Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season isn’t just good for the planet, it’s a great way to try new flavours and mix up the different types of plants in your diet. And right now, we’re getting close to the start of British asparagus season, which runs from St George’s Day on 23 April to the summer solstice on 21 June, so there’s no better time to reacquaint yourself with the vegetable’s charms.

A member of the lily family, most asparagus is green in colour, but you can get purple and white varieties too. It can be eaten both raw and cooked, which makes it perfect for tossing into salads or enjoying in an omelette, soup or stew – whatever takes your fancy.

But asparagus isn’t just tasty – it can also offer plenty of health benefits due to its rich nutritional content. Below, we’ve summed up just a few of the main ones for you to check out. 

Asparagus is a rich source of vitamin K which, among other things, helps to make the proteins needed for blood clotting and building bones.

Here in the UK, it’s recommended that adults eat 1mcg of vitamin K for every kilo of their body weight every day, and with 100g of cooked asparagus containing 51mcg of the vitamin, it’s an easy win.

One thing you can do to boost the benefits of asparagus’s high vitamin K content is cook or serve it with a little olive or coconut oil. This is because vitamin K is a fat-soluble nutrient, so pairing the asparagus with a source of fat will make it more bioavailable.

Asparagus also contains the micro-nutrients phosphorus and potassium, both of which are also used in the body to support bone health. 

On top of all the vitamins and minerals it contains, asparagus is a good source of dietary fibre, making it a great choice for anyone looking to support their gut health.

Not only can fibre encourage regularity – which reduces your risk of symptoms such as bloating and gas by keeping your digestive system moving – but the types of fibre found within asparagus are particularly good for your gut microbiome.

For example, asparagus contains inulin, a prebiotic fibre which feeds the friendly Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus bacteria – the latter of which is great for preventing the growth of bad bacteria. 

You don’t need to be a nutrition expert to know that antioxidants are good for you – by neutralising harmful free radicals, antioxidants help to prevent and reduce oxidative stress, which can lead to conditions ranging from heart disease and arthritis to cancer and stroke.

As is the case with most green vegetables, asparagus contains plenty of antioxidants, including vitamins A and C, as well as plant chemicals known as flavonoids and polyphenols.

Asparagus is a particularly good source of quercetin, which has been linked to benefits including reduced inflammation, boosted immunity and even improved exercise performance. 

One of the many vitamins asparagus is rich in is vitamin B9, also known as folate. While many of us think of folate – of which folic acid is one form – as something that only pregnant women need, that’s not quite the case. In fact, vitamin B9 plays a crucial role in the formation of red blood cells and supports healthy cell growth and function; a vitamin B9 deficiency has been linked to outcomes ranging from tiredness and anaemia to mental health issues including depression and anxiety.

The good news is that adding asparagus into your diet is a great way to up your folate intake – according to BBC Good Food, an 80g portion of boiled asparagus contains 138mcg, which is equivalent to over half of the daily intake recommended by the NHS (200mcg).

Potassium is beneficial for a whole host of reasons, but it’s particularly good news for your heart health. In fact, research has linked upping your potassium intake with lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes as a result.

While asparagus isn’t the most potassium-rich food available – key sources include avocados, bananas and salmon – a portion of the vegetable still contains a good dose of the stuff (about 5% of your recommended daily intake). Combined with a few other potassium-rich foods, that means asparagus could make a great contribution to your overall heart health. 

Images: Getty; Pexels