Asparagus makes nutritious complement to egg-drop soup
WHEN A BIG BOWL of thick, hearty soup seems like too much, a lighter soup hits the spot.
Today’s soup is a cousin of egg- drop soup, commonly offered as an appetizer at many Asian restaurants. But it has a bit more substance with the pasta and asparagus.
You might have noticed that fresh asparagus is showing up more in the stores. As spring approaches, so does the prime season for harvesting asparagus. Shop the grocery advertisements for specials on this highly nutritious vegetable.
At only about 4 calories per spear, asparagus is not only low in calories, but also extremely low in sodium. Asparagus is a good source of potassium and has plenty of fiber. It’s an excellent source of folate, an important B vitamin, as well as a rich source of rutin.
Folate is needed for proper red blood cell formation and to make new DNA. It’s a B vitamin, one we should ingest daily, since we don’t have large storage amounts of it in our bodies.
Low levels of folate in the blood can lead to neural tube defects in developing fetuses, resulting in central nervous system and spinal cord malformations and even death. The neural tube, which develops into the spinal cord and brain, is formed quite early in pregnancy, often before the mother even knows
she is pregnant. Because of this, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began in 1998 to mandate the addition of folate to many grain products to boost the intake of this important vitamin and lower the incidence of neural tube defects.
Rutin is a compound that strengthens capillary walls, helping in the management of blood pressure in the body. Rutin and its cousin quercitin are used in medications in some countries to help keep blood vessels healthier. Both compounds are also considered strong antioxidants, lowering overall risk for heart disease. Rutin is also found in citrus fruits and their peels, as well as some lesser-known tropical fruits and cranberries.
This soup is great for a light lunch with a halfsandwich or a salad, or as an appetizer for dinner. It’s just enough to shake off the chills and warm you up a bit.