What Foods Turn Urine Orange? The Dietary and Health Connections

December 26, 2025 •

4 min read

Urine color is determined by a yellow pigment called urochrome, and its shade can change based on hydration levels. However, the startling discovery of orange-hued urine can often be traced back to something you ate, as certain foods turn urine orange due to their natural pigments or added dyes.

Quick Summary

Certain foods high in beta-carotene, specific vitamins, and dehydration can lead to orange urine. This color change is typically harmless and resolves quickly with dietary or hydration adjustments.

Key Points

Beta-Carotene is a Key Culprit: Foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin, which are rich in beta-carotene, can cause orange urine when consumed in large amounts.
Supplements Play a Role: High doses of vitamins C and B (especially B2 and B12) are often excreted in urine, resulting in bright yellow or orange coloration.
Dehydration is a Common Cause: Insufficient fluid intake leads to concentrated urine, making the normal yellow pigment, urochrome, appear darker and more orange.
Food Dyes Can Alter Color: Artificial orange dyes found in processed foods and candies can temporarily change urine color.
Medical Causes Can Occur: While often harmless, persistent orange urine can indicate liver or bile duct issues, especially if accompanied by other symptoms like jaundice.
Consult a Doctor for Persistence: If the orange color doesn't resolve after adjusting diet and hydration, or if you have other worrying symptoms, seek professional medical advice.

The Role of Beta-Carotene and Other Food Pigments

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, a type of pigment that gives many fruits and vegetables their vibrant orange, red, and yellow colors. When consumed in large quantities, the body processes this pigment, and any excess may be excreted through the urine, causing it to appear orange. This is the most common and harmless dietary reason for orange urine.

List of Beta-Carotene-Rich Foods

Carrots: A classic and well-known source of beta-carotene, consuming an excessive amount of carrots or carrot juice can cause a noticeable orange tint to your urine.
Sweet Potatoes: These root vegetables are packed with beta-carotene, and overconsumption can have a similar effect to carrots.
Pumpkin: Often used in pies, soups, and lattes, pumpkin's high beta-carotene content can contribute to a change in urine color.
Cantaloupe: This orange-fleshed melon contains beta-carotene that can impact urine color when eaten in large servings.
Apricots: Both fresh and dried apricots are rich in beta-carotene and can be a factor.

The Effect of Vitamins and Supplements

Beyond whole foods, certain vitamins and dietary supplements can also be a cause. These are often water-soluble, meaning the body excretes what it doesn't need through urine.

High-Dose Vitamin C: Supplements containing high doses of vitamin C can cause urine to turn bright yellow or orange.
Beta-Carotene Supplements: As with the whole foods, taking beta-carotene supplements can also cause an orange tint.
B Vitamins (especially B2 and B12): Excess B vitamins, particularly riboflavin (B2), are known to give urine a fluorescent, almost neon yellow color. Depending on other dietary factors, this bright hue can be perceived as orange.

The Impact of Dehydration

One of the most frequent non-dietary causes of orange urine is dehydration. When you don't drink enough fluids, your kidneys work to conserve water, resulting in highly concentrated urine. This concentration increases the density of urochrome, the yellow pigment responsible for urine color, causing the urine to appear dark yellow or orange. Rehydrating with water typically restores urine to its normal pale yellow color within a few hours.

Other Potential Contributors and When to Worry

While food and hydration are common culprits, other factors can cause orange urine, including certain medications, artificial dyes, and underlying medical conditions. Rhubarb, for example, can cause urine to appear pinkish-red or even dark brown, though it can sometimes contribute to an orange hue.

Comparison of Orange Urine Causes


Feature	Dietary/Supplement Cause	Dehydration Cause	Medical Condition Cause
Underlying Reason	Excretion of excess pigments like beta-carotene, or water-soluble vitamins.	Higher concentration of urochrome due to low fluid intake.	Build-up of bilirubin from liver/bile duct issues or blood in urine.
Typical Color	Light orange to bright orange or neon yellow.	Dark yellow to amber or orange.	Dark yellow or brownish-orange.
Duration	Temporary, often resolves within a day or two after cutting back on the food/supplement.	Resolves rapidly after increasing fluid intake.	Persistent and does not improve with fluid or dietary changes.
Other Symptoms	Usually none; sometimes accompanied by skin discoloration with high beta-carotene intake.	Thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, headaches.	Jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes), pale stools, nausea, vomiting.

Medications and Artificial Dyes

Certain medications are also known to cause orange urine. The antibiotic rifampin (used for tuberculosis) and phenazopyridine (a pain reliever for urinary tract infections) are common examples. Artificial food dyes, particularly orange or dark yellow ones found in processed foods, can also lead to a temporary color change.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While orange urine is often harmless, persistent discoloration or changes accompanied by other symptoms warrant a doctor's visit. If your urine remains orange despite increasing your fluid intake, or if you experience symptoms like yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), pale stools, or abdominal pain, it could be a sign of a liver or bile duct issue. Always consult a healthcare provider if you have concerns about your urine color or other persistent symptoms. For more information on changes in urine, the Cleveland Clinic offers comprehensive resources.

Conclusion

The foods that turn urine orange are most commonly those rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, as well as high-dose vitamin supplements. These instances are typically benign and temporary. The most common cause is dehydration, which is easily remedied by increasing fluid intake. However, it's crucial to be aware of other potential causes, including medications and underlying health conditions like liver problems. By monitoring your diet and hydration, you can often identify the cause of orange urine. If the discoloration persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, consult a healthcare professional to rule out more serious issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Foods rich in beta-carotene that can cause orange urine include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, cantaloupe, and apricots.

Yes, high doses of certain vitamin supplements, particularly Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and B vitamins like B12, can cause urine to turn orange or bright yellow as the body excretes the excess.

Yes, dehydration is a very common cause of orange urine. When you are dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated, and the yellow urochrome pigment becomes more intense, leading to a darker, more orange color.

Orange urine caused by dietary factors is temporary. The color should return to normal within a day or two after you reduce your intake of the offending food or supplement.

Persistent orange or brownish-orange urine can be a sign of liver or bile duct problems. This can be caused by conditions like hepatitis or cirrhosis, which lead to a build-up of bilirubin in the body.

Yes, several medications can cause orange urine. Notable examples include the urinary tract infection pain reliever phenazopyridine and the antibiotic rifampin.

You should see a doctor if your orange urine persists despite adequate hydration, or if it is accompanied by other symptoms like pale stools, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or abdominal pain.