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Delicious bars in the check Does the asparagus diet keep its promises?
The asparagus season has begun! (archive image)
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Finally, the asparagus is out!
The popular vegetable scores with many healthy nutrients and has hardly any calories. This means: the more asparagus – whether green or white – we eat, the faster the pounds fall off. How the healthy vegetables work in the body and what you should pay attention to so that the asparagus diet really helps you get a beach body.
What makes asparagus so healthy
Many people look forward to the start of the asparagus season all year round. No wonder, because the delicious vegetables are only available for just under two months of the year: the harvest of the vegetables officially starts at the end of April and ends on June 24th, St. John's Day.
In fact, in addition to the delicious taste, there are many good reasons to eat asparagus regularly. The green and white sticks provide lots of vitamin C, which not only strengthens our immune system, but also stimulates collagen formation and ensures strong connective tissue. The B vitamins B1 and B2 contained promote concentration, boost metabolism and strengthen hair, skin and nails.
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In addition, asparagus also provides many minerals that have a positive effect on our body: potassium has a blood pressure-lowering effect, so regular consumption prevents cardiovascular diseases such as: heart attack and stroke prevents. The calcium it contains also ensures strong bones. Magnesium not only supports muscle function, but also ensures strong nerves. The iron it contains promotes blood formation and the transport of nutrients in the body. Secondary plant substances render free radicals harmless. This means they prevent cardiovascular diseases.
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Why asparagus helps you lose weight
Although the vegetable is bursting with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, it contains hardly any calories: 100 grams of asparagus contains just 15 kilocalories. The high water content of around 93 percent is responsible for this. This means: We can actually eat our fill of asparagus.
The abundant fiber content ensures long-lasting satiety. This prevents cravings and promotes weight loss. The fiber inulin also strengthens the intestinal flora. This is important because the bacteria that predominate in the intestines also determine how well we utilize the food we eat and how much energy we get from it.
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Due to its high potassium content, the vegetable has a dehydrating effect. This prevents water retention and makes losing weight even easier.
What you should combine asparagus with
In order for you to actually lose weight with asparagus, it is important to change your menu accordingly. In the best case scenario, you should not eat asparagus on top of your current diet, but rather replace carbohydrate-rich foods with the vegetables if possible: The lower the carbohydrate content in the diet, the easier it is for us to lose weight.
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Therefore, you should increase the portion of asparagus in favor of pasta, potatoes or rice. A combination with other vegetables, such as broccoli or carrots, is also ideal. Mushrooms such as fried mushrooms also taste good with asparagus and also provide a lot of vegetable protein.
The vegetables are best combined with lean meat, fatty fish or eggs. Chicken or turkey breast, fried salmon or an omelet in particular provide a lot of high-quality protein. This fills you up for a long time and also prevents the loss of muscle mass.
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Our recipe suggestion for delicious and low-calorie asparagus
The preparation of asparagus also plays a role. Instead of with hollandaise sauce, it's best to enjoy the vegetables on their own or serve them with a lighter sauce. Alternatively, you can also prepare a light hollandaise sauce by replacing most of the butter with low-fat yogurt. This saves calories and does not affect the taste.
Or you can prepare a sauce based on sour cream or yogurt. Positive side effect: With this you absorb more satiating protein at the same time.
Recipe for asparagus in chive sauce
Ingredients for two people:
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500 grams of white asparagus
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a small piece of ginger (two to three centimeters)
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an onion
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50 milliliters of asparagus stock
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two tablespoons of vegetable broth
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a teaspoon of grainy mustard
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some salt
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two tablespoons sour cream (ten percent fat)
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half a bunch of chives
Preparation:
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Rinse the asparagus and peel it with a peeler.
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Remove the woody ends and halve the asparagus spears.
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Peel the ginger and chop it finely.
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Peel and dice the onion.
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Mix the asparagus stock with vegetable stock, ginger, onion and mustard in a pan.
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First fry the end pieces, then the asparagus tips in the pan. Then season it with a little salt.
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Boil the asparagus once and let it cook over medium heat for about five minutes.
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Now add the sour cream and let the asparagus cook for another five minutes.
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Then wash and cut the chives and stir them in.
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What really matters when it comes to losing weight
A moderate calorie reduction works better than any crash diet: if you save around 300 to 500 calories a day, you will lose weight slowly, but in the long term. Instead of eating several small snacks, you should satisfy your hunger with three larger meals that fill you up. Because every meal, no matter how small, causes blood sugar levels to rise and our body to release insulin. Insulin, however, slows down fat burning and thus weight loss.
Make sure there are breaks of at least four hours between meals. In fact, you shouldn't eat anything that affects your blood sugar level. However, water and other calorie-free drinks such as unsweetened tea or black coffee are allowed.
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Not suitable for everyone: If you should avoid excessive consumption of asparagus
As healthy as asparagus is, excessive consumption of the vegetable is not suitable for everyone. People with kidney failure or elevated uric acid levels should avoid eating asparagus. The reason: Asparagus contains relatively many purines. In our body they are converted into uric acid, which is excreted via the kidneys in the urine.
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If the kidneys are not fully functioning, uric acid can accumulate and crystallize in the body. These uric acid crystals can build up in the joints and cause inflammation and painful swelling. This also applies to people with elevated uric acid levels or patients who suffer from gout or hyperuricemia. You should only consume asparagus in moderation and after consulting your family doctor. For everyone else: Eat as much asparagus as you like.
Sources used: own RTL research
