Asparagus provides an array of
nutrients and health benefits.
Asparagus is a versatile,
nutrition-packed vegetable that can be served as a tasty side dish or the star
ingredient in a main course.
"Asparagus has a sweet,
nutty flavor and is more than just delicious," says Lana Nasrallah, a
clinical dietitian with UNC Health Care, a not-for-profit integrated health
care system based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In addition to being tasty,
the vegetable provides a wealth of health benefits. Asparagus is good for
digestive and cardiovascular health and has nutrients that help ward off
chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, Nasrallah says.
Asparagus is a good source of an
array of nutrients, including:
-- Vitamin A.
-- Vitamin C.
-- Vitamin E.
-- Vitamin K.
-- Fiber.
-- Folate.
Here are nine health benefits of
asparagus:
1. Chronic disease prevention
Asparagus is packed with
antioxidants, compounds found in plant foods that research suggests can help
keep free radicals in check and therefore ward off some chronic diseases,
Nasrallah says. Free radicals are associated with cancer and cardiovascular
disease.
The vegetable also contains beta
carotene, a red-orange pigment that the body converts into vitamin A. This
vitamin, also known as retinol, is important to maintain good vision.
2. Improved regularity
One cup of asparagus contains
about 3 grams of fiber, which is crucial for good digestion and satiety, says
Maggie Michalczyk, a registered dietitian based in Chicago.
The Food and Drug Administration
recommends that adult men up to age 50 consume 38 grams of fiber daily. The FDA
recommends that women in that age group get 25 grams of fiber daily. Men and
women above age 50 should get 30 and 21 grams of fiber, respectively, the FDA
recommends.
"Fiber is necessary for good
digestion and satiety, so adding these green stalks to your plate can help fill
you up in a healthy way," Michalczyk says.
3. Better overall digestive tract
function
In addition to providing dietary
fiber, asparagus contains other nutrients that boost your digestive system,
Nasrallah says.
The vegetable contains prebiotic
compounds, like inulin, non-digestible, naturally occurring substances in food.
These compounds help the growth of good bacteria flourish in your gut.
"Having enough good bacteria
in your gut can boost nutrient absorption, and improve your digestive health
and immune system," Nasrallah says.
4. Positive diuretic effects
Asparagus contains compounds that
can increase the excretion of water from the body, promote the production of
urine and help manage bloating, Nasrallah says.
"Essentially, eating
asparagus can help you urinate and drive out excess salt and fluid from your
body," Nasrallah says. "The nutrients in asparagus can be helpful for
people who have high blood pressure or need to keep an eye on their sodium
intake."
5. Improved pregnancy health
Asparagus is a great source of
folate, a B vitamin. Its folate content makes it one of the best vegetables to
eat during pregnancy.
"Folate is an essential
nutrient during pregnancy since it helps promote and maintain cellular
growth," Nasrallah says. A cup of cooked or boiled asparagus contains a
little more than 134 micrograms of folate.
Folate is also known as vitamin
B9. Pregnant women should consume between 400 and 800 micrograms of vitamin B9
on a daily basis, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Four boiled
spears of asparagus contain 89 micrograms of the vitamin, according to the
National Institutes of Health.
Getting enough folate during
pregnancy can help decrease the risk of neural tube defects -- that is, birth
abnormalities -- like spina bifida.
6. Improved blood clotting
A half-cup of cooked or boiled
asparagus has about 45 micrograms of vitamin K. That's 50% and 37% of the
amount adult women and men should consume on a daily basis, respectively,
according to the NIH. Youngsters need less of the vitamin; between the ages of
4 and 18, kids should get between 55 and 75 micrograms of vitamin K daily.
"Vitamin K is a dependent
protein vital to the blood clotting process," says Jacob Meyers, a
registered dietitian with Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance in
Fort Worth, Texas. "The purpose of blood clotting is to prevent excessive
bleeding."
The vitamin is also associated
with strong bones. "Vitamin K helps to maintain bone health through bone
formation and bone remodeling," he says. "Bone remodeling is the
process of removing 'old' and creating 'new' bone." Consuming inadequate
levels of the vitamin could lead to low bone density and a greater risk of
fracture.
7. Better blood glucose control
Consuming asparagus can help
improve your blood glucose levels and help manage diabetes, Meyers says. The
fiber in asparagus is beneficial for managing:
-- Prediabetes.
-- Type 1 diabetes.
-- Type 2 diabetes.
-- Gestational diabetes.
"Non-starchy vegetables
should be an important part of any diabetes meal plan," Meyers says.
8. Cell protection
Asparagus contains a mineral,
selenium, and a protein, glutathione, that may help protect cells from damage
and reduce chronic disease, says Beth Stark, a registered dietitian and
nutrition consultant based in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
Selenium plays an important role
in thyroid hormone metabolism, which means protecting your cells from oxidative
damage and DNA synthesis, according to the NIH.
Glutathione helps protect cells
from free radicals, which are associated with chronic diseases like
Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes.
9. Better blood pressure
Because it's a good source of
potassium, asparagus may help counteract the effects of sodium in your diet to
promote healthy blood pressure, Stark says.
A cup of cooked asparagus
contains 400 milligrams of potassium, according to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. The recommended adequate potassium intake for men and women age 19
and older are 3,400 milligrams and 2,600 milligrams a day, respectively, according
to the NIH. The recommended daily intake is lower for youngsters.
"Potassium also helps to
ease tension in your blood walls, which helps to further lower blood
pressure," Stark says.
To recap, here are 9 health
benefits of asparagus:
-- Chronic disease prevention.
-- Improved regularity.
-- Better overall digestive tract
function.
-- Positive diuretic effects.
-- Improved pregnancy health.
-- Improved blood clotting.
-- Better blood glucose control.
-- Cell protection.
--
Better blood pressure.