Asparagus

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Also known as:
Shatwar, Shatwari, Soot mooli

Description:
Asparagus is an elegant vegetable with unique flavour an erect stalk and small, scale-like leaves along the stalk, capped by a ruffle of small leaves; a young stalk is tender with a slightly pungent, bitter flavour, an apple green colour and a purple-tinged tip; becomes tougher as it ages. Asparagus comes in three grades: colossal, jumbo, large, standard, and small and are available in 3 varieties: asparagus spears, green asparagus and white asparagus.

Commonly used in:
Soups, salads, stir-fries, risottos, scrambled eggs, pasta, etc.

Health benefit:
Among other things, it’s a very good source of fiber, foliate, vitamins A, C, E and K, chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. It is a rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. Asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.