Asparagus - More Than Just A Green Vegetable

Asparagus is more than just a green vegetable served as a side dish. It's also been recognized historically for its medicinal properties Down through the ages this popular veggie been used as a diuretic to reduce water retention and as a laxative due to its high fiber content. Even though you won't find asparagus sold in a drugstore, this popular veggie has some interesting health properties that make it a good addition to almost any diet. What are the health benefits of eating asparagus?

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: Natural Varicose Vein Prevention?

Having an extra order of asparagus may help to protect against unsightly varicose veins. Why? Asparagus is a good source of a flavonoid compound called rutin. Rutin not only has anti-inflammatory properties, but it also helps to improve circulation and strengthen veins and tiny blood vessels known as capillaries '" all of which reduce the appearance of varicosities.

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It Helps to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Asparagus helps to reduce the risk of heart disease in several ways It's a good source of potassium to normalize blood pressure, and folate another nutrient important for heart health. It's also rich in soluble fiber to help lower blood cholesterol levels. Asparagus also lowers cholesterol by another mechanism - saponins. Natural saponins found in asparagus bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract so that it's less readily absorbed into the bloodstream. It also alters liver metabolism of cholesterol in a favorable way. All in all, asparagus is one heart friendly vegetable.

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It Won't Make You Fat

Asparagus is a vegetable you can eat without guilt. At twenty-seven calories per cup, it's hard to eat too much of this low calorie veggie. Use it as a side dish instead of potatoes and you'll get more food for fewer calories '" and more nutrients too!

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It's Good if You're Pregnant

Asparagus is an excellent source of folate, a vitamin that's important for reducing the risk of neural tube defects in an unborn baby.

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It's Good for the Skin

Asparagus is a good source of vitamins A and C, anti-oxidant vitamins that help to protect the skin from free radical damage. Vitamin C is also important for maintaining collagen, a component that gives skin its support structure and prevents sagging.

Another Unexpected Benefit of Asparagus

Asparagus extract may help to prevent hangovers. It seems that asparagus extract boost enzymes in the liver that break down alcohol. Unfortunately, you'd have to eat the leaves rather than the stalks to get this benefit - or else take an extract.

How to Serve It

To make asparagus tastier, roast it at high temperature in the oven to bring out its flavor. 

One word of caution. About half the people who eat asparagus will develop an unpleasant urine odor immediately after eating it. This is due to the breakdown of sulfur compounds in the asparagus. This is no cause for alarm and doesn't indicate an underlying health problem.

Mark Harris, PhD

Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist

TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics