The benefits of asparagus are unfortunately missed

The benefits of asparagus are unfortunately missed

Have you ever heard of a vegetable called asparagus before? Yes, this vegetable may not be very common, except when cooked to asparagus soup. In fact, it's usually easier to find in supermarkets that offer a variety of vegetables that are quite foreign. Nutrients contained in asparagus are also not less good with other vegetables. Come on, acquaintances with a variety of benefits of asparagus which is a pity to miss.

1. Nutrient dense

Asparagus is packed with special nutrients, but the calories are very low. Various nutrients contained in asparagus namely protein, fat, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, potassium, and phosphorus. Not only that, asparagus also has a small amount of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and riboflavin.

Asparagus is predicted as a vegetable high in vitamin K, which plays an active role in blood clotting while maintaining bone health. In fact, because of its high folate content, asparagus is often recommended for consumption by pregnant women, to help the formation of cells and DNA of future babies.

2. Healthy digestion

The human digestive system requires adequate fiber intake so that it works always optimally. Well, you can easily get fiber intake just by eating half a cup of 1.8 grams of asparagus. The high insoluble fiber content in asparagus is useful for smoothing the bowel movements so that it can be consumed to treat constipation.

While the soluble fiber content can be food for good bacteria in the intestine, namely Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. That is why, adding asparagus to your daily diet is the best way to help meet your fiber needs and maintain the health of your digestive system.

3. Helps to lose weight

Determining what foods are good for you to lose weight? One of the best choices to try is to eat asparagus. The reason is that asparagus contains low amounts of calories, which is only about 20 calories in half a cup.

In addition, the fiber content in asparagus is not only beneficial for maintaining the digestive system, but also has an effect on weight loss.

This is supported by a statement from Keri Gans, a nutrition consultant and author of The Small Change Diet, that fiber can help the body to feel full so as to prevent you from eating large amounts.

4. Helps reduce blood pressure

High blood pressure is widely associated as a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. A study from the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism shows that increasing food intake of potassium sources while reducing salt intake is an effective way to reduce high blood pressure.

This is where other benefits of asparagus play a role, because asparagus is a good source of potassium to help reduce high blood pressure, by optimizing the workings of blood vessels and removing excess salt through urine.

This statement is also reinforced by research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, which conducted research on two groups of mice. The first group of rats were fed asparagus, while the other group of rats did not.

The results were found that after 10 weeks later, mice that received asparagus intake had 17 percent lower blood pressure than mice that did not get asparagus intake. The researchers estimate this happens because the content of active compounds in asparagus which can enlarge blood vessels so that high blood pressure gradually decreases.

However, further research is still needed in humans to prove whether these active compounds will also have the same effect.

5. Supports pregnancy health

Another important benefit of asparagus is to maintain the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy. As mentioned earlier, asparagus is rich in vitamin B9 or folic acid which is beneficial for pregnant women and their babies, especially in the early trimester of pregnancy.

Adequate folate intake at this time, will help optimize the formation of red blood cells and DNA. In addition, folate also plays an important role to protect your baby from neural tube defects that can easily lead to various complications later in life.

6. A good source of antioxidants

In fact, asparagus has a high amount of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, glutathione, and various flavonoids and polyphenols. Antioxidants are compounds that can help protect body cells from the harmful effects of free radicals and oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress itself has been linked to aging, chronic cell inflammation and cancer. If you want to get optimal antioxidant production, it is recommended to eat asparagus along with other vegetables and fruits in order to optimize the amount of antioxidants in the body.