Health Benefits of Asparagus

Asparagus is a spring vegetable that comes in green, purple and white colors. It is a tasty and delicious vegetable that commonly served as side dish or appetizer.

Stir frying, grilling, lightly steaming or oven-roasting are some asparagus cooking methods.

Do you know that this delicious vegetable has many health benefits? Yes, if you see its nutritional profile then you definitely thankful to this amazing vegetable.

• It is enriched with vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E & K), minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folic acid, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus), amino acids, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, healthy fats, and proteins.
• It is high in water content and low in calories and sodium content.
• It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that give relief from the attack of free radicals and inflammation in the body.

To grab all these nutrition’s, you have to include this in your diet. Now, let’s take a look at some health benefits of asparagus in detail.

1. Prevents Cancer:

It has antioxidants and glutathione (a detoxifying compound) that breaks down and destroys carcinogens and cell – damaging free radicals to fight against cancer.

It is also stated that deficiency of glutathione will contribute to oxidative stress, which in turn result in aging and pathogenesis of various cancer problems.

Consumption of asparagus will help you in protecting against certain forms of cancer like breast, colon, bone, lung and larynx cancers.

2. Maintains Healthy Bones:

Vitamin K is very effective in maintaining bone mineral density and also reduces the risk of bone fracture. Asparagus is rich in vitamin K that keeps your bones healthy by repairing the damages of joints caused by wear and tear.

The iron in asparagus helps to maintain the elasticity and strength of your joints and bones. In addition to this, it also possesses anti-inflammatory property that relieves your joint pains.

So, regular intake of asparagus will help you to keep your bones healthy and thus prevents the risk of facing problems like osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.

3. Aids in Proper Digestion:

It contains dietary fiber and laxative property that helps to maintain a proper functioning of the system by moving the food through the gut. It has inulin (a prebiotic which is a non-digestible food ingredient) that feed the good bacteria in your gut and thus improves the health of the digestive system.

It has inulin (a prebiotic which is a non-digestible food ingredient) that feed the good bacteria in your gut and thus improves the health of the digestive system.

It also keeps your constipation, bloating and other abdominal problems at bay, when consumed in moderation.

4. Supports Heart Health:

Asparagus has vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid which help to maintain proper levels of homocysteine to prevent any serious cardiac disorders like coronary artery disease or clogged arteries.

It has vitamin K (prevents hardening of the arteries), anti-inflammatory property (heals any inflammation) and natural diuretic property (treats high blood pressure or any other heart-related problems) will support the functioning of your heart.

5. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels:

Asparagus acts as a powerful weapon that keeps your blood sugar level under control and thus manages your diabetes. The B vitamins boost up the insulin hormone that aids in the proper absorption of glucose.

It has chromium that improves insulin’s ability to move glucose from the bloodstream into cells. It is stated that asparagus officinalis extract will control the blood glucose by enhancing the insulin secretion and β-cell function in streptozotocin – induced type-2 diabetes.

6. Brain Booster:

Asparagus has folate that when mixed with vitamin B12 (found in meat, poultry, dairy, and fish) will help to prevent cognitive impairment and enhance the functioning of your brain.

Many studies have found that asparagus racemosus is very effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. Make sure to consume asparagus to slow down the brain aging in older adults.

7. Prevents Birth Defects:

Asparagus is an excellent food to be included in the diet for those who are pregnant or trying to conceive. Folate and other essential nutrients in asparagus will regulate the fetal and embryonic nerve cell formations.

It helps in the proper formation of nerve cells in the fetus, prevents premature births and thus lowers the risk of autistic disorders in your babies. It reduces the neural tube defects in the fetuses.

Iron content in asparagus helps to support the overall growth of your baby. So, consume asparagus to give birth to a healthy baby.

Tips and Precautions:

• The only drawback of using asparagus is that it causes an odor in urine. During the process of digestion, the sulfurous amino acids will break down into smelly compounds that cause disagreeable smell in the urine.
• It contains certain compounds like raffinose and fructans which may result in abdominal gas if it is over consumed.

Start consuming asparagus by making it in your favorite recipe to get benefited. Do you know any other health benefits of asparagus? Then share it with us in the below comments box.