10 Interesting And Bizarre Facts About Urine

The aboriginal people of the Columbia river valley used urine for one of their dishes which was later named ‘Chinook Olives’ by European settlers. Acorns (about 35 L of them) was placed in a hole next to the house entrance and covered with grass and dirt. Then urine from each and every family member was collected and added to the acorns. They were then left there for 5 to 6 months. End result… ‘Chinook Olives’, a dish considered to be a delicacy.

Paruresis, also known as Pee-Shy, Shy-Bladder, Bashful Bladder, Tinkle Error, Ballpark Bladder and Pee Anxiety is the terror of peeing in the presence of other people. Studies show that about 7% of the public (21 million) suffer from this social anxiety disorder.

The average adult bladder can hold up to 16 ounces or 2 cups of urine at max. When you feel the need to pee, your bladders is filled to about 8 ounces.

Beets can cause discolouration of urine to red or pink, this is called beeturia. It’s caused by the betalain pigments in the beets, breaking down and being excreted. The stomach acid and the flora of the gut play an important role in breaking down the pigments in food, so if they are low or compromised you may experience beeturia.

You know that smell at a public pool? You may have thought that that’s the smell of chlorine, but it’s not. That smell is from chloramine, a chemical created when chlorine is combined with inter alia urine. A stronger smell indicates a higher contamination.