NUTRITION TIPS
Eating food in season can harvest you a crop of benefifits. benefits. This month, the perfectly timed vegetable to spear superior health and make a fresh start on your summer body is asparagus. And there’s a lot more to it than just the tip
Spear extra health benefits with our fresh take on the veg of the season: asparagus
SEASON’S EATINGS
Like the British summer, asparagus season is short but sweet. The green zone lies between St George’s Day (23 April) and Midsummer (24 June) – but it’s not just the smug taste of eco ethics you’ll savour. “With fresh, local produce you get all the flavour that deteriorates when food is transported long distances,” says Gill Meller, author of British recipe book Gather. . Add in the fact that you’ll yield more nutrients at less cost and it’s clear time is of the essence. Why wait?
A GREEN
The regularr regular sort is packed full of folate, a B vitamin linked to neural health by researchers in Korea. It has also been linked to fertility with a higher intake upping your odds of conception. Brains and balls in other words.
B WHITE
Grown underground away from sunlight, these vampire veg have little need for chlorophyll, which accounts for their bleachedblonde looks. But they’re still rich in glutathione, which repairs cells damaged by stress and pollution.
C PURPLE
The anthocyanins that provide this variety with their pleasing purple hue are also powerful antioxidants, which lower blood pressure and curb inflammation. Oh, and they’ve been linked to a reduced cancer risk, too.
D JARRED
OK, the salt used to preserve these is best rinsed away, but Cornell University found levels of lycopene, a pigment that fights heart disease, can be six times higher in preserved veg. One in the jar is worth two in the packet.
SPEAR MINT CONDITION
In the race to assimilate every nutrient, freshness is crucial. “In an ideal world you would collect your fresh asparagus from the farm gate and eat them the very same day,” says Meller. But if you don’t live next to Mr Mcgregor, the next best thing is to blanch them in boiling, salted water for a couple of minutes, before storing them in a jug or beaker (£ £10 10 conranshop.co.uk) with a little water in the fridge. This kills microbes and denatures enzymes that would otherwise speed up the deterioration of your spears’ health credentials, while also protecting from oxygen, which causes wilting. To trim the
stems, you’ll need a good knife. Meller recommends a serrated tomato knife from Victorinox (£ £3.50 3.50 nisbets.co.uk)) so you can slice, not crush, each spear, protecting the delicate fibre and structure. To score extra presentation points, cut them into long, thin ribbons using a peeler from Italian kitchen gizmo experts Alessi (£ 23.50 alessi.com) and enjoy a slice of la bella figura.
GIVE HEALTH A GREEN LIGHT
Getting fresh, seasonal produce from the farm to your fork in as little time as possible is good for your wellbeing and tastebuds. Plus, at a time when ‘flflexitarianism’ ‘flexitarianism’ is very much in vogue – both for health points and an eco-friendly ego massage – this is your chance to elevate asparagus from also-ran side- order to main event. British asparagus spears are readily available and at their best right now. So let’s get to the point with recipes from chef, forager and seasonal eater Meller.