Asparagus is a unique vegetable and separate member of its own species and genus. It is a member of the species Asparagus Officinalis within the genus Asparagus, and is generally cultivated from young shoots of varying thickness. Asparagus has been eaten since early times in the culinary world, due to its unique flavor and diuretic properties.
Asparagus is extremely low in calories but boasts an impressive nutrient profile, depending on how it is prepared. A half cup of cooked asparagus is just 20 calories while giving you protein, very low fat, high fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, folate, potassium, phosphorous, Vitamin E and a bunch of important micronutrients like iron, zinc and riboflavin.
Asparagus is a another one of the Vitamin K rich foods that are essential for proper blood clotting and bone health. The folate content makes asparagus a food that pregnant women should definitely eat as much as possible of.
Beyond these core nutrients, you also get a bunch of antioxidants such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C and glutathione, as well as various polyphenols and flavonoids like quercetin, isorhamnetin and kaempferol. These compounds are known to have some blood pressure lowering, anti-inflammation, anti-viral and anti-cancer effects.
Why does Asparagus make your pee smell?
Some good things come in stinky packages. Asparagus is full of asparagusic acid (imagine that!), a chemical that produces sulfurous byproducts from your kidneys into your urine. It is a rotten-like odor that can start 15 minutes after eating asparagus and can last into the next day depending on how much you eat. Not everyone can detect the smell.
The sulfurous byproducts include dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone.
(including dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone). As with many other substances that include sulfur—such as garlic, skunk spray and odorized natural gas—these sulfur-containing molecules convey a powerful, typically unpleasant scent