Asparagus

Asparagus or garden asparagus, scientific name Asparagus officinalis, is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennial plant species in the genus Asparagus.

1. Asparagus Nutrition Facts

Asparagus is a young tender stem vegetable, erupting from its underground root-system. Its flavorful spears were well recognized since ancient Greeks and Romans as a prized delicacy. One of the oldest recorded vegetables, it thought to have originated along the coastal regions of eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor regions.

Botanically, it is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Asparagaceae family. It is closely related to Liliaceae plants which also include onion, garlic, tulip, daffodil...etc. This spear vegetable is nowadays grown as a major commercial crop in China, Europe, Peru, Australia, and USA.

Scientific name: A. officinalis.

Asparagus crowns are planted by early spring. It grows into tall branched stems, bearing fine fern-like green needles (phylloclades); giving the whole plant an overall feathery appearance. Fresh crop can also be established by direct seeding or through transplanting 10-12 week-old seedlings. A fully-grown plant reaches about 5 feet in height. Young scaly edible spears emerge from the underground extensive matted root systems, which can be ready for harvesting by early spring.

In general, 7 to 9 inches tall young shoots are harvested by either snapping or using a paring knife, cutting close to the ground level. There is no need to cut asparagus shoots far below the soil with a knife. This may injure other erupting buds on the crown. The stump that is left in the soil after snapping dries up and disintegrates. Warm weather would result in opening up of spear tip prematurely which may reduce their overall flavor and quality. Asparagus is normally harvested once a year for over 8 to 10 week period in a season.

White or blanched asparagus (spargel) spears are obtained by covering surrounding soil around the erupting shoots, depriving them of sunlight. This method, like in endive, makes the shoots turn pale through inhibition of photosynthesis. Oftentimes, its blanched spears are preferred in Europe due to their pleasant taste and delicate flavor.

2. Health Benefits of Asparaguss

Asparagus is a very low calorie vegetable. 100 g fresh spears carries just 20 calories.

In addition, its spears contain moderate levels of dietary-fiber. 100 g of fresh spears provide 2.1 g of roughage. Dietary fiber helps control constipation conditions, decrease bad (LDL) cholesterol levels by binding to it in the intestines, and regulate blood sugar levels. Studies suggest that high-fiber diet help cut down colon-rectal cancer risks by preventing toxic compounds in the food from absorption.

Its shoots have long been used in many traditional medicines to treat conditions like dropsy and irritable bowel syndrome.

Fresh asparagus spears are a good source of anti-oxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin, carotenes, and crypto-xanthins. Together, these flavonoid compounds help remove harmful oxidant free radicals from the body protect it from possible cancer, neuro-degenerative diseases, and viral infections. Their total antioxidant strength, measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value), is 2150 µmol TE/100 g.

Fresh asparagus are rich sources of folates. 100 g of spears provide about 54 µg or 14% of RDA of folic acid. Folates are one of the important co-factors for DNA synthesis inside the cell. Scientific studies have shown that adequate consumption of folates in the diet during pre-conception period and during early pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects in the newborn baby.

Its shoots are also rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), and pantothenic acid. These group of vitamins are essential for optimum cellular enzymatic and metabolic functions.

Fresh asparagus also contains fair amounts of anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin-C, vitamin-A, and vitamin-E. Regular consumption of foods rich in these vitamins helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.

Its shoots are also good source of vitamin K. 100 grams of shoots carry about 35% of DRI. Vitamin K has potential role bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation) activity. Adequate vitamin-K levels in the diet help limiting neuronal damage in the brain; thus, has established role in the treatment of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Asparagus is good in minerals, especially copper and iron. In addition, it has small amounts of some other essential minerals and electrolytes such as calcium, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for cellular respiration and red blood cell formation.

3. Selection and Storage

Although one may find asparagus all around the season in the supermarkets, its spears are at their best and most flavorful during the spring. In Europe, its shoots are sold in the shops from December until June.

Asparagus should be used as soon as possible after harvesting. Otherwise, it soon loses sweetness since most of its sugar converted into starch. Purchasing them from the local farms or farmer-markets would be an ideal way to enjoy them fresh.

In the markets select tender, firm, straight, smooth, uniform sized, dark green/purple stalks with tightly-closed tips. Avoid thick stalks with wide ridges in the stems, sunken or dull colored, as they indicate old stock and hence, off-flavored.

As its spears perish early, they should be harvested in the morning hours when weather is cool. After picking, immerse them in ice-cold water to remove heat, drain the water and place spears inside plastic bags. Store in the refrigerator set at 38 to 40 degrees F and 90% to 95% relative humidity. At higher temperatures, its spears tend to lose natural sugars, vitamin-C, as well as flavor, and they become tough and begin to decay.

4. Preparation and Serving Methods

Asparagus shoots are one of the most sought-after vegetables during the spring season.

Fresh spears preferred in cooking. To prepare, wash them in cool running water with gentle scrub. Thin tender spears can be cooked directly. Thick stalks, however, may need peeling before being used in the recipes.

In general, its spears need to be cooked briefly. In some households, traditional pots are employed to cook asparagus wherein its stalks immersed in boiling water while tips just allowed to steam cook.

Here are some serving tips:

• Asparagus spears can be enjoyed raw, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried or mixed with vegetables, beans, poultry or seafood.
• Steamed spears are served with citrus hollandaise sauce, melted butter, parmesan or pecorino cheese in a beautiful French style recipes.
• Grilled spring onions and asparagus stalks smeared with macadamia nut oil is a mouth-watering appetizer.
• Stir-fry its tender stalks with sesame seeds, and season in garlic, ginger, and pepper paste.
• Many restaurants in Germany offer special spargel menus during the spring

5. Safety Profile

In general, asparagus is well tolerated and allergic reactions are quite rare to occur.

Ingestion of young shoots may give an offensive smell to urine. This is due to the metabolism of asparagusic acid, which breaks down into various sulfur-containing degradation products such as methanethiol, sulfides...etc. The condition, however, is harmless.

6. Bottom Line

Asparagus spears are spring season delicacies in the Europe. Many restaurants in Germany offer special "spargel menus" during the spring season.

7. In Depth Analysis of Nutrients

Asparaguss (A. officinalis),
Nutritional value per 100 g.
Source: USDA National Nutrient data base

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	20 Kcal	1%
Carbohydrates	3.38 g	2.5%
Protein	2.20 g	4%
Total Fat	0.12 g	0.5%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	2.1 g	5.5%
Vitamins
Folates (B9)	52 μg	13%
Niacin (B3)	0.978 mg	6%
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.274 mg	5%
Pyridoxine (B6)	0.091 mg	7%
Riboflavin (B2)	0.141 mg	11%
Thiamin (B1)	0.143 mg	12%
Vitamin A	756 IU	25%
Vitamin C	5.6 mg	9%
Vitamin E	1.13 mg	7.5%
Vitamin K	41.6 µg	35%
Electrolytes
Sodium	2 mg	1%
Potassium	202 mg	4%
Minerals
Calcium	24 mg	2.5%
Copper	0.189 mg	21%
Iron	1.14 mg	14%
Magnesium	14 mg	1%
Manganese	0.158 mg	7%
Phosphorus	52 mg	7.5%
Selenium	2.3 μg	4%
Zinc	0.54 mg	5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	449 μg	--
Crypto-xanthin-ß	9 μg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	710 μg	--