Asparagus: health benefits and virtues

Asparagus benefits

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a rhizomatous perennial plant that belongs to the Liliaceae family.

Photo Foodie Factor in Pexels

Originally from Europe and Western Asia, it was already used for its therapeutic properties in ancient times and today it is recognized for its many benefits and virtues for our health.

Asparagus and its health benefits

Rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamins B and C, asparagus helps to cover our daily nutritional needs with a very low caloric intake: it can be eaten without moderation.

Asparagus has antioxidant properties that would reduce the damage caused by free radicals in the body, which are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease, some cancers and other diseases related to the aging of cells.

Asparagus also contains soft fibers that are well tolerated by the body and have a stimulating effect on intestinal transit.

Known for its diuretic virtues, asparagus is effective against water retention and hypertension. It is often recommended to avoid edema of the lower limbs. Attention, asparagus is not recommended in case of inflammatory disorders of the urinary tract or stones.

Good to know: if you swallow a small pointed object (such as a pin or spit), eat a lot of cooked asparagus with its fibrous tails. These are not digestive, they will coat the object and you will be able to evacuate without fear.

Asparagus cultivation for its benefits

Asparagus needs full sun but a gentle heat, and a sandy, deep, fresh and humus-rich soil.

You will have to wait three years before you can enjoy your first asparagus, then a plantation produces for about ten years a bunch of asparagus per plant.

Asparagus grows underground and remains white while growing in the soil in complete darkness. But as soon as it is daytime, it becomes purple and then green. Harvesting is therefore a race against time, as asparagus can grow up to 6 inches in a day!

If your asparagus is attacked by claw rot (a purple fungus) you must remove it immediately. And in this case, never plant asparagus in the same place again.

If the soil is too wet, the rust will dry out the asparagus leaves. As for the asparagus fly, it lays its eggs on the tip of the shoots and makes them uncomfortable. Finally, the cryocera (a beetle) mines and destroys the stems.

Asparagus in the kitchen for its benefits

Make sure you choose your asparagus carefully! The stem should be straight, smooth and firm, the shoot should have tight scales and the heel should be slightly shiny and moist.

The cooked asparagus, hot or cold, can be served with different sauces: white, dutch, mousseline or vinaigrette. It is also delicious in an omelet or with boiled eggs: it replaces the traditional mouillettes!

You can store the asparagus in bunches for up to three days in the refrigerator, wrapped in a cloth with the tips facing upwards.

Cooked asparagus cannot be preserved. They lose their flavor and become soft.

Cooking: recipes with asparagus

Nutritional intake

30 kcal / 100 g. Asparagus is highly recommended in diets because it is very diuretic. It also provides vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B6, C, PP, cobalt, calcium, phosphorus and manganese.

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