rather hoity toity hotel (I can’t for the life of me recall if it was at the Dupont in Wilmington or at the Plaza in NYC, it all ran together after the first week) we were subjected to _4_ straight meals that included asparagus. The self-loathing was unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Phillies\_Phan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b2d939/32.png) [@Phillies\_Phan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phillies_Phan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-and-asparagus/438/8 "2000-01-16T15:36:00Z")
Wow, thanks for all the great information on urine and asparagus. I now have to try it on my own now. I’ll fill you in on the details when I do. By the way, is there a certain amount I have to eat to get the desired effect? Any good asparagus recipes?