When asparagus is in season, dietitians get excited.
Low in calories and fat yet high in fiber and vitamins, asparagus makes the perfect, easy side dish when roasted or grilled. But you can also get the many nutritional benefits of asparagus in a salad or quiche.
And, for a vegetable with such a unique, earthy flavor, asparagus is also surprisingly versatile. “I love asparagus,” registered dietitian Grace Derocha, tells TODAY.com. “I love them in quiche, I love them in soups and stews, and I love them in risotto,” says Derocha, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Asparagus nutrition
In a cup of raw asparagus, you’ll get:
- 27 calories
- 3 grams protein
- 0.2 grams fat
- 5 grams carbohydrates
- 2.8 grams fiber
Asparagus benefits
A serving of asparagus comes with “almost 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein,” Derocha says, which helps balance out the carbohydrates.
The fiber in asparagus will help keep you regular, as well as help manage blood sugar levels, as TODAY.com explained previously.
And asparagus is one of the few veggies to contain inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber, Debbie Petitpain, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com. This helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut and encourages better digestive health overall.
Petitpain notes that asparagus contains antioxidants, including glutathione, “which can help combat free radicals,” she says, potentially reducing the risk of cancer.
Asparagus is also sneakily a great source of vitamins and minerals, Derocha says. “A lot of people don’t realize it’s pretty rich in vitamin C, and it also has some iron,” she says. This vegetable also provides a fair amount of B vitamins and magnesium. “Most people don’t get enough magnesium, so you love to see it,” Derocha adds.
You can also reap some heart-health benefits from asparagus because it contains asparaptine, a compound that may improve blood flow and even help lower blood pressure in the process,…
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