Enjoy Asparagus for Your Heart

This month in honor of American Heart Month, we’re calling out the top foods for your heart!

These fleshy green spears are just coming into season in California, and they are great for your heart. Here are five reasons why:

Asparagus is loaded with nutrients: it’s a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins C, E and K, selenium, zinc, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that helps with blood sugar balance.

Along with avocados and the cruciferous veggies, asparagus is a particularly rich source of glutathione, the body’s “master antioxidant” and a powerful detoxifying agent that helps break down unnecessary toxins and “used” hormones in the blood. This points to the potential for asparagus to help protect against certain cancers, as well as boost heart health.

Researchers now believe that asparagus belongs among the list of foods that contain inulin, a prebiotic fiber that provides our digestive tract with some unique health benefits; including better immunity, regularity, and helping to carry excess cholesterol out of the body.

Asparagus is packed with antioxidants, which have the ability to neutralize cell damaging free radicals and stop inflammation. In addition to boosting heart health, the antioxidants in asparagus are also anti-aging and great for blood sugar balance!

It’s rich in B vitamins, which can protect the heart. Folate, vitamin B1, B2 as well as niacin, choline, B6, and pantothenic acid are all found in asparagus. The combination positively affects the nervous system, as well as inflammatory markers for heart disease. 

Resources: http://www.whfoods.com/