Asparagus is a funny, yet delicious vegetable that everyone should learn to love and enjoy! They taste especially great in the hot summer months with a nice steak, burger, or even Salmon Cakes! You can grill them, steam them, or even saute them in a pan with a little olive oil for taste. No matter how you decide to enjoy asparagus, it is definitely good for you and it betters your health in a variety of ways! It does take quite some time to get your harvest of asparagus going if you are trying to grow them from scratch, so I recommend you simply purchase them at the grocery store! From seed to harvest it takes a total of three years to get asparagus, which is a long time to wait!  So who is the largest producer of asparagus in the world today? China. They are very patient over there!
According to World’s Healthiest Foods, “Recent research has underscored the value of careful storage of fresh asparagus. The key scientific finding here involves respiration rate. Like all vegetables, asparagus doesn’t instantly “die” when it is picked, but instead, continues to engage in metabolic activity. This metabolic activity includes intake of oxygen, the breaking down of starches and sugars, and the releasing of carbon dioxide.”  This is nice if you purchase asparagus at the grocery store, because it gives you some time to actually eat it before it goes bad on you!
Asparagus Nutrition Facts
Some notable vitamins and minerals to mention:
- Vitamin K, C, E, and A
- Vitamin B1, B2, B3, and B6
So what are the benefits to eating Asparagus?
Naturally, asparagus has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which essentially fights off disease in the body. According to World’s Healthiest Foods, “In the antioxidant category of health benefits provided by asparagus we would place glutathione (GSH) and rutin at the top of the list. GSH is one of the body’s premier antioxidant molecules, which consists of three amino acids—glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine—linked together.” Aside from the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it also helps regulate blood sugar levels which in turn helps diabetics, and people with blood pressure issues.
The list does not stop there however, as eating asparagus also helps prevent cancer from attacking cells in the body. They are also known as natural brain boosters, with their natural amounts of vitamin B12, and folate. Next time you are in need of a brain boost grab bunch of asparagus and cook them to perfection! Another benefit to eating asparagus is that it is a natural diuretic, which helps rid the body of excess salt and water.  All of these qualities together form a rather nutritious combination of vitamins, minerals, and flavor!
There are so many different benefits when you bite into an asparagus, so don’t forget to add it to your next meal! Reap the rewards the delicious way!