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This Veggie Was the 19th-Century Version of Viagra

Garden asparagus—Asparagus officinalis—pops zestfully out of the ground in spring. The undeniably penile shape of the emerging stalks doubtless contributes to asparagus’s lush reputation as sex food, which dates to antiquity. The ancient Greeks dedicated asparagus to Aphrodite, goddess of love. Roman author Pliny the Elder, writing in the first century CE, listed it as an aphrodisiac. (He also states optimistically that “if a person is rubbed with asparagus beaten up in oil, he will never be stung by bees.”)

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 How Healthy Is Asparagus?

Proper asparagus-eating etiquette has long been a subject of debate: Should you cut the treelike spears with a fork and knife, or are they an acceptable finger food? When it comes to asparagus’s nutritional value, though, there’s little dispute.

 These Asparagus Health Benefits Make Stinky Pee Totally Worth It

Nutritionally speaking, asparagus does not disappoint. The pointy green spears offer vitamins C, K, and B9 (aka folate), according to the aforementioned 2020 scientific review. They also contain disease-busting antioxidants, digestion-promoting fiber, and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. King of vegetables, indeed.

 Whoa, What's That Smell

It’s not the fault of modernday chemicals and additives. Asparagus has been stinking up bathrooms for centuries. According to Smithsonian magazine, Benjamin Franklin noted in a 1781 letter to the Royal Academy of Brussels that “A few Stems of Asparagus eaten shall give our Urine a disagreable Odour.” Franklin was trying to convince the academy to discover a drug that would make passed gas “not only inoffensive, but agreable as Perfumes.” That goal, sadly, has still not been achieved.

Articles of Interest

5 Powerful Health Benefits of Asparagus You Probably Didn't Know

Asparagus is a highly nutritious vegetable with numerous health benefits, like supporting brain health and fighting cancer. Whether you love eating the common green spears or the vibrant purple or white asparagus, they add flavor, texture and color to your meals.

The Surprisingly Big Carbon Shadow Cast By Slender Asparagus

And then there’s asparagus. At 8.87, it produces six times the amount of GHG than the next-highest vegetable. That’s higher than pork and veal, not to mention chicken, eggs, and milk. Why? It’s not even something you have to plant every year.

A marvelous obsession: Asparagus!

Asparagus is anti-inflammatory, and inflammation, as we now know, contributes to cancer proliferation and other disease states. Asparagus is full of antioxidants that help in DNA synthesis and repair; in fact, it contains more glutathione than any other vegetable or fruit. Glutathione is lauded as an uber antioxidant because it is such a powerful liver cleanser. Eating asparagus in season means we’re getting precisely what we need this time of year -- spring cleaning!

All Hail Asparagus, First Spear of Spring

With the arrival of April, farmers markets come alive again after the winter doldrums in the Northern Hemisphere. For many of us, that means the return of asparagus spears—primarily slim and green in North America, and chunky and white in Europe. (As for white asparagus, it’s not actually a different plant. Unlike the green spears, which grow in the sun, the white version is shielded from sunlight as it grows to prevent photosynthesis.)

Asparagus takes the crown: 'I felt like I'd found fairies in the garden'

For those of you new to growing asparagus, it takes at least 2-3 years for the clumps to expand and for the stems to become juicy and fat. I had prepared the bed all those years ago by loading it with compost and bladderwrack seaweed, burying it with almost a foot of soft mulch, then I bedded the crowns down and walked away, coming back to revisit twice a year to add compost and more mulch.

Asparagus: A versatile veggie bursting with health benefits

Sure, asparagus has undeniable culinary allure, but almost equally captivating is the way that it grows. From its crown, a spear can grow up to ten inches in one day, which means that you could actually sit and watch your asparagus grow. After harvest, asparagus plants sprout ferns that produce berries (they’re not edible), securing the nutrients necessary to grow more spears the next season.

Healing Benefits of Asparagus

Asparagus is more than just a delicious vegetable; it’s a nutrient-packed powerhouse with numerous health benefits. Whether you’re looking to improve digestion, boost immunity, or support heart health, asparagus health benefits make it a must-have in your diet.

New study: Why can some people smell asparagus in their pee?

First things first: Why does asparagus make your pee smell? Blame asparagusic acid, which the human body breaks down into stinky, sulfur-containing compounds. Unlike asparagusic acid itself, the digested compounds are volatile, which means they vaporize into gas at room temperature. In this case, that means they hit your nose not long after they hit the toilet.

Spears of destiny: 17 ways to make the most of asparagus season

From tarts to salads and soups to puddings, asparagus is one of our most versatile vegetables – and right now it’s at its freshest. Here are some inspiring ideas to try at home

The Genius Way to Stop Wasting Asparagus

Whether you're a snapper or a slicer, lopping off the ends of a bunch of asparagus can feel almost as senseless as throwing away your own arm. Good asparagus is expensive and fleeting, so why do we waste so much of it? Do we have to?

The Health Benefits of Asparagus: 6 Reasons It’s Good for You

Asparagus may be a weird-looking vegetable that makes your pee smell funny, but it’s also a nutritional powerhouse and a culinary giant.

This Seasonal Spring Vegetable Has More Benefits Than A Multivitamin

From curing a hangover (what!) to offering daily vitamins, the humble asparagus might not seem powerful, but its health benefits are impressive.

Why Asparagus is among the world’s healthiest foods

Asparagus is even okay with the keto crowd, who welcome the fact it is filling, highly nutritious, and very low carb. Furthermore, it is also low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol, fibre-rich and low-calorie to boot.

Why Asparagus Makes Your Urine Smell

Our bodies convert asparagusic acid into sulfur-containing chemicals that stink—but some of us are spared from the pungent odor.

Why does asparagus make some people’s pee smell but not others?

Have you eaten asparagus and noticed that it can alter how your urine smells? Perhaps you’ve heard about the phenomenon but wondered why it doesn’t seem to affect you. Or maybe you’ve eaten beetroot and then been worried there appeared to be blood in your water. Why do certain foods change our urine and does it make a difference to our health?