Find out here what makes asparagus so healthy. Because the spring vegetable is not only a highlight from a culinary point of view – it also contains many nutrients and has a positive effect on your body.
In spring he often plays the main role on his plate: asparagus. From mid -April, the long white, green or violet vegetables can usually be harvested – but only for a short time. Because on June 24th June 24th, it is traditionally over with the asparagus period. The harvest will then end to grant the plants a sufficiently long regeneration phase by the next harvest year.
Why is asparagus so healthy? The nutrients
Sparing is rightly not only considered a delicacy, but also as an extremely healthy vegetables based on its nutrients:
- It consists of around 95 percent of water and contains hardly any calories. A portion of 100 grams has just about 16 kilocalories, explains Daniela Krehl, nutrition expert at the Bavarian Consumer Center.
- There are many fiber in the asparagus, which ensures good saturation without eating many calories. In addition, secondary plant substances support intestinal health.
- With 500 grams of asparagus you can cover your daily need for vitamin C over 100 percent. Vitamin C protects the body from cell damage, among other things, and is important for the structure of connective tissue, bones and teeth.
- Spared also contains vitamins A and E as well as various B vitamins such as folic acid. “This is a vitamin that is often not admitted too little for certain population groups, especially in young women,” says Daniela Krehl. The body needs it for cell division. With a portion of 300 grams of asparagus, the daily requirement is in principle covered.
- In addition, asparagus contains protein, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, niacin and potassium – it is one of the most nutritious vegetables. The potassium it contains is responsible for the draining effect of asparagus. However, this can be problematic for certain diseases: If you suffer from gout or have kidney problems, you should obtain medical advice before eating, the Federal Center of Nutrition (BZFE) recommends.
- A special ingredient is the asparagic acid: the amino acid not only ensures the typical asparagus taste, but is also involved in the urea cycle.
- Bitter substances also occur in asparagus. If a variety tastes particularly bitter, this can be due to weather fluctuations during cultivation, for example.
The white and green asparagus are particularly popular in Germany. In contrast to the white asparagus, green asparagus grows above the earth. Its green color comes from the plant dye chlorophyll, which is produced by the sunlight. Green asparagus therefore contains a little more vitamin C and folic acid than the white vegetables. It tastes a little hearty, does not have to be peeled at the ends and has a shorter cooking time. More on this here: Cooking asparagus: Green and white asparagus last long.
Health effects of asparagus
The botanical name of the asparagus is asparagus officinalis, which means “medicine” translated from the Latin. No name could fit better, because the many nutrients in asparagus can have a positive effect on health:
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Urinary tract infections: thanks to the amino acid asparagic acid, asparagus has a diuretic effect. The acid is intended to help convert nitrogen -containing degradation products into the non -toxic urea, which can then be excreted via the kidneys. The urea is also excreted by urinary tract infections.
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Colon complaints: Asparagus contains many fiber and secondary plant substances that stimulate digestion and thus enable good intestinal function. The intestinal flora in particular strengthens the fiber inulin. Folic acid in combination with vitamin C stabilizes the intestinal mucosa.
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Muscle and nerve activity: plenty of minerals are in asparagus, for example potassium. Potassium is important for transport processes in the body and ensures that signals are forwarded. The nutrient is essential to ensure that muscles and nerves work.
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Weight loss: asparagus is extremely low in calories if you don’t add large amounts of butter or sauce. It also contains a lot of fiber that saturates for a long time.
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Bone strengthening: Calcium and magnesium contain in asparagus strengthen the bones and the protein is important for the fact that the bone metabolism works.
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Vitamin deficiency: Asparagus can be referred to as a vitamin bomb: vitamin C ensures a strong immune system. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties. Vitamin B 1 is important for the nervous system. Vitamin B2 is required to convert food into energy in the body.
How much asparagus is healthy? Beware of purins
Asparagus also contains Purine. These are broken down into uric acid in the body and can thus trigger a gust. Therefore, gout patient was advised: on the inside by asparagus.
In the meantime, the vegetables are no longer so questionable if you enjoy it in moderation. There should be no meat or alcohol on asparagus dishes, because these foods also contain many purins.
You can see that good asparagus
The faster you eat asparagus after purchasing, the more tasty it is. But he also holds in the fridge for about two to three days when you wrap it unpeeled in a damp cloth. You can put green asparagus upright in a glass of water and also keep it in the fridge.
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Freshness: If you put a rod together on asparagus, juice often occurs. If it smells fresh and does not taste acidic, the bar is fresh.
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Appearance: the asparagus should not have discoloration, but shine. The heads are firm and closed, the ends juicy.
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Feeling: fresh asparagus feels firm and plump. He squeaks when you rub the stems together.
How to get out the maximum of nutrients
The preparation of the asparagus determines how much nutrients end up on the plate. When cooking, part of the minerals passes into the water. “Therefore, it always recommends using the cooking water again by making a soup out of it or using the asparagus water at least to tie up the sauce,” advises Daniela Krehl. And of course: don’t cook the vegetables – also because vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin C are sensitive to heat.
Or you can save yourself cooking: you can also eat asparagus raw, for example in the salad. Who knows that your own digestion is not the biggest fan of raw food, the best thing to do is test only a small portion. It is quite possible that one misses one thing with the raw asparagus: the typical aroma. It only arises when cooking, as the BZFE explains.
And what about the “asparagus urine”?
After the asparagus enjoyment, many notice the typical “asparagus fragrance” when urinating. This arises when the asparagic acid contained in the asparagus is metabolized in the body. The acid turns into digestion into sulfur -containing compounds that let the urine smell. This is not the case with all people: only about half has the enzyme that splits the asparagic acid.
Are bitter asparagus rods toxic?
Tastes zucchini and pumpkin bitter, you shouldn’t eat them anymore. Then toxic substances have formed that can trigger gastrointestinal complaints. But what if you have bitter asparagus rods on the plate?
You don’t have to worry about health effects, the bitterness is a taste problem alone. “Then the asparagus was stabbed too close to the original plant, which produces these bitter substances above all,” explains Daniela Krehl.
By the way: If you put some sugar into the cooking water, you can neutralize at least part of the bitter taste.
The dark sides of asparagus
Although healthy, there are also dark sides on the asparagus. The vegetables can become a real environmental sin if it is imported from distant countries – which is becoming increasingly common. Heated fields on which the asparagus earlier becomes ready for harvest have a bad climate balance. In addition, conventional asparagus is grown in floors that are contaminated with chemical-synthetic pesticides. And asparagus often ends up packed in the supermarkets in plastic. In addition, many of the seasonal workers are paid very badly for their hard job.
You can buy better asparagus if you only use regional and seasonal varieties. The best thing to do is buy asparagus from ecological agriculture: stricter rules apply here. For example, no chemical-synthetic pesticides may be used. More information: when organic is really organic.
With material of the dpa.
Read more on utopia.de:
- Freeze asparagus: this is how you make it durable
- Sumed asparagus: crispy enjoyment with this recipe
- Asparagus cream soup: simple recipe for creamy soup
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