Signs of one’s relative wealth may be evident in a wide range of different ways, but new research from the University of Copenhagen highlights how our urine could give away our poverty level.

The key is how our diet affects our urine, with a diet of whole grains, vegetables, and dark chocolate producing a very different urine to a diet of salt and additives.

The researchers monitored the metabolism of a few thousand volunteers via their urine samples, and found that citric and hippuric acids were typically higher in the urine of wealthier individuals.  Low levels of these acids are commonly associated with a diet low in protein, whole grains, and fruit and vegetables.

“The most striking thing is that across gender, ethnicity, and nationality, we were able to discern between those who earn more and those who earn less—from their urine,” the researchers say.

Rapid response

The researchers explain that our urine changes rapidly in response to our diet and overall levels of health.  It contains thousands of metabolites that can provide a clue as to our overall health, and the speed with which these materialize marks it out as a faster way of detecting change than a blood test.

The metabolites not only shed light on our diet and overall health, but also our predisposition to various diseases.  Despite this apparent promise, it’s still a largely unknown domain, with scientists only aware of around 1% of the million or so different metabolites.

“We know that metabolites can tell us a great deal more about human health and wellbeing than genes. However, we need more knowledge about how to decode these metabolites. This study marks an important step forward,” the researchers say.

The study is part of a larger project that aims to identify any nutritional deficiencies in people who are at risk of poverty, with the ultimate aim of developing affordable foods with the right nutritional content for this market.