This question has baffled scientists for over half a century. In 1956, British researchers divided the population into two categories: excretors (those whose urine smells after they eat asparagus) and nonexcretors (asparagus eaters who remain odor free). Since there’s no documentation of the asparagus-pee phenomenon before the 1700s, about the time farmers began using sulfur to fertilize soil, this and subsequent studies hypothesized that a particular gene allows people to process a sulfur-containing compound in asparagus (most likely asparagusic acid). The theory was that if you have that gene, your pee won’t stink. However, they were relying on the test subjects’ own reports and weren’t considering the subjects’ ability to smell.
In 1980, Israeli researchers performed a similar experiment but asked the nonexcretors to smell the excretors’ urine. Shockingly, they found that everyone’s urine smells after eating asparagus; it’s just that some people can’t smell it. So they, too, divided the world into two camps: perceivers and nonperceivers.
Oh, yeah. On a trip to Hawaii, my hostess ordered a wonderful Chinese dish called Chicken and Asparagus in Black Bean Sauce. It was one of the most delicious dishes I have ever had, and I now make it often here at home. Later that evening, I had to go #1....and geeeez! I thought something was terribly wrong with the plumbing! Phew what a stink. In a fit of laughter, my hostess told of this side...+READ
Oh, yeah. On a trip to Hawaii, my hostess ordered a wonderful Chinese dish called Chicken and Asparagus in Black Bean Sauce. It was one of the most delicious dishes I have ever had, and I now make it often here at home. Later that evening, I had to go #1....and geeeez! I thought something was terribly wrong with the plumbing! Phew what a stink. In a fit of laughter, my hostess told of this side affect of fresh asparagus. When I found this out, I breathed a great sigh of relief, and asked to go back to the restaurant. :)-COLLAPSE
@ JNUNZMAN - You are absolutely right about how they grow it. But white asparagus is also another variety, not just green asparagus kept in the dark.
German asparagus that is white is non colored due to it being comletely covered from the sunlight in the fields. They just let it grow longer without the sunlight and pick when it's larger diameter. I remember it being a bit milder in flavor, but similar in texture. I happened to be in Germany during the season and every restaurant has a menu featuring "spargel".