You can tell a lot about your health just by taking a look at your next piddle! So, how healthy is your urine? According to experts, the color or smell of your urine is largely determined by what liquids you drink – and how many of them.
Swallowing gallons to get “hydrated”? Not so fast, says nutritionist Sarah Batchelor. “Eight glasses a day is an arbitrary number and everyone has individual needs,” she says. However, urine quality depends not only on what you put in it, but also on what is already there.
Take a look below to see where you stand. Do you see any strange changes? Just contact your doctor now. So take this 10 second test to find out how healthy your pee really is…
What does clear urine mean?
If your urine is colorless, you may be overjoyed and think you drank the right amount of water. You’re wrong. “The fluid intake is maximum and the intake is simply too high. It also overloads the kidneys,” says Betchelor. It could also lead to dangerously low sodium levels. Stop drinking water unless you are thirsty.
Why is it bright bright yellow?
Have you taken multivitamins? “Urine is usually bright light yellow because of the vitamin B in the vitamins,” says Batchelor. When you take a vitamin or supplement, the body processes the contents and anything not used is excreted in your urine. Vitamin B2 in particular can turn your urine light yellow.
READ MORE: The health benefits of gardening
If your urine is pale yellow, is everything OK?
Breathe a sigh of relief: If your urine is slightly yellow but otherwise clear, you are hydrated and healthy. You’re A-okay! Continue drinking, but only when you are thirsty.
What does dark yellow urine mean?
A sign of dehydration. Time to sip. However, if your urine is more of a light orange color, it could be an excess of carrots or even vitamin C, which can add that color.
READ MORE: Cooked porcini mushrooms, raw onions and one-day remedies: Do folk remedies for flu work?
What does pink urine mean?
Unless you have eaten beets, blackberries, or something with red dye, pink urine could indicate blood. This can be serious; Get it checked by a doctor as soon as possible. Reddish urine could also indicate a urinary tract infection, kidney stones, or even lead or mercury poisoning.
Is foamy urine normal?
“This can be a sign of kidney problems,” says Batchelor. Foamy urine could indicate high protein levels, which would result in an unusual texture. See your doctor as soon as possible.
What does cloudy urine mean?
According to Harvard Health Publishing, milky-white urine occurs when white blood cells are released to respond to an immune problem. In this case it could be a urinary tract infection.
READ MORE: From showering to discharge: 5 feminine hygiene myths busted
What about urine smell?
Foods like coffee, cabbage, onions, and pineapple can affect the smell of your urine. However, a change in the smell of urine can also indicate a health problem. Sweet-smelling pee could indicate diabetes; According to the Cleaveland Clinic, a musty smell could indicate a metabolic disorder.
