Though red-tinged pee or poop is never a welcome sight in the toilet, it may not be cause for alarm if you've recently eaten beets. Here's what you need to know about beeturia (and when it's time to call your doctor):
Can Beets Make Your Pee (And Poop) Red or Pink?
Yes, eating beets or drinking beet juice can give your urine and/or your stool a slightly reddish or pink tinge. This phenomenon, called beeturia, is usually not cause for alarm. Some studies show it affects up to 14 percent of the beet-eating population. While occasional beeturia in and of itself is harmless, you should definitely consult a doctor if you're experiencing discoloration every time you ingest the root vegetable. This could be a sign of underlying conditions. If you have discolored pee or poop more than a day or so after eating beets, call your doctor immediately — this could indicate bleeding, and should be examined ASAP.
Betanin, a compound in beets, gives the veggie its vibrant red hue. Some bodies aren't able to completely break down this compound during digestion. This can result in red-tinged urine or stool. Occasional beeturia is normal. However, if it happens often, it may be a sign of iron deficiency or low stomach acid.
Beeturia and Anemia
Anemia, or iron deficiency, occurs when you don't have enough healthy blood cells to carry oxygen to your body's tissues. This condition can affect your ability to absorb certain pigments. While beeturia can affect up to 14 percent of people, the rate is much higher in people who have anemia (up to 80 percent of iron deficient people experience beeturia).
Consult your doctor if you're concerned about iron deficiency. The condition can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. You can also eat iron-rich foods, like spinach and liver, to prevent anemia.
Beeturia can also indicate low stomach acid. Stomach acid helps your body metabolize vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. When your acid levels are low, your body may not be able to break down betanin as it should.
Other signs and symptoms of low stomach acid include:
Constipation
Heartburn or acid reflux
Gas and/or bloating
Nausea
Cramping
Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have low stomach acid.
Other Causes of Red or Pink Urine or Stool
Even if you suspect your red or pink urine or stool is a result of beeturia, you should consult your doctor if it happens often or continues days after you've eaten beets. Blood in stool or urine can indicate serious health conditions that need immediate diagnosis and treatment.
Health Benefits of Beets
While all this talk of beeturia isn't exactly appetizing, there are plenty of reasons to eat beets. High in fiber, folate, vitamin C, iron, and potassium, the tasty root veggie packs a seriously nutritious punch. Here are just a few things beets may be able to do:
Promote healthy digestion, thanks to high fiber content.
Lower blood pressure and improve exercise capacity, thanks to high levels of nitric oxide.
Promote weight loss or weight management, as beets have few calories compared to their rich nutrient content.
Beet Recipes
Incorporate more beets into your diet with one of these delicious recipes:
Beeturia will stop once betalain is no longer in the diet. The urine color change may appear in the first few hours after drinking something containing beetroot. It may continue for a day or two after eating the coloring, especially in the stool.
Some people cannot break the pigment down and this results in excretion of the pigment in urine and feces. The rest of the beetroot is digested and no nutrients should be lost. This usually lasts 48 hours, but it can vary in people who have a slow or faster rate of passing feces.
Because the intake of iron, bismuth or foods like beets can give the stool the same appearance as bleeding from the digestive tract, a doctor must test the stool for blood before offering a diagnosis.
Is beet juice always bad for kidneys? Actually, it's not. Unless a person is at risk for kidney stones, beets may be key to reducing the risk of renal (kidney) failure during and after a heart x-ray. Coronary angiography is a specialized test allowing doctors to view the heart's blood vessels in action.
Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.
All you need is about half of a raw beet, and the stomach to glance into your toilet after a successful bowel movement sometime in the near future—hopefully between 12 and 24 hours after you chow down on that beet.
If your stool is bright red or black — which may indicate the presence of blood — seek prompt medical attention. Food may be moving through the large intestine too quickly, such as due to diarrhea. As a result, bile doesn't have time to break down completely.
It goes dark red or black and can make your poo look like tar. This type of bleeding can be a sign of cancer higher up the bowel. Or it could be from a bleeding stomach ulcer for example. It is important to go to your doctor if you have any bleeding and get checked.
Who Should Avoid Beetroot? Beets are high in oxalates, which can lead to kidney stones. If you've had kidney stones, avoid beets or eat them only as a rare treat. Oxalates can also contribute to gout, a type of arthritis, so eat beets sparingly if you're at risk.
How Beets Cleanse Your Colon. Beets are rich in antioxidants and high in fiber that can help pull toxins into the colon where they can be evacuated. Because fiber isn't digested by your body like other food components, such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates, it feeds friendly gut bacteria.
Moreover, beets are low in calories with zero cholesterol and a small amount of fat. However, the root is high in sugar and carbohydrates, so while you can consume the greens on top of the root in unlimited quantities, you should only have the root a few times a week. Beets are best from early spring to late fall.
Beets and beet juice are high in nitrates, substances that turn into nitric oxide inside your body. Your body naturally produces nitric oxide, which is crucial for blood vessel health. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens your arteries, allowing more blood to flow through and significantly lowering blood pressure.
Sometimes, the urine appears to have blood in it because there are other red substances (pigments) in the urine. This can happen if you eat an excessive amount of beets (called beeturia), food dyes, or certain medications (such as phenazopyridine/Pyridium).
If there is no pain, it could be a sign of kidney or bladder cancer. It's very important to call your physician if you notice red/pink urine and you aren't experiencing any pain. A rare blood disease called polycythemia vera, can also cause red urine.
How long it takes for beet juice to lower blood pressure can vary. However, a 2008 study stated that beet juice lowers blood pressure in about 3 hours. Research suggests that drinking beet juice daily for at least 60 days provides the most benefits, helping significantly improve hypertension.
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