Five Reasons to Love Asparagus

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Do you need five reasons to love asparagus? I thought you might! Reason number one: it’s the best late spring local vegetable in Ontario! I know this from experience growing up among asparagus farmers and also to be lucky enough to partake on the Asparabus tour twice! What is the Asparabus tour you ask? Well it’s when The Asparagus Farmers of Ontario teams up with my favourites Foodies on Foot to host an interactive farm, food experience in Norfolk County, with a new twist this spring – the iron chef competition.

Let me explain – First the Asparabus stopped at Ryder Farms to interact with the farmers, and understand all about the Guelph Millennial variety (a University of Guelph Innovation) of asparagus. Then there was The Iron Chef competition at the Burning Kiln Winery. It was a blast! Our team made a delicious asparagus ribbon salad with tomatoes, garlic and spice! Then some delicious wine and lunch, the back on the asparabus home! Now to complete the list – five reasons to love asparagus.

Four More Reasons to Love Asparagus:

#2 Pick a Colour – green, white and purple

White asparagus is actually just green asparagus but the farmer mounds soil on top of the spears so they never see sunlight! So it does not perform ‘photosynthesis’ and therefore has no colour!

#3 It’s a Royal Veggie

Asparagus is often called the “Food of Kings”. King Louis the XIV of France was so fond of this delicacy that he ordered special greenhouses built so he could enjoy asparagus year-round.

#4 It’s a Super Grower

Under ideal weather conditions, an asparagus shoot, or “spear”, can grow 25 cm (10 inches) in a 24-hour period. Now that’s just fast! Sit back and watch it climb.

#5 It’s Good for You

Asparagus has only 4 calories per spear! It is very good source of dietary fibre, beta-carotene, and rutin an antioxidant with prebiotic potential good for digestive health. Happy harvesting and healthy eating!

Thank you again Foodies on Foot for organizing a fantastic day!