Health Benefits of Asparagus

What is Glutathione?
Health Benefits of Asparagus

OAGMB
May 1st, 2004


Glutathione is a small protein composed of three amino acids; cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. Clutathione is involved in detoxification. It binds to fat-soluble toxins, such as heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, and transforms them into a water-soluble form that can be excreted in urine.

Glutathione is also an important antioxidant. Dietary glutathione from vegetables such as asparagus has been associated with protection against some forms of cancer (Sen CK. Nutritional biochemistry of cellular glutathione. Nutr Biochem 1997; 8:660-72. Flagg EW, Coates RJ, Jones DP, et al. Dietary glutathione intake and the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer. Am J Epidemiol 1994; 139:453-65) Glutathione has also "inhibited" cancer in test tube and animal studies. In preliminary research, higher glutathion levels have also been associate with good health in older adults.

Asparagus contains more glutathione than any other common food item. A one hundred gram serving of asparagus is approximately five (5) healthy spears.

According to the Washington Asparagus Commission, glutathion from asparagus can be...
A detoxifying agent; by binding to fat-soluable toxins thereby transforming them into water to be exreted in urine.

An anti-cancer initiator
A regulator of free radicals
A restorative to better health in adults with gluatathion deficiency to: help prevent aging, arrest and control bad cell growth in HIV subjects, maintain levels needed to control chronic fatigue syndrome
A "catalyst"; to keep and assist vitamin C
Useful to prevent clot formation during operations
Can reduce side effects of chemotherapy
Can increase the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs (particularly cisplatin in women with ovarian cancer)
Can reduce blood pressure in diabetics with high blood pressure.
http://www.asparagus.on.ca/article.php?id=8

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In the attached picture Jacob is holding the asparagus flour in 100 gram bags and also in a salt shaker. You can see the 4 steps...field fresh asparagus, chopped into pieces, dried and milled, and made into 100 gram bags. If a person took 7 grams of this every day they would get over 100% of their daily Vitamin K. We have sent our product to The Food Science Technology Centre for 13 different nutritional tests http://www.fstclabs.com/home.html.
We are going to try to take 7 grams every day in our family by adding it to all of our recipes. We will sprinkle a little bit on every dish. Because the asparagus flour is about 15 to 1 ratio of pure asparagus we do not need much to get our daily Vitamin K.
Here is the link to another article describing the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of asparagus http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=12
We sell the asparagus flour in 100 gram bags and for less than $1 a day you can get your daily Vit K and also the much needed glutathione (GSH).
Please google GSH and vitamin k to find further supporting articles about the medicinal properties of asparagus.

Iron Chef

Wow...what a night! Huge congrats to Nick and Nat for a tremendous event. We had a great time and I really enjoyed tasting all the fine dishes and meeting so many "foodies". I am really sorry to the girl I spilled the asparagus ceasar on LOL. It was especially neat to taste asparagus ice cream and loved the asparagus pastry. The chefs came up with so many interesting ideas of how to use the asparagus flour. Huge kudos to Nick and Nat!

Our new local crackers are in. Just baked, made with sunflower oil and local wheat, local milling, local baking!

My Mom's Asparagus Soup Recipe

Barrie's Asparagus Soup Recipe
My Mom's Famous!!!

1 lb asparagus chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp butter or margerine
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cupsour cream or yogurt
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
fresh chives for garnish

In a covered saucepan, boil the asparagus, onion, and 1 cup of the chicken broth. When asparagus is still tender and bright green blend to a puree (this puree can be frozen and used for future batches).
In a large saucepan heat the butter and flour on medium to make a paste. Cook until golden. Stir occasionally as you add the 2nd cup chicken broth, making sure lumps don't form.
Stir in the salt, pepper, puree, milk. Bring to a boil.
Take soup off heat. Measure the yogurt or sour cream into a bowl and stir in spoonfuls of hot soup, little by little. Now, carefully stir this warmed yogurt or sour cream mixture back into the pan of soup.
Add a teaspoon of lemon juice, or to taste.
Serve in individual bowls, sprinkled with chopped chives.
(makes 3 1/2 to 4 cups of soup)

Thanks for this great recipe Mom!!!

Our Facebook site for asparagus updates

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barries-Asparagus/188187407892947

Last year we started harvest April 22. That was our earliest start ever. We always hope for the beginning of May!