Gastropod
Ask Gastropod: White Chocolate, Jimmies, Chile vs. Mustard Burns, and Asparagus Pee
Nov 21, 2023
Guests include historians and scientists who bust myths and solve mysteries about food. They explore topics such as white chocolate's authenticity, the origins of 'jimmies' for sprinkles, the burning sensation of chili peppers vs horseradish, and the science behind asparagus pee.
45:16
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Asparagusic acid in asparagus leads to sulfur-based compounds causing the smelly urine odor after consumption.
- The term 'Jimmy's' for chocolate sprinkles does not have a racially derogatory history and may have originated from Just Born Candy Company's claim in the 1930s.
Deep dives
Main Idea/Key Point 1: Asparagusic acid in asparagus is responsible for the foul-smelling urine after consuming the vegetable.
Asparagusic acid, a compound present in asparagus, gets metabolized in the kidneys into smaller, more volatile sulfur-based molecules. These molecules are responsible for the unpleasant odor experienced in urine after eating asparagus. The odor is often described as rotten eggs or sulfur-like, and it can last for up to 24 hours.
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