2016 Benefits of Asparagus
Naufal Khairuddin http://hbfoods.info 2/1/2016
Benefits of Asparagus Asparagus is a nutrient rich vegetable. It is high in folate and in vitamin K. Not only that, asparagus is also high in anti inflammatory nutrients too. It contains selenium, manganese, zinc, vitamin E, beta carotene and vitamin C. Furthermore, asparagus contains chromium, a trace mineral that helps insulin transporting, glutathione, a compound that can help eliminating carcinogens, and amino acid asparagine. Because of this, asparagus can help protect and fight against cancers such as colon, lung, breast and bone cancers. It is one of many benefits of asparagus.
Nutrition Do you want to know other benefits? Here we will show you other benefits of asparagus. But before that, let’s see what nutrition that asparagus contain is. As we know it, asparagus can be eaten either raw or cooked, and here we will provide you with the nutrition list of both raw and cooked asparagus. Nutritional value: raw asparagus
The following is the nutritional value of raw asparagus per 100 grams servings. It contains: • • • • • •
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Calories: 26.8 Carbohydrate: 5.3 grams Dietary fiber: 2.8 grams Sugar: 2.5 grams Protein: 2.9 grams Vitamins: vitamin A 1013 IU, panthotenic acid 0.4 mg vitamin C 7.5 mg, thiamin 0.2 mg, riboflavin 0.2 mg, niacin 1.3 mg, vitamin B6 0.1 mg, vitamin K 55.7 mcg, folate, 69.7 mcg, choline 21.4 mg, betaine 0.8 mg, vitamin E 1.5 mg Minerals: calcium 32.2 mg, potassium 271 mg, iron 2.9 mg, phosphorus 69.7 mg, sodium 2.7 mg, zinc 0.7 mg, copper 0.3 mg, manganese 0.2 mg, magnesium 18.8 mg, selenium 3.1 mcg Saturated fat: 0.1 gram Polyunsaturated fat: 0.1 gram Total Omega-3 fatty acids: 13.4 mg Total Omega-6 fatty acids: 53.6 mg
Nutritional value: frozen, cooked, boiled, drained asparagus
The following is the nutritional value of frozen, cooked, boiled, and drained asparagus per 100 grams servings. It contains: • • • • • •
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Calories: 18 Carbohydrate: 1.9 grams Dietary fiber: 1.6 grams Sugar: 0.3 grams Protein: 3 grams Vitamins: vitamin A 806 IU, vitamin C 24.4 mg, vitamin E 1.2 mg, vitamin K 80 mcg, thiamin 0.1 mg, riboflavin 0.1 mg, niacin 1 mg, folate, 135 mcg, panthotenic acid 0.2 mg, choline 20.9 mg, betaine 0.7 mg Minerals: calcium 18 mg, iron 0.6 mg, magnesium 10 mg, phosphorus 49 mg, potassium 172 mg, sodium 3 mg, zinc 0.4 mg, copper 0.1 mg, manganese 0.1 mg, selenium 3.9 mcg Saturated fat: 0.1 gram Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2 gram Total Omega-3 fatty acids: 10 mg Total Omega-6 fatty acids: 175 mg
Health benefits of asparagus Asparagus is rich in nutrients, so it is not surprising if there are a lot of benefits of asparagus for those who consume it. The first in our benefits list is it is good for heart health. Asparagus is high in vitamin K, which helps blood clot. Not only that, it is also high in B vitamins. B vitamins help regulate homocysteine, too much homocysteine can be a serious risk factor in heart disease. Asparagus’ soluble fiber and high levels of antioxidants in asparagus helps lowering the risk of heart disease. The second benefits of asparagus are that it helps lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes. Just like with heart disease, risk of type 2 diabetes increases with oxidative stress and excessive inflammation. Asparagus is a good preventive food. After all, it contains high levels of antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties. Also, asparagus has the ability to improve betacell function and insulin secretion, furthering its ability to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Beta-cells are unique cells in the pancreas that are responsible for producing, storing and releasing insulin. The next benefits of asparagus are its ability to stabilize digestion. The fiber and protein of asparagus help in stabilizing digestion. Both of them help moving food through stomach and provide relief from discomfort during digestion.
Other known benefits of asparagus are slowing down aging, skin protection, prevention of kidney stones and lowering the risk of cancer.
Source: Benefits of Asparagus