Is Raw Asparagus Bad For You?
Short answer
Aside from a few possible side effects such as gas, asparagus is not bad for you and can be eaten cooked or raw depending on preference. While eating asparagus raw has no real health issues attached to it, cooking is a healthier (and arguably tastier) option.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Asparagus has long been a popular vegetable and considered something of a delicacy in ancient times. Its distinct flavor is very similar to an artichoke. You can eat asparagus in a number of different ways and cooking methods are equally varied - steam, roast, boil, blanch and even pan fry this versatile vegetable.
However, can you simply eat asparagus raw? Put simply, yes you can. There are very few health issues linked specifically to eating raw asparagus. In fact, the only real issues relate to both cooked and raw asparagus. First up is gas. Asparagus is known to have a high concentration of the carbohydrate raffinose. The digestive system struggles to break this down, causing a build up of gas. While not life threatening, this can be uncomfortable and maybe even a little embarrassing.
The second concern with asparagus is one of the more unique and well-known problems – that it gives your urine a strong odor. Despite there being countless studies as to why this might occur (it does not happen to everyone), nobody has been able to offer any real conclusive proof as to why this happens. Again, it seems that there are very few health implications to this phenomena, so it is not something that should fill you full of concern and worry.
Regardless of the lack of consequences, our research suggests that it is, in fact, better for you to cook asparagus rather than eat it raw. Asparagus contains a significant amount of antioxidants like lycopene that, when cooked, are far easier to absorb. These antioxidants prevent malignant free radical cells from attaching themselves to otherwise healthy cells and reduce the risk of a wide range of illnesses.
Even so, asparagus still has many health benefits when eaten raw. It contains an assortment of anti-inflammatory nutrients like sarsasapogenin, protodioscin, and diosgenin. Many diseases of the body are often linked to inflammation like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and arthritis - the nutrients in asparagus will help to prevent this.
Folate is another key ingredient in asparagus. Along with ensuring pregnant women get enough folic acid in their diet, folate also helps with depression by preventing large amounts of homocysteine entering the body.
Finally, (despite gas) asparagus is high in fiber and helps ensure you maintain a healthy digestive tract and reduces the risk of serious illnesses like colon cancer.
To wrap things up:
Asparagus is fine to eat raw. While many prefer it cooked, you will be doing minimal, if any, damage to your body consuming in raw form. Bear in mind that you might reap greater benefits if you do cook it first.
Possible short-term side effects
- gas
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urine develops a strong odor
Benefits
- reduced risk of certain cancers
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healthy digestive track
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can help prevent depression
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natural anti-inflammatory
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