Beeturia

Excerpt

Beeturia is the discoloration of urine following the consumption of beets or foods colored with beetroot. The typical color can range from pink to deep red, and this phenomenon is prevalent in 10%-14% of the population, with increased frequency noted those who are iron deficient or afflicted with malabsorptive diseases. The pigments found in the beet and beetroot are a family of betacyanins, and following isolation of these compounds, the technically correct clinical term for the discoloration of urine was betacyaniuria. Initially, the thinking was that findings of beeturia were due to food allergies or colonization of the urinary tract with bacteria, but additional studies clarified that these were faulty theories.