What is Asparagus and What Does It Do?

Asparagus, also known as Asparagus officinalis, is a flowering plant species. It is also popularly known as sparrow grass. Asparagus, which grows among bushes and thorns and is troublesome to collect, is known as a panacea for many troubles.

Asparagus, which grows spontaneously as well as being planted as a seed, is a plant that can grow up to 10-15 cm in average and is collected and eaten in April and May.

Asparagus, which is also produced in Turkey in recent years, is a vegetable that grows throughout the year, although it attracts our attention especially in spring. Asparagus plant is actually a vegetable with 300 species. The most common type is Asparagus officinalis. Cultivated for over 2 thousand years in Greece and coming from the lily family, this plant is known to have been consumed in antiquity. Asparagus spontaneously grows in gardens without planting asparagus seeds. This vegetable, which is a temperate climate plant, is considered native to most of Europe, North Africa and West Asia. It is cultivated especially in China, Thailand, Peru, Germany and Mexico.

Asparagus is a thin spear-like vegetable. The green variety is the most common. Purple, white and pink coloured varieties are also available. There are also varieties such as Jersey, Purple passion, Apollo, UC 157, Atlas, Viking KBC all over the world. Asparagus, a balanced vegetable, does not contain fat and cholesterol. Sodium content is also very low. 1 glass asparagus nutritional values are as follows:

• Calories: 27
• Protein: 13 grams
• Fat: 0
• Carbohydrate: 5 grams
• Fibre: 2 grams
• Potassium: 271 mg
• Vitamin C: 5 mg
• Folate : 7 mcg
• Vitamin K : 7 mcg

Before moving on to the benefits of asparagus, let’s explain the richness of vitamins and minerals in its content:

• Vitamin A: It is effective in bone development, reproduction and visual health. Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that the body needs most for cellular functions to work properly and immunity to be strong.
• Vitamin C: As a powerful antioxidant, it plays an important role in skin and bone health as well as connective tissue and iron absorption.
• Vitamin K: It is the vitamin needed for blood clotting and protection of bone health.
• Potassium: Potassium is needed for the healthy functioning of the nervous system and muscles.
• Folate: It is a type of B vitamin necessary for the body to make DNA.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ASPARAGUS?

Asparagus is known as a ‘herbal antibiotic’ thanks to the rich vitamins and minerals it contains. The plant contains vitamins A, C, K and B, potassium, iron, folic acid and fibre. Thanks to its antioxidant and fibre content, it has a protective effect on colon cancer.

Asparagus has antioxidant properties especially because it is rich in vitamins A and C, selenium and beta carotene. Antioxidants are also protective against cancer. Saponin in asparagus is also an antioxidant. In this way, it protects our cells against oxidative stress and inflammation.

Saponin has anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Asparagus is also a good source of folic acid, it can support the development of new cells and prevent the development of cancer cells. Since it is a good source of fibre, it protects the intestines and plays an effective role against colon cancer.

Asparagus is also thought to be beneficial for women who want to have children. Experts say that women who want to get pregnant help to increase the amount of vitamin B9 folic acid in asparagus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 400 mcg folic acid should be taken daily to prevent two common birth defects. One glass of asparagus portion contains 35 mcg folate, so if you are trying to get pregnant, you should eat about 6 cups of asparagus a day to meet the recommended amount of folic acid.

The low calorie content of asparagus may be the primary reason for people who pay attention to their weight. However, asparagus benefits do not end with counting. While its soluble fibre structure makes asparagus a great food for the digestive system, it can also act as a shield for colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It helps to reduce birth defects during brain health and pregnancy with folate. Asparagus recipes Asparagus benefits that will cause you to try asparagus recipes can be explained in detail as follows:

Weight Loss Aid: Soluble inulin fibre in asparagus plays a very important role in weight loss. Because according to research, 6 grams of inulin gives a feeling of satiety as much as a 260 calorie meal. Add asparagus to your diet to both lose weight and maintain your weight.

Cancer Fighter: It has been found in a study that the saponin components in asparagus, which are thought to be beneficial in alleviating the problems caused by cancer, are effective in the death of cancer cells. According to the research, it is stated that it prevents the growth of cancer cells. The anti-cancer property of sulforaphane, another component, is under research. The fact that asparagus is a source of folate can make it known as a risk reducer against colon, pancreatic and oesophageal cancers. In short, asparagus should be known to be a supporter in the fight against cancer.

Protects the Urinary Tract: Asparagus, which is thought to protect the urinary tract, including the bladder, kidneys and urethra, does this by being a green vegetable. This vegetable with antibacterial properties is effective in preventing the growth of bacteria that cause infections. Asparagus comes to mind when it comes to diuretic. It is important to protect against urinary tract infections. With its diuretic properties, asparagus is a food that should be consumed in cleaning the wastes in the kidneys and preventing kidney stones.

Fights Inflammation: Powerful antioxidants make asparagus strong in the fight against inflammation. Asparagus is also seen as a fighter of inflammation that can lead to heart disease. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, asparagus is good for back and headaches, as well as rheumatism and gout problems.

