Impressive Benefits Of Asparagus
🔵What is Asparagus?
Asparagus, scientifically known as Asparagus officinalis, belongs to the family of lilies and is valued for its therapeutic properties. It is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘sprout’ and about 300 different species of this sprout exist all over the world.
It is available in white, green, and purple colors. White asparagus is grown away from the sunlight and hence, is deficient of the green pigment, chlorophyll. The purple one is loaded with phytochemicals and anthocyanins which provide a unique color to the vegetable.
The medicinal effect of this plant extends from its root to shoot and its usage has been tested and proven in scientific as well as indigenous systems of medicine like Siddha, Ayurveda, and Unani.
🔵Health Benefits of Asparagus
Let us look at the various health benefits of asparagus in detail below.
🔵Maintains Homocysteine Level
Asparagus is rich in B vitamins that help in maintaining healthy levels of homocysteine, which is produced in the blood when an amino acid (methionine) breaks down in the body. Vitamin B, especially folate, B6, and B12 play a key role in converting homocysteine into cysteine, which then gets converted back to methionine as per the normal methylation cycle.
🔵Helps in Pregnancy
The high folate content in asparagus aids in reducing the danger of low birth weight and birth defects during pregnancy. [9] Folate is essential for the growth of the fetus. It also helps in reducing the complication of edema or retention of water in the body tissues owing to its diuretic effect.
🔵Fights PMS
An asparagus extract can be used effectively for easing pre-menstrual bloating. The presence of essential nutrients helps to combat depression and fatigue, as well as reduce menstrual cramps. It also helps in controlling blood loss and maintaining hormonal balance during menstruation.
🔵Improves Digestion
Asparagus contains significant quantities of the nutrient inulin, which is a kind of complex carbohydrate, commonly known as prebiotic. It does not get digested until it reaches the large intestine, where it is fed upon by a kind of good bacteria like lactobacilli. Inulin aids in the improved absorption of nutrients.
It is also a good provider of dietary fiber and has laxative properties that help in the smooth functioning of the bowels, keeping bloating and constipation at bay. Along with healthy digestion, fiber also helps in lowering the cholesterol levels of the body. It is widely recommended in Ayurveda therapy for its effectiveness in curing diarrhea, dysentery, and dyspepsia, which is a feeling of abdominal uneasiness including burning sensations or navel pain occurring during or after eating. Studies have shown that asparagus racemosus has been proven to be as effective as the commercially available modern drugs in treating dyspepsia.
🔵Anticancer Potential
According to a study published in Cancer Letters, crude saponins found in the shoots of asparagus have exhibited anti-tumor activity. A 2016 study published in the Journal of Functional Foods also found that saponins induced typical features of apoptosis. The takeaways from this study could offer a potential dietary intervention strategy to manage human colorectal cancer cells. Furthermore, asparagus also helps in elevating the levels of glutathione, an antioxidant and detoxifying compound.