Health Update: Health Update: Is asparagus good for you? How to properly cook it – What Experts Say– What Experts Say.
Expert reveals how to add more superfoods to your diet
Nutrition therapist Lauren Kelly explains what foods are designated as a “superfood” and how they can benefit your overall health goals.
As plant-based diets continue to grow in popularity, asparagus is gaining attention for its versatility, flavor and nutritional benefits.
“There’s a lot to love about asparagus,” nutrition consultant and registered dietitian Jen Messer of Jen Messer Nutrition previously said. “It has a unique flavor and texture, is packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, and works well in salads, soups or simply roasted as a side dish.”
Here’s a look at some of the key health benefits asparagus provides, and why cooking it may help reduce the bloating and gas some people experience when eating it raw.
Is asparagus healthy?
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food that provides a host of important vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and niacin − plus nearly two grams of both protein and dietary fiber in only about seven stalks, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nutrients like these “are helpful in supporting gut health, immune health, blood sugar stabilization and improved cholesterol levels,” said LeeAnn Weintraub, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant based in Los Angeles.
Asparagus also contains plenty of vitamin C − an antioxidant that helps protect cells against oxidative stress, “potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases,” said Messer.
The vegetable is also a good source of folate, which can further help “with things like vision, digestion and disease prevention,” explained Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She added that asparagus also serves as a prebiotic, which means it provides beneficial gut bacteria.
Asparagus can aid in healthy weight management as well, Messer said, because it has a low number of calories − only about 28 in seven stalks − and its high-fiber content improves feelings of fullness. She also praised its high vitamin K content, “which has an important role in blood clotting and bone health.”
A surprising benefit of the vegetable is that it also contains unique properties “that can ramp up the activity of key enzymes that break down alcohol, which might explain why asparagus has been linked to hangover relief,” said Messer.
Does asparagus make your urine smell?
But it’s not all good news. Due to its high fiber content, some people “might experience bloating with a high consumption of asparagus,” said Messer. “And because we don’t digest fiber, our gut microbes ferment it for us and in doing so can create gas,” she added.
Beyond such potential abdominal discomfort, the vegetable is also notorious for affecting the smell of urine. This unpleasant odor, Smith explained, is the result of something called asparagusic acid, which is unique to the vegetable. “This acid breaks down into sulfur compounds during digestion and these sulfur byproducts evaporate quickly when you urinate, causing a notable smell,” she said.
Interestingly, because of genetic variations in different people, “not everyone can smell the asparagus-induced urine odor,” said Weintraub.
Can you eat asparagus raw? How to cook it
The health benefits of eating asparagus are similar whether you eat raw or cooked asparagus, but the bloating and gas associated with the vegetable can be reduced if you cook your asparagus before eating it, Smith said, because cooking it can soften the vegetable’s cell walls, making it easier to digest.
To cook asparagus, “it can be roasted, grilled, steamed, baked or seared,” said Weintraub; “but boiling asparagus can make it watery or mushy, which is not ideal.” Some people prefer the uncooked version of the vegetable. “Raw asparagus adds a crisp and refreshing touch to salads or smoothies and can be enjoyed as a standalone snack,” said Smith.
No matter how you like to eat it, she added, “asparagus is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable that’s packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants — making it a wonderful addition to a balanced diet.”