Asparagus has been cultivated for over 2,000 years as a vegetable and medicinal herb. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks ate wild asparagus shoots as a rare spring delicacy, and asparagus has been prized by nobility for hundreds of years. Considered a “superfood,” asparagus is highly nutritious, low in calories, and packed with fiber.
The key benefits of eating asparagus include improvement in digestion, heart disease, blood pressure regulation, bone health, and it is rich in antioxidants that fight inflammation and free radicals that cause chronic disease. The strongly diuretic action that occurs in the body after eating asparagus also makes it useful in the treatment of a variety of urinary problems. In addition, scientific research on asparagus extracts is ongoing to explore its potential anti-tumor properties.
Prepare asparagus by washing it thoroughly, drying well to ensure crispiness, and removing the tough woody bottom ends (usually the bottom 1-2 inches) by snapping or cutting them off. For thicker, fibrous stalks, use a vegetable peeler to shave the outer skin from the lower half for a more tender texture.
Here is a recipe that includes simmered asparagus with a delicious and healthy dressing.
Asparagus salad with Dijon vinaigrette dressing (from the book Immunity Solution by Dr. Joel Fuhrman)
2 pounds asparagus, tough ends removed
½ cup water
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup walnuts
½ cup raisins
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted
- Place asparagus in a large skillet; add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Drain asparagus and arrange in a shallow dish. Combine water, vinegar, walnuts, raisins, mustard and garlic in a food processor of high-powered blender, stir in red onion and pour over asparagus.
- Let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Sprinkle with pine nuts before serving.
