Many people will find that their stools or urine turn red after eating red pitaya, so they suspect that they have hematuria or bloody stools. Some people suspect that artificial pigments have been added to pitaya.

In fact, it is normal to turn red after eating red pitaya, which is dyed red by anthocyanins in red pitaya.

Anthocyanin is a water-soluble natural pigment. Although it can be absorbed and utilized by the human body, it cannot be decomposed by the body, and it can keep its activity in the body for 75 hours. After anthocyanin enters the body, it will enter the blood with the circulation of water and form a protective film on the surface of blood vessels, thus protecting blood vessels and preventing arteriosclerosis.

Eventually, these anthocyanins will be excreted with the urine and feces. When the concentration of anthocyanins reaches a certain level, the discharged urine and feces will be obviously red, which is the real reason why the urine and feces will turn red.

Because red pitaya is rich in red anthocyanins, it is very normal for people to turn red after eating red pitaya. It is not hematuria or bloody stool, nor is artificial pigment added to pitaya.

The dyeing ability of red anthocyanin is very strong. Eating red pitaya will not only lead to red urine, but also dye hands, teeth and tongue. However, there is no need to worry about this dyeing phenomenon, which is beneficial to our health.

Many vegetables and fruits in life contain anthocyanins, such as purple cabbage, purple grapes or blueberries. Why don't these foods turn red after eating? This is because their anthocyanin content is not high, and a small amount of anthocyanin is mixed in the urine and stool, which is not enough to cause the urine and stool to turn red.