Superfood Spotlight: Asparagus

I am so excited that I finally have asparagus growing in my vegetable garden! I love the sweet flavor of the steamed young stalks, and it is so nutritious – but also so expensive at the grocery store. I also have a hard time finding fresh-looking stalks at the store. The tips are almost always wilting, a sign that much of the nutritional value has gone out of the food.

Nutrition in asparagus

When it’s fresh, asparagus is bursting with nutrients. The top six include:

• Vitamin K, necessary for normal blood clotting and healthy bones. It also prevents oxidative cell damage.
• Folate, which supports red blood cell production, helps prevent build-up of homocysteine, and facilitates in proper nerve function.
• Vitamin C, a great antioxidant which improves iron absorption and regenerates your body’s supply of vitamin E.
• Vitamin A, famous for its ability to keep your eyes healthy, also helps fight off viral infections.
• Tryptophan, which lifts mood, improves sleep, and regulates appetite.
• Vitamin B1, essential for nerve and muscle coordination, a healthy heart, and high energy levels.
• This superfood also contains good levels of vitamin B1, B6 and B3; copper; potassium; iron; and zinc.

Health benefits of asparagus

It facilitates healthy digestive function, as it contains a food – inulin – for the friendly bacteria in our gut. The fiber, of course, helps with bowel regularity. In addition, asparagus has a diuretic effect, and so can be used to help relieve the joint swelling in arthritis.

This superfood also promotes a healthy heart, due to the nutrients that reduce the blood vessel-compromising substance, homocysteine. Asparagus is a great food to feast on before and during pregnancy, as it contains high levels of the folic acid that prevents birth defects.

Asparagus helps with bone health, thanks to the vitamin K, calcium and magnesium it contains. The manganese and B vitamins help keep up your energy levels, and it contains several nutrients that combat free radicals.

In summary, few vegetables can surpass the health benefits of asparagus.