I took a little stroll through the garden yesterday and noticed a purple asparagus tip poking through the ground!
Hip hip hooray!!! It's soon going to be the great month of much asparagus consumption at our house! Really, I cannot put into words just how incredibly yummy fresh asparagus is ... especially when it comes from your own garden. There is just nothing like it!
So, as I was dreaming about our asparagus and thinking about all the ways we'll soon be eating it, I starting wondering about the health benefits of it and what it is known for. Honestly, I had no idea -- we grow it because we absolutely love to eat it, not for a particular health benefit. But now that I'm apparently starting to lose my memory, I thought it would be good to know and so I did a little research. WOW, if you believe what you read online, asparagus can cure just about anything... LOL!
Like anything else, it's hard to know what you find online is actually true and what not, but for giggles, I've compiled a list of some of the "health benefits" of asparagus I found. I have no idea if ANY of these are true and/or how asparagus might accomplish these things (especially #15!!), but it's an interesting list:
- Asparagus is good for your heart
- Asparagus is good for your kidneys
- Asparagus has anti-cancer agents
- Asparagus can help prevent bladder and urinary tract infections
- Asparagus is high in vitamin K
- Asparagus contains antioxidant agents & can prevent the effects of aging
- Asparagus is high in folic acid and can help prevent birth defects
- Asparagus has anti-fungal and antiviral qualities
- Asparagus can help with fertility problems
- Asparagus can relieve menstrual cramps
- Asparagus is good for your gastrointestinal tract and your colon
- Asparagus can help treat depression
- Asparagus can increase the success rate of chemo therapy
- Asparagus is a diuretic. It's a good anti-inflammatory - good for arthritis, rheumatism, asthma and water retention.
- Asparagus can help get rid of warts
- Asparagus can help to lower cholesterol
- Asparagus stimulates milk production in nursing mothers
- Asparagus can be an aphrodisiac
- Asparagus can help prevent multiple sclerosis
- Asparagus can detoxify your body
- Asparagus can help fight chronic fatigue syndrome
- Asparagus can help fight high blood pressure
- Asparagus can help if you bruise easily
- Asparagus is considered a laxative & can help with constipation
- Asparagus can help with treating HIV
- Asparagus is good for your capillaries and can help prevent varicose veins
- Asparagus can prevent cataracts
- Asparagus can help prevent scurvy
- Asparagus can help with hair loss
- Asparagus can treat toothaches
WHEW! And I thought it just tasted really good! LOL! I wonder how many might actually be true?
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