Baby Green – Asparagus
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Baby Green are a young Asparagus picked, by hand, in the early stages of development.  They have a succulent, sweet, nutritious, tender flesh and are good for fresh salads.  They are related to onions, leeks and garlic. Asparagus is dense with nutrition and pairs well with other spring vegetables like garlic, potatoes and peas. Asparagus is in season from September to March.

Asparagus grows from a root system of fleshy rhizomes, known as the ‘crown’.  The crown sends up shoots or spears, which are the edible portion of the plant.

 

 

Health Benefits

Baby Green Asparagus is a great source of vitamins A and C, fibre and chromium, a mineral that enhances blood sugar regulation. Asparagus can also help break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals.

100g of asparagus yields the following:

  • Calories – 20
  • Total Carbs – 1% of DV
  • Protein – 4% of DV
  • Dietary Fibre – 8% of DV
  • Vitamin A – 15% of DV
  • Vitamin C – 9% of DV
  • Calcium – 2% of DV
  • Iron – 12% of DV

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Selecting tips

  • After harvesting the sugar in asparagus quickly converts to starch, which can cause a woody texture to develop and a loss of flavour.
  • Fresh asparagus stalks are firm, straight and smooth with a rich green colour.   Older asparagus develop a dull green hue and wrinkles in the stems.
  • Choose asparagus with compact tips that are not soft.

Storage: Trim the bottom tips from the asparagus before storing upright in a container with a small amount of water in the bottom.  The stems need to stay moist but the remainder of the asparagus should not be wet. Store in the refrigerator for three to four days.

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