Asparagus
Photography and styling by Grain(e)s & co.
Spring is finally here and with that so is Asparagus season. Whether green, purple, or white asparagus is a great addition to your salads, in a pasta dish or simply oven roasted as a side.
Part of your 5-a-day
Around 5 spears of fresh asparagus and 7 spears of canned asparagus count as a portion towards your 5-a-day.
Folic acid - pregnancy & development
Asparagus is high in folic acid - a.k.a vitamin B9 - with 100g of asparagus providing around half our daily need.
Folic acid is needed for cell growth and multiplication, meaning it is critical during periods of rapid growth and development - infancy and pregnancy. Folic acid is a key player for the healthy development of babies, supporting skull, brain and spinal cord development and protecting against birth defects - neural tube defects.
It also plays a role in producing and keeping healthy red blood cells and blood vessels, and supporting our immune system.
Selenium - health protection & fertility
Asparagus is high in selenium, a trace mineral, which the body only needs in very small amounts.
Selenium is an essential component to produce various enzymes and proteins - selenoproteins - which play a critical role in protecting our cells and tissues from damage, ensuring our immune system can protect us from infections, and supporting our thyroid functions. Selenium and selenoproteins are also involved in reproduction - men's fertility and sperm mobility - and normal muscle function - muscle and heart contraction.
When cooking asparagus, choose either frying or oven baking over boiling as studies have shown asparagus can lose up to 40-50% of its selenium content during boiling.
Prebiotic Fibre - gut health
Asparagus is a source of prebiotic fibre, meaning it feeds the friendly and beneficial bacteria which live in our digestive system, and positively impacts our gut health. Additionally, dietary fibre helps normalise bowel movements, feel fuller for longer, and can reduce the risk of certain diseases - heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Find out more about fibre on my previous blog post: Dietary Fibre.
Phytonutrients - reduce inflammation
Asparagus has a rich mixture of phytonutrients - chemicals produced by plants - which have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning they protect cells and tissues from damage and prevent inflammation.
Bonus - why does asparagus make urine smell?
The reason asparagus causes urine to smell is mainly due to aspargusic acid, a chemical which is found exclusively in asparagus. When digested, this chemical is broken down into sulfur-containing compounds which have an unpleasant and strong smell. When we urinate, these compounds evaporate into the air causing us to smell the unpleasant scent. Producing and smelling this odour has no harmful effects. This smell usually appears around 15 to 30 minutes after eating asparagus and can last up to several hours.
Surprisingly, not everyone can smell it, and to date, we do not know why.
The take-home:
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References
NHS. Live Well - Eat Well - 5 A Day portion sizes. NHS Eat Well, 18 Sept. 2018, https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day-portion-sizes/
World Health Organization (WHO). Vitamin and mineral requirements in human nutrition. 2nd edition. 2004. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO.
Rayman MP. Food-chain selenium and human health: emphasis on intake. 2008. British Journal of Nutrition. 100, 254-268.doi:10.1017/S0007114508939830.
Gibson GR. Dietary modulation of the human gut microflora using prebiotics. Br J Nutr. 1998 Oct;80(4):S209-12. PMID: 9924286.
Cleveland Clinic. Urinary & Kidney - Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell? 22 Feb. 2021, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-does-asparagus-make-your-pee-smell/#:~:text=When%20asparagus%20is%20digested%2C%20asparagusic,to%20smell%20that%20unpleasant%20scent.
Pegiou E, Mumm R, Acharya P, de Vos RCH, Hall RD. Green and White Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis): A Source of Developmental, Chemical and Urinary Intrigue. Metabolites. 2019 Dec 25;10(1):17. doi: 10.3390/metabo10010017. PMID: 31881716; PMCID: PMC7022954.
