Health Benefits of Asparagus
What are the health benefits of asparagus? What are the nutrition facts for asparagus and its healing effect? Some tips on how to cook asparagus.
Here are the nutrition facts for asparagus.
- Folate
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B1
- Tryptophan
- Vitamin B2
- Dietary Fiber
- Manganese
- Copper
- Vitamin B6
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin B3 or better known as niacin
- Protein
- Zinc
- Iron
- Selenium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Potassium
Health Benefits of Asparagus
One of the important asparagus health benefits is that it is a natural diuretic. This is because it has so much potassium in it. Down through history people have been used this for water retention problems that occur in such things as PMS. It also relieves the swelling of rheumatism and arthritis. This swelling can be quite painful when it occurs too. So by relieving the swell the pain also lightens up.
The folate helps the body's cardiovascular system by managing the levels of the homocysteine which has been known to affect the heart adversely. Too much homocysteine can also bring on atheroslclerosis. This can occur because of the walls of the blood vessel changing their integrity. People with heart disease often have high levels of homocysteine. Getting enough folate in their diets can help overcome this problem.
Folate is also good for fighting birth defects too. It is necessary for the cells to divide properly. Without it the fetus could have trouble developing properly especially its nervous system.
Asparagus provides the body with inulin. This is a carbohydrate that is digested by the good bacteria in the large intestine. Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are two types of the bacteria. If we have enough of inulin in our system the good bacteria can grow easier and keep the bad bacteria from forming. This makes our intestinal tract healthier.
For more health benefits of asparagus, look to the various minerals in it. These work to manage the sugar level in the blood. This can help with hypoglycemia and diabetes.
Asparagus is more alkaline therefore is lowers the acidity in the body. This helps to flush waste from the muscles and tissues.
To gain the health benefits of asparagus serve it as a vegetable juice, cook it as a side dish, grill it or bake it. It even goes well in salads.
Here's how to cook asparagus. Asparagus cooking tips:
- Choose the thinner asparagus because they are more tender
- Break the tough and bottom end of the stalk because it's too hard. You can save the ends to add flavor to your asparagus soup or cream, remove them later and add in the spears
- Peel the outer layer of the asparagus stalk so that you will get a better looking and better taste asparagus instead of it being chewy when it's cooked
- One of the ways to set the color, texture and crunchiness of the asparagus is to blanch them. What it means is to plunge them into boiling water for a few minutes, remove them and place in ice water.
- The other methods of cooking are to steam, grill, sauté, or bake them until tender
Here's how to grill asparagus:
If you are using large asparagus, place them in single rows on the grill. For thinner ones, put them in a grill basket or on aluminum foil on the grill.
Rub with salt and pepper and whatever flavor you wish such as garlic powder. The grilling should take a few minutes, turning them midway.
One of the ways to bake asparagus:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, coat the asparagus with salt, pepper, place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until tender. Once the asparagus are tender, you can add melted butter and then stir them with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.
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