Let’s talk asparagus… It is one seriously nutritious health kick packed into a thin green stalk of yummyness. It is an anti inflammatory and has anti oxidant benefits, supports your digestive track, shown to reduce heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and has anti cancer benefits. All that from a thin green stalk? This is one veggie that I crave all the time.
The people over at The World’s Healthiest Foods, have the best chart to show you everything (nutrition wise) that asparagus packs into those thin green stalks.
| Asparagus 1.00 cup raw 134.00 grams 26.80 calories |
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| Nutrient | Amount | DV (%) |
Nutrient Density |
World’s Healthiest Foods Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vitamin K | 55.74 mcg | 69.7 | 46.8 | excellent |
| vitamin A | 1013.04 IU | 20.3 | 13.6 | excellent |
| folate | 69.68 mcg | 17.4 | 11.7 | excellent |
| iron | 2.87 mg | 15.9 | 10.7 | excellent |
| vitamin B1 | 0.19 mg | 12.7 | 8.5 | excellent |
| vitamin C | 7.50 mg | 12.5 | 8.4 | excellent |
| copper | 0.25 mg | 12.5 | 8.4 | excellent |
| tryptophan | 0.04 g | 12.5 | 8.4 | excellent |
| vitamin B2 | 0.19 mg | 11.2 | 7.5 | very good |
| fiber | 2.74 g | 11.0 | 7.4 | very good |
| manganese | 0.21 mg | 10.5 | 7.1 | very good |
| molybdenum | 6.70 mcg | 8.9 | 6.0 | very good |
| potassium | 270.68 mg | 7.7 | 5.2 | very good |
| vitamin E | 1.51 mg (ATE) | 7.5 | 5.1 | very good |
| phosphorus | 69.68 mg | 7.0 | 4.7 | very good |
| vitamin B3 | 1.31 mg | 6.5 | 4.4 | very good |
| vitamin B6 | 0.12 mg | 6.0 | 4.0 | very good |
| protein | 2.95 g | 5.9 | 4.0 | very good |
| choline | 21.44 mg | 5.0 | 3.4 | very good |
| zinc | 0.72 mg | 4.8 | 3.2 | good |
| magnesium | 18.76 mg | 4.7 | 3.2 | good |
| selenium | 3.08 mcg | 4.4 | 3.0 | good |
| vitamin B5 | 0.37 mg | 3.7 | 2.5 | good |
| calcium | 32.16 mg | 3.2 | 2.2 | good |
| World’s Healthiest Foods Rating |
Rule |
|---|---|
| excellent | DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10% |
| very good | DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5% |
| good | DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5% |
Until last year, we could not stand asparagus. It was one of the few veggies that we just could not get into. I kept hoping we would finally find a recipe that would help us to like this veggie that is so awesome nutritionally. I would try it when ever anyone made it or when we went out to eat. I would buy it and try recipes that family and friends would suggest, only to throw it out frustrated because no one liked it. I was about to give up, when I finally said screw it and bought a HUGE bag of fresh and a couple bags of frozen asparagus and just did my own thing. I spent an entire day devoted to cooking asparagus all kinds of ways and with all kinds of different ingredients. I finally came up with the most simple recipe ever! The best part is that we actually LOVE asparagus now and eat it constantly!
Supply List:
Asparagus ( fresh with the bottoms trimmed off)
Butter (about tsp)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Parmesan cheese (enough to put a thin layer on top of the asparagus)
Cookie sheet
Instructions:
Put the asparagus on a cookie sheet in a thin layer.
Place small pats of butter staggered here and there on the asparagus.
Season with salt, pepper, garlic, to taste and top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 425 until tender about 15-20 minutes.
If you want more info on asparagus check out their link…. “http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?
Simplicity Redesigned 