Health Benefits of Asparagus

Ms H

Asparagus officinalis, a flowering perennial plant, is a spring vegetable.

Nutritional values of asparagus:

It is a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, minerals: potassium, zinc, iron, vitamins: vitamin K, vitamin B3, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E and pantothenic acid.

Health benefits:

It is a rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps to break down carcinogens and free radicals, so it may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as breast, larynx, bone and lung cancers.

Its antioxidants help to slow the ageing process and to neutralise cell damaging free- radicals. Asparagus may help our brains to fight cognitive decline. It holds amino-acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic.

Food Additive Carrageenan

Ms H 

The carrageenan is linear sulphated polysaccharide that extracted from red edible seaweeds. There are three main types of carrageenan; κ-carrageenan has one, ι-carrageenan has two and λ-carrageenan has three sulphate groups per disaccharide. They have stabilising, thickening and gelling properties so they are widely used in the food industry. They are particularly benefited in dairy and meat products due to their strong binding to food proteins. Carrageenan is especially common in non-dairy milks such as almond milk and coconut milk.

People with lactose intolerance or on vegan diet might actually be increasing their exposure if they use these products. The animal studies show that carrageenan can cause intestinal damage or ulcer. Some human studies associate carrageenan in ulceration and inflammation although it is not a known  carcinogen.There is still some doubt about its safety if it consumed regularly.