Supports Heart Health: Vitamin K is essential for heart health. It helps prevent hardening of the vessels while providing blood clotting. At this point, it plays an important role in lowering blood pressure. With its soluble fibre structure, it is a healthy food choice against cardiac problems. Fibre should be consumed to maintain cholesterol levels. In addition, thiamine, a type of B vitamin in asparagus, balances amino acid homocysteine levels. Again, folate has an effect on reducing the risk of heart disease.

Strengthens the Brain: Vitamins C and E are the two most powerful vitamins that reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have tried to prove that it prevents cognitive impairment and decline in older people. Folate in asparagus has a morale-boosting and supportive effect against irritability. It is also said to help in the treatment of depression. Research shows that low folate predisposes to depression. Folate can also help with epileptic seizures.

Digestion Support: Asparagus, which is undoubtedly a fibrous vegetable, facilitates the breakdown of nutrients in the intestines. Inulin fibre improves the digestive process. Asparagus, which is a water store as rich as fibre, is effective in preventing constipation. Being a source of prebiotics also makes asparagus a super food. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria in the intestines and balance the good and bad bacteria. Bloating is one of the most common digestive problems. Asparagus as a good diuretic can also be useful in reducing bloating by helping to expel excess water.

Bone Health Improves: Weak bones are attributed to vitamin K deficiency. A glass of asparagus allows you to meet more than half of your daily vitamin K requirement. Vitamin K is also important for the absorption of calcium in the body. It plays a role in protecting bone health and preventing bone resorption by preventing the excretion of calcium with urine. It provides bone mineral balance and maintains bone density. Iron in asparagus strengthens bones and joints. It also contributes to bone health by increasing calcium absorption with its prebiotic structure.

Builds the Immune System: Glutathione in asparagus shows a destructive effect on carcinogenic substances. Glutathione is a compound that has an important function in the immune system. In addition, while immunity is strengthened with prebiotics in asparagus, battles against diseases such as colds and flu can be won more easily. Another feature that makes asparagus have a say on immunity is the richness of antioxidants. Vitamin B content also makes asparagus an energising food. Thanks to the fibres, blood sugar is balanced.

Effective in Diabetes Treatment: Asparagus, which is successful in maintaining blood sugar balance, helps the body absorb glucose by increasing insulin production.

Friend in Pregnancy: As a source of folate, of course it helps the pregnant woman. Folate ensures the development of the foetus, reducing the risk of birth defects. Pregnant women should take at least 400 mcg folate per day. Folate is also important for fertility. The glutathione content improves fertility and egg quality.

Protects Eye Health: Vitamin A helps the retina to absorb light. This directly affects eye health. As an antioxidant, asparagus is protective against problems such as age-related macular degeneration (cataract). Lutein and zeaxanthin protect the antioxidant against cataracts, while vitamin E improves the quality of vision.

May Facilitate Menstrual Period: B vitamins can help women relieve fatigue during menstrual periods. It can even improve premenstrual syndrome. Asparagus can also treat the symptoms of menopause while producing estrogen. However, more research is needed on this.

Contributes to Skin Health: Asparagus is also important in skin cleansing and acne treatment. Vitamins C and E provide an improvement in skin tone. Vitamin C especially moisturises and nourishes the skin.

How should asparagus be consumed?

There are many reasons to eat asparagus. So how to consume asparagus? But you don’t actually need to put a lot of effort to apply an asparagus recipe. It can be cooked in the oven with the addition of a little salt, pepper and olive oil. You can put these cooked asparagus as a side dish to your meals or add them to your salads. You can also cook asparagus by boiling. After boiling, you can consume it with crushed garlic and olive oil. You can make asparagus omelette. You can add asparagus to your soups. You can also sauté asparagus in a pan with olive oil and garlic and consume.

How to Clean Asparagus?

You may wonder how asparagus is cleaned before consuming. Firstly, wash this thin spear-like vegetable thoroughly with plenty of water. Because there may be sand between them. You can even soak it in carbonated water and wash it. If it feels thick on the outside, you can peel it down to the bottom with a vegetable peeler. The hard part on the top of the asparagus is peeled off and the soft part is prepared to eat. The plant, which should not be cooked too much, can be eaten raw or prepared by many methods such as boiling, frying, steaming.

Who Should Not Eat Asparagus?

Asparagus can cause problems for some people despite its benefits. Since vitamin K content plays a role in blood clotting, people taking blood thinners should not consume too much asparagus. It is high in purine, which increases uric acid production and can affect conditions such as kidney stones and gout. It is not recommended to consume asparagus if your purine levels have been recommended to be reduced by your doctor. You may also be allergic to asparagus if you are allergic to plants such as garlic and chives. A diet high in fibre can sometimes cause gas and bloating. It may affect people who are not used to this type of diet more. So pay attention to portion control. Asparagus can cause odour in urine.