It’s that time of year where Farmer’s Markets are flourishing with beautiful fruits and vegetables. You cannot past a vegetable stand or produce isle without seeing tons of asparagus! The fleshy green spears of asparagus are both succulent and tender and have been considered a delicacy since ancient times. It was thought to be cultivated in ancient Egypt with varieties discovered in northern and southern Africa. Today, asparagus is cultivated in most subtropical and temperate parts of the world with the majority of commercially available asparagus grown in United States, Mexico, Peru, France, Spain and other Mediterranean countries. Asparagus is great with just about any dinner (we love to make asparagus soup). Here are some of the health benefits of asparagus!
-Asparagus is high in vitamin K which is essential for healthy clotting and strong bones. It also contains rutin which helps protect the blood vessels.
-Asparagus is high in glutathione which is one of the body’s most important antioxidants.
-The folic acid in asparagus is essential for proper cell division and is necessary in DNA synthesis. This makes it a good vegetable to eat if you plan on becoming or are pregnant.
-Asparagus is a good source of manganese, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus. It is also an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A.
-Asparagus is a very good source of potassium (288 mg per cup) and quite low in sodium (19.8 mg per cup. Its mineral profile, combined with an active amino acid in asparagus, asparagine, gives asparagus a diuretic effect.
-Asparagus contains a special kind of carbohydrate called inulin that we don’t digest, but the health-promoting friendly bacteria in our large intestine, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, do.
References
Mateljan, G. (2007). The Worlds Healthiest Foods. Seattle, WA: George Mateljan Foundation.
