Asparagus benefits, including for digestion and diet

Have you ever heard of a vegetable called asparagus before? Yes, this one vegetable is probably not very common, except when it is cooked into asparagus soup. In fact, it is usually easier to find in supermarkets that offer a variety of vegetables that are quite foreign. The nutrients contained in asparagus are no less good than other vegetables. Come on, get to know the various benefits of asparagus.

Various benefits of asparagus that are a pity to miss

Here are some of the benefits of asparagus that you can get:

1. Good for digestion

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

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

2. Nutrient-dense

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

Asparagus is predicted to be a vegetable that is 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 assist in the formation of cells and DNA of the prospective baby.

3. Can help with weight loss

Are you determining what foods are good for you to lose weight? One of the best options you can try is to eat asparagus. The reason is, asparagus contains a low amount 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 feel full, thus preventing you from eating large amounts.

4. Able to lower 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 eating more potassium sources while reducing salt intake is an effective way to reduce high blood pressure.

This is where the other benefits of asparagus come into play, because asparagus is a good source of potassium to help lower high blood pressure, by optimizing the work of blood vessels and removing excess salt through the 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 mice was fed asparagus, while the other group of mice were not.

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

However, further studies in humans are still needed to prove whether this active compound will also have the same effect.

5. Useful for pregnant women and the fetus

Another benefit of asparagus that is no less important is to maintain the health of both 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 in protecting your baby from neural tube defects that can easily lead to various complications later in life.

6. Good source of antioxidants

In fact, asparagus contains high amounts 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 has been linked to aging, chronic cellular inflammation, and cancer. If you want to get optimal antioxidant production, it is advisable to eat asparagus along with other vegetables and fruits to optimize the amount of antioxidants in the body.