Asparagus for Diabetes, Etc.

Typhoon Lando (with international name “Koppu”) cancelled all my schedules last Sunday. I stayed at home and cooked lunch for my family. I cooked Tempura with kamote, okra, talong, and asparagus. Although the sweet taste of kamote became an instant hit with the shrimp, the crisp taste of the asparagus cannot be discounted.

Asparagus is medicine

The British Journal of Medicine in a 2006 research pointed to asparagus extract that significantly increased the action of insulin by producing an 81% increase in glucose uptake in the fat cells.

Other medicinal use

Asparagine in asparagus is a diuretic that can control blood pressure and help in water excretion. One serving of asparagus is equivalent to about 60% of the daily-recommended intake of folate that protects the heart from damage. Asparagus is also good for digestive health. It contains fructo-oligosaccharides that promote that growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon.

What else is so special about asparagus?

Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid. It may control a known risk factor (homocysteine) for heart disease, cancer, and brain and learning dysfunction. It may also reduce the risk for birth defects. Asparagus is also a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, and vitamin B6. It can strengthen the blood vessels from wear-and-tear and damage because of a property called rutin that is found to be high in asparagus. Asparagus is high in gluthathione that protects cells from damage. A plant chemical called prostodioscin is cancer-protective. It also improves sexual desire and enhances erection. The chemical was also found to reduce bone loss. Aspargus, when served fresh, was found with high content of cancer-fighting element – phytochemical anthocyanin. Aside from being an aphrodisiac, asparagus was used by traditional Greeks, Romans, and Chinese to treat arthritis, toothache, and bites and stings. Chinese herbalists still use it as laxative.

Asparagus trivia

Asparagus originated in the Mediterranean region more than 2,000 years ago. Greeks and Romans valued asparagus not only for its taste but also for its medicinal qualities. It became popular in France and England in the sixteenth century. The early colonizers brought the vegetable to America.