Looking for a new way to reach your daily 5 servings of fruits and vegetables? Try some asparagus! This seasonal vegetable is tender and tasty. In fact, most people who don’t eat vegetables usually warm up to the idea of asparagus. Try serving it to your picky eaters! Asparagus is abundant in vitamin K which is important for blood coagulation (caution if you are taking blood thinners such as Coumadin), folate which is essential for preventing neural tube defects during pregnancy, selenium which is an important antioxidant, and a good source of B vitamins which are integral to energy production, just to name a few. One cup of asparagus contains just 27 Calories and 3g of fiber. The fiber contained in asparagus is considered a prebiotic. Think of it as the food for the probiotics in our digestive tract, which helps to keep our “good bacteria” thriving for optimal digestive health.
A great and simple way to prepare asparagus is to drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top, season with freshly cracked pepper and salt, and grill it for a few minutes until tender. Serve as-is, or squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top before serving to brighten up the flavor. Enjoy!
