Why pregnant women should eat green asparagus

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The green color is due to photosynthesis

The first asparagus of which we have news date from 6,000 years before our era, at the time of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. From there it went to Greece and the Roman Empire. He arrived with the Romans on the Iberian Peninsula and here he became strong. Above all, in Andalusia and Granada. So much so that today Spain is one of the main producers of asparagus worldwide, with 63,433 tons per year, although far from the almost eight million tons of China. More than half of Spanish asparagus come from Granada, in fact those of Huétor-Tájar are the only green asparagus with Protected Geographical Identification (PGI)

The green and white asparagus are the same plant, although of different varieties. It will be white when the stem has not yet left the ground, and green, when it is already on the surface and performing photosynthesis (hence its green color, due to chlorophyll). In the case of the green, the qualifier of 'triguero' refers to the wild variety from a spontaneously growing shrub called asparagus. In the past it was common to find it among the wheat fields. Today it is located in dry and sunny soils. It is thinner, darker, bitter and with more intense nuances than green asparagus from cultivation.

The natural season of green asparagus is between March and May. But between greenhouse and import (especially from Peru), it can easily be found all year.
Look for closed buds and firm stem

Unlike whites, green asparagus is rarely sold canned. The rule to find one at its right point of maturation is to check that the buds (or tips) are closed and compact, and that the stem is firm, turgid, without lateral shoots and of uniform tonality.

If you buy them very fresh, they may last up to three weeks provided you store them in the refrigerator and cover the bunch with a damp cloth, or in a container where you can keep them with your base in water. The plastic bag, in addition to not being a friend of the planet, shortens its life a lot since it favors the formation of molds in just two or three days. Do not delay in consuming them either: the later, the harder they will get.
Eat them during pregnancy

Like whites, green asparagus is low in calories: they provide no more than 25 calories per 100 grams of food. They are rich in folates, of which they contribute 113 micrograms, more than half of the recommended daily amount. Folic acid or folates is a type of vitamin B necessary for the functioning of the immune system. In addition, it helps decrease the feeling of tiredness. Its deficit can cause anemia and, in the case of pregnant women, malformations in the neural tube of the fetus.

It is also rich in vitamin C (although part is lost when cooked with heat) and provides vitamin E, both with antioxidant capacity to protect cells from oxidative damage. Among the minerals, potassium (207 mg) stands out, although far from the recommended 3,400 mg daily.

One of the strengths of asparagus is fiber, a complex set of substances that is associated with digestive health, intestinal motility and the settlement of intestinal flora, exerting a prebiotic effect. It also provides phytochemical compounds such as lignans (antioxidant phytoestrogens), flavonoids (antioxidants) and other active substances with potential beneficial health effects, which are currently at the center of research.
That awkward smell

The memory of a good plate of green asparagus lasts until several hours later in the urine. Its smell, as well as that of other secretions such as breast milk, sperm or vaginal discharge, are altered by the presence of methanethiol and S-methyl thioester, two residues that are produced in our intestines from the enzymatic breakdown of acid asparagine Breastfeeding mothers are advised against taking it while breastfeeding so that the baby does not refuse milk, although it is not a rigid rule.

Not the entire adult po[CENSORED]tion perceives this change in smell: 40% of the po[CENSORED]tion is unable to detect it. It is asparagus anosmia: certain variations in the DNA sequence make it impossible for them to perceive that smell. Among those who do not dislike everyone. Marcel Proust confessed that green asparagus transformed his ‘potty into a perfume bottle’. On the other hand, the Roman gourmet Aspicio disliked it so much that he came to define it as ‘the disgusting and unpleasant smell of urine’.
Easy and tasty

Green asparagus provides quick and tasty solutions. Cook it steamed, boiled or grilled with a dash of extra virgin olive oil and salt flakes and use it as a garnish for meat and fish or on a barbecue of vegetables. Another classic of cooking in a few minutes is to present them in scrambled eggs or tortillas.