Asparagus Healthy Food Guide

Peak season: Spring

Recipe shown above: Asparagus Salad Topped with Poached Eggs

You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else.

—Chef Mario Batali

One of the most anticipated tastes of spring is the first bite of tender, grassy asparagus.

Even before we realized that asparagus was a culinary treat, people in ancient times used it medicinally. The Greeks used it to treat bee stings and toothaches; Chinese herbalists treated arthritis with dried asparagus-root tea (possibly since its high level of asparagusic acid is a diuretic and can ease swelling).

Thick or thin, asparagus makes an array of tasty dishes using a variety of cooking methods. Despite the common belief that skinny asparagus spears are tastier and more tender than fat spears, the true determinate of good taste and texture is how fresh your asparagus is. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a patch in your backyard, grab a bunch from your local farmers’ market and celebrate spring’s fresh flavor.

What you get

Asparagus is high in folic acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber and vitamins A, B6 and C.

Tips

Shopping Tip: Look for sturdy spears with tight heads; the cut ends should not look dried out, wrinkled or woody. Fresh asparagus should snap when bent. Buy the freshest you can find and plan to use it within a day or two.

Storage Tip: If you need to store asparagus, trim the ends of spears and stand them upright in about an inch of water. (Leave the spears bundled together with a rubber band or pick a round container roughly the size of your bunch to keep them upright.) Cover with plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Or wrap the ends with damp paper towel and store in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.