Whoever came up with the “you are what you eat” motto probably ate too many carrots and turned orange — which is basically what happens when you overdo it. No matter how healthy your diet is, some common foods have side effects that will leave you scratching your head. Here are 15 weird quirks of foods you eat every day.
1. Nutmeg Can Cause Hallucinations
High on nutmeg? It’s a possibility. Apparently, America’s favorite winter spice can give you something more than just a punch to your eggnog. Nutmeg contains myristicin, an anticholinergic that, when ingested in large doses, creates similar effects to those of MDMA or LSD. This means overdoing nutmeg can result in hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. So, take it easy on the nutmeg.
2. Carrots Can Turn Your Skin Orange
Maybe you carrot believe it, but eating too much of this vegetable can change the color of your skin. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which, when consumed in large quantities, can result in a yellowish to orange discoloration of the skin, a condition known as carotenemia. The discoloration most commonly appears on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. This bizarre side effect of eating too many carrots mostly occurs in children, and it is often misdiagnosed as jaundice, because of the similar symptoms. However, carotenemia doesn’t cause yellowing of the whites of the eyes, and jaundice does.
3. Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell Funky
Asparagus is basically the poster child of healthy eating, but along with all those health benefits, it comes with a weird side effect: it gives your pee a funky, rotten smell. This superfood contains asparagusic acid — a sulfur-based compound that produces an odor some people compare to rotten cabbage. However, not everyone experiences this unpleasant side effect. One theory suggests that some people don’t produce the sulfurous compounds responsible for the funky odor, or at least not in high enough amounts to detect. Another theory is that some people don’t have the receptors in their nose to detect the smell.
4. Hot Sauce Causes Insomnia
Love hot sauce? Your taste buds might thank you, but your sleep might not. Studies show that spicy foods like hot sauce can trigger insomnia, especially if you eat them too close to bedtime. The logic behind this weird side effect, according to science has something to do with thermoregulation: the heat can cause your body temperature to rise and mess with your sleep cycle, making it harder to drift off.
5. Shiitake Mushrooms Can Cause a Rash
This might not sound like an extraordinarily weird side effect, given that any food you are allergic to can give you a rash, but there is a condition called shiitake dermatitis which causes one’s skin to break out after consuming shiitake mushrooms.
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6. Beets Can Turn Your Urine Pink
Ever freaked out in the bathroom because your urine looked like pomegranate juice? Don’t worry: It’s the beets you had for dinner. This is a harmless quirk called beeturia, where pigments in the beets pass through your system and give your pee a rosy hue.
7. Soy Can Affect Fertility in Men
Soy has come a long way. Once dismissed as “hippie food,” today it’s a popular protein alternative for vegetarians and vegans. However, it also comes with an unwanted side effect. According to a study, the isoflavones in soybeans could have reproductive downsides, potentially leading to lower sperm counts. So, men dealing with fertility issues might want to skip the tofu and look for an alternative that won’t mess with their swimmers.
8. Aged Cheese Can Give You a Headache
Indulging in that nice, aged Parmesan can give you something more than cheese breath — it can give you a headache too. Aged cheese like blue cheese, feta and Parmesan cheese contain tyramine, a chemical produced when bacteria break down proteins and it has been linked to triggering headaches and migraines.
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9. Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Can Cause Diarrhea
Sugarless chewing gum contains sorbitol, a sugar alcohol with laxative properties. Overdoing it on sugar-free gum can lead to gastrointestinal distress such as bloating, cramps, gas and, in some cases, diarrhea.
10. Unripe Mulberries Can Cause You to Hallucinate
Here is yet another food that can send you on a trip. According to a study from the Indian Academy of Sciences, while red mulberries are generally safe to eat, the unripe fruit and the milky sap from the tree’s leaves and stems can stimulate the nervous system and lead to potential stomach upset and hallucinations.
11. Processed Meats Can Make You Manic
A study from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that nitrates, commonly used in cured meats like beef jerky, salami, and hot dogs, are linked to manic episodes. Even people without a history of psychiatric problems who consumed these nitrate-cured meats were more likely to experience mania.
12. Margarine Can Make You Aggressive
Margarine gets a lot of hate, and it’s not just potentially bad for your heart — it might be messing with your mood, too. Research published in PLoS ONE revealed that people who consumed higher levels of trans fatty acids, found in abundance in margarine, were more likely to display irritability and aggression.
13. Vitamin C Can Make Your Pee Orange
While it’s not super common, taking high doses of vitamin C supplements can cause your urine to take on an orange tint. This is because your body flushes out the excess vitamin C that it can’t absorb, and it shows up in your urine.
14. Salty Foods Can Make Your Fingers Swell
If you notice your fingers puffing up out of the blue, it’s probably that bag of chips you had earlier. According to a number of studies, sodium-rich foods like mozzarella sticks and other salty snacks cause your body to hold onto extra water, which can make your fingers and toes swell.
15. Some Shellfish Can Cause Amnesia
Eating shellfish is dicey on a good day. They’re a common allergen, and if that’s not enough, there’s also the risk of something called “amnesic shellfish poisoning.” Some shellfish like oysters can accumulate domoic acid, a toxin produced by diatoms, which the shellfish eat. Domoic acid overstimulates glutamate receptors in the brain, which can cause anything from nausea to temporary memory loss.
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