Foods that stain urine red: beets, cranberries

A change in the color of urine can occur for quite trivial reasons that have nothing to do with diseases. Products that color urine red are present in the diet of almost every person. The list of food factors is as follows:

• Red beetroot.
• Black chokeberry (aronia). Black chokeberry juice (Succus Aroniae melanocarpae recens).
• Dark grape varieties.
• Blackberry.
• Blueberry.
• Cherry.
• Red cabbage.
• Rhubarb roots.
• Black currant.
• Pomegranate.
• Some varieties of basil.
• Red leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa).
• Juices, nectars, fruit drinks, smoothies containing anthocyanins.

Products that color urine red are rich in a specific pigment - anthocyanin. Anthocyanins are plant glycosides, natural pigments that move freely in cell juice and dissolve in any aqueous medium. For industrial purposes, they are extracted from the skin of grapes, other brightly colored fruits and vegetables, and are designated as E-163. Unlike the notorious harmful components with the E symbol, anthocyanins in products are completely harmless, moreover, they can be beneficial, working as antioxidants.

It is anthocyanin that gives a dark red, pink or burgundy shade not only to inflorescences, leaves or fruits, but also to the excretory fluid that removes waste products from the body. Each person has their own level of acid-base environment. The intensity of the urine color depends on the balance of acidity and the level of alkaline activity. The higher the acidity, the brighter the red color of the urine becomes. If the acidity is low, the urine will have a pinkish tint.

Red urine after beets

Beetroot is not just a healthy product, a storehouse of microelements, but also a root vegetable that can color urine in red shades. After beetroot, urine is red due to a specific pigment - betalain. The main healing property of beetroot is given by these compounds, which are divided into two subspecies - betaxanthins (yellow pigments) and betacyanins (giving a burgundy shade, pigments). Betalains are excellent antioxidants, these substances are well oxidized and dissolved in a liquid medium, therefore they color urine in red shades, the saturation of the color depends on the acidity of the urine.

Learn more about betacyanins, which are responsible for the information about why urine is red after eating beets:

• Until 1960, chemists had no idea about plant pigments of this category. Only in the 70s of the last century did betalains arouse the curiosity of chemists and begin to be studied as a separate type of phytopigments.
• Betacyanins belong to the group of glycosides (organic carbohydrate-containing substances).
• Beanidin and betacyanin also belong to the group of alkaloids, phenolic amino acids that “pick up” the biosynthesis process from tyrosine and proline.
• Betalains are found in all plants of the cactus family, can be found in mushrooms, and there are quite a lot of subspecies of the betalain group (betanidin and betacyanin) in red beets.
• Betacyanins are excreted in urine and are poorly soluble in organic media.
• It is noteworthy that betalains are synthesized only in plants; no other creature in the animal kingdom is capable of producing these pigments.
• In addition to betanidin (betanin), beets contain isobetanin, isobetanidin, and probetanin.
• An extract is obtained from red beets for coloring food products, it is designated as E162.
• Betacyanin acts as a bactericidal, antifungal substance, and also activates many biologically important processes in the human body.

A change in urine color after eating beets is a temporary phenomenon. Usually, urine returns to its normal color within 24 hours. This sign is not a symptom of pathology and does not require treatment.

Does cranberry turn urine red?

Cranberry is considered a plant antibacterial agent due to its unique composition. Before answering the question - does cranberry color urine red, you should study the beneficial properties of this berry.

Compound:

• Vitamin C.
• B vitamins.
• Phylloquinone (vitamin K1).
• Vitamin E.
• Citric acid.
• Oleanolic acid.
• Benzoic acid.
• Malic acid.
• Quinic acid.
• Chlorogenic acid.
• Succinic acid.
• Ketoglutaric acid.
• Fructose.
• Phenolic acids.
• Calcium.
• Iron.
• Bioflavonoids – anthocyanins, leucoanthocyanins, betaine, catechins.
• Pectins.
• Manganese.
• Potassium.
• Phosphorus.
• Copper.
• Iodine.
• Zinc.

Does cranberry color urine red? The answer is yes, since it contains a plant-based, active pigment - anthocyanin. These are specific glycosides that provide cranberries and other plants that contain them with a red spectrum color. Blueberries, black currants and cranberries contain the most anthocyanins, while cherries, grapes and raspberries are slightly behind in color. The beneficial components of cranberries, anthocyanins, have the following properties:

• Adaptogenic.
• Diuretic.
• Antispasmodic.
• Antioxidant.
• Bactericidal.
• Hemostatic.
• Choleretic.
• Estrogen-compensating.
• Antiviral.

Anthocyanins in cranberries are a powerful source of a useful substance that cannot be produced by the body itself. The norm of glycoside coming from outside is up to 200 mg, an increased dose of anthocyanins is needed for diseases of bacterial or viral etiology (up to 300 mg per day).

The color of urine when eating cranberries, cranberry juice can vary from normal, light yellow, light pink to red, it all depends on the acidity of the urine. The higher the acidity of urine, the more intensely it is colored in red shades when entering the gastrointestinal tract of products containing anthocyanins. If urine tends to alkaline indicators, its color often does not change - glycosides do not find the acidic environment they need for coloring.

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