Why your pee (and sweat) smells like onions and garlic: Science behind the stink
It started with a sniff.You're in the middle of a meeting, you shift slightly in your seat and catch a whiff of something suspicious. Is it body odor? Did you forget deodorant? No, it's something familiar. Something from lunch? Then it hits you: garlic. The same garlic that made your pasta taste like heaven has somehow circled back, now making your armpits smell like a spice rack. Later that evening, your trip to the bathroom offers a similar surprise: your pee smells like sauted onions.advertisementIt sounds funny, even gross, but it's real. And you're not alone. Many of us have had these mysterious, food-based aromas sneak up on us hours after eating. But why does this happen? How does a harmless garlic clove end up influencing your pee, sweat, and breath?
Let's break down why certain foods leave a lasting aroma long after your plate is clean. The Culprits: Sulphur CompoundsOnions, garlic, asparagus, cruciferous vegetables (like cabbage and broccoli), and even coffee contain volatile organic compounds-many of which are sulfur-based. These sulfur compounds are what give garlic and onions their distinctive, pungent flavor and smell. In garlic and onions, the star of the show is a compound called allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). Unlike most food components that get broken down and used or eliminated quickly, AMS is stubborn. It resists breakdown in the liver, hangs around in your bloodstream, and takes its sweet time leaving your system.
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WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR BODYHere's the step-by-step process:You Eat the FoodYou bite into that garlic naan or onion-rich salad, and your digestive system gets to work breaking it down.Sulphur Compounds Are AbsorbedDuring digestion, AMS and other sulfur-containing molecules enter your bloodstream.Body Tries to Get Rid of ThemBecause your liver can't fully break these down, your body uses alternate routes to eliminate them:Through the lungs, you get garlic or onion breath.Through the skin, you get a sweat that smells like food.Through the kidneys, you get urine that smells weird.This is why you may notice your pee (or your armpits) smelling a bit too familiar after a garlicky or onion-heavy meal.WHY YOUR PEE SMELLS WEIRDUrine is your body's way of flushing out waste, including excess compounds it can't digest. When foods like garlic, onions, or asparagus are broken down:The by-products (like AMS or methyl mercaptan) are excreted through urine.These are highly volatile, which means they evaporate easily and hit your nose fast.Even a small amount can result in a noticeable, strong odor.Some people are more sensitive to this because of genetic differences in metabolism or smell receptors.GENETICS: NOT EVERYONE SMELLS ITFun fact: Not everyone can smell these odorous compounds in urine. For example, with asparagus, around 40% of people lack the specific gene needed to detect the odor it causes in urine. The same may apply to other sulphurous foods. So if you've never noticed it you might just be genetically lucky (or nose-blind!).OTHER FOODS THAT CHANGE BODY ODOUR OR URINE SMELLAsparagus - produces asparagusic acid ? funky pee smellCoffee - can dehydrate and change urine smellFish (especially choline-rich) - can lead to a condition called trimethylaminuria or "fish odor syndrome" in rare casesCruciferous veggies (like broccoli) - can add a sulphur edge to sweatCAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?advertisementSort of. Here's what helps:Hydration: Drinking more water can dilute the concentration of these compounds in your urine.Cooking: Cooked garlic and onions tend to release fewer odor-causing compounds than raw ones.Parsley or mint: These may help mask odours in the short term, but they don't stop the body from excreting sulphur compounds.SO, SHOULD YOU WORRY?Absolutely not. This kind of body odor or urine smell is completely natural, and even a sign that your digestive system is doing its job. It might be unpleasant or embarrassing, but it's rarely a sign of anything wrong-unless it's persistent and unrelated to food, in which case, a medical check might be a good idea.advertisementYOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT (AND WHAT YOU SMELL LIKE)The next time your pee or sweat smells like a curry shop, just remember: it's science. Those potent plant compounds are just passing through, doing their thing. Your nose just happens to be along for the ride.
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India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Why your pee (and sweat) smells like onions and garlic: Science behind the stink
It started with a in the middle of a meeting, you shift slightly in your seat and catch a whiff of something suspicious. Is it body odor? Did you forget deodorant? No, it's something familiar. Something from lunch? Then it hits you: garlic. The same garlic that made your pasta taste like heaven has somehow circled back, now making your armpits smell like a spice rack. Later that evening, your trip to the bathroom offers a similar surprise: your pee smells like sauted sounds funny, even gross, but it's real. And you're not alone. Many of us have had these mysterious, food-based aromas sneak up on us hours after eating. But why does this happen? How does a harmless garlic clove end up influencing your pee, sweat, and breath? Let's break down why certain foods leave a lasting aroma long after your plate is clean. The Culprits: Sulphur CompoundsOnions, garlic, asparagus, cruciferous vegetables (like cabbage and broccoli), and even coffee contain volatile organic compounds-many of which are sulfur-based. These sulfur compounds are what give garlic and onions their distinctive, pungent flavor and smell. In garlic and onions, the star of the show is a compound called allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). Unlike most food components that get broken down and used or eliminated quickly, AMS is stubborn. It resists breakdown in the liver, hangs around in your bloodstream, and takes its sweet time leaving your system. advertisement WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR BODYHere's the step-by-step process:You Eat the FoodYou bite into that garlic naan or onion-rich salad, and your digestive system gets to work breaking it Compounds Are AbsorbedDuring digestion, AMS and other sulfur-containing molecules enter your Tries to Get Rid of ThemBecause your liver can't fully break these down, your body uses alternate routes to eliminate them:Through the lungs, you get garlic or onion the skin, you get a sweat that smells like the kidneys, you get urine that smells is why you may notice your pee (or your armpits) smelling a bit too familiar after a garlicky or onion-heavy YOUR PEE SMELLS WEIRDUrine is your body's way of flushing out waste, including excess compounds it can't digest. When foods like garlic, onions, or asparagus are broken down:The by-products (like AMS or methyl mercaptan) are excreted through are highly volatile, which means they evaporate easily and hit your nose a small amount can result in a noticeable, strong people are more sensitive to this because of genetic differences in metabolism or smell NOT EVERYONE SMELLS ITFun fact: Not everyone can smell these odorous compounds in urine. For example, with asparagus, around 40% of people lack the specific gene needed to detect the odor it causes in urine. The same may apply to other sulphurous foods. So if you've never noticed it you might just be genetically lucky (or nose-blind!).OTHER FOODS THAT CHANGE BODY ODOUR OR URINE SMELLAsparagus - produces asparagusic acid ? funky pee smellCoffee - can dehydrate and change urine smellFish (especially choline-rich) - can lead to a condition called trimethylaminuria or "fish odor syndrome" in rare casesCruciferous veggies (like broccoli) - can add a sulphur edge to sweatCAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?advertisementSort of. Here's what helps:Hydration: Drinking more water can dilute the concentration of these compounds in your Cooked garlic and onions tend to release fewer odor-causing compounds than raw or mint: These may help mask odours in the short term, but they don't stop the body from excreting sulphur SHOULD YOU WORRY?Absolutely not. This kind of body odor or urine smell is completely natural, and even a sign that your digestive system is doing its job. It might be unpleasant or embarrassing, but it's rarely a sign of anything wrong-unless it's persistent and unrelated to food, in which case, a medical check might be a good ARE WHAT YOU EAT (AND WHAT YOU SMELL LIKE)The next time your pee or sweat smells like a curry shop, just remember: it's science. Those potent plant compounds are just passing through, doing their thing. Your nose just happens to be along for the ride.
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