Asparagus Is Full Of Vitamin K
Along with other green, leafy vegetables, asparagus is a good source of vitamin K. The vitamin is crucial for coagulation as well as bone health.
Most people think of calcium for healthy bones, but vitamin K is also important, says Gans. It can actually help your body absorb calcium.
Asparagus is full of folate, a B vitamin that could lift your spirits and help ward off irritability. Researchers have found a connection between low levels of folate and vitamin B12 in people who are suffering from depression, leading some docs to prescribe daily doses of both vitamins to patients with depression. Asparagus also contains high levels of tryptophan, an amino acid that has been similarly linked to improved mood.
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Nutritional Information And Prep Time
This penne pasta with asparagus, bell pepper and tomato recipe for prostate health makes four servings with 200 calories per serving. The dish also contains 22g of carbohydrates, 13g of fat and 5g of protein. It involves 20 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time.
Penne pasta with asparagus, bell peppers and tomatoes is a delicious recipe for prostate health. Though it may seem like youre just enjoying a tasty and filling meal, youre actually taking charge of your own health.
Eating foods like asparagus, bell peppers and tomatoes can help reduce your risk of prostate cancer and other related conditions. After trying out this recipe, you can then make other meals that use the same prostate-friendly ingredients.
Travis Davis
Helps Support A Healthy Pregnancy
Asparagus is an excellent source of folate, also known as vitamin B9.
Just half a cup of asparagus provides adults with 34% of their daily folate needs and pregnant women with 22% of their daily needs .
Folate is an essential nutrient that helps form red blood cells and produce DNA for healthy growth and development. Its especially important during the early stages of pregnancy to ensure the healthy development of the baby.
Getting enough folate from sources like asparagus, green leafy vegetables and fruit can protect against neural tube defects, including spina bifida (
31 ).
Potassium lowers blood pressure in two ways: by relaxing the walls of blood vessels and excreting excess salt through urine .
Asparagus is a good source of potassium, providing 6% of your daily requirement in a half-cup serving.
Whats more, research in rats with high blood pressure suggests that asparagus may have other blood pressure-lowering properties. In one study, rats were fed either a diet with 5% asparagus or a standard diet without asparagus.
After 10 weeks, the rats on the asparagus diet had 17% lower blood pressure than the rats on the standard diet .
Researchers believed this effect was due to an active compound in asparagus that causes blood vessels to dilate.
However, human studies are needed to determine whether this active compound has the same effect in humans.
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General Guidelines For Healthier Eating:
- Aim to have a wide variety of different foods and try foods that you may not have had before especially different fruits and vegetables
- Start the day by having breakfast, skipping breakfast can lead to a lack of concentration and snacking on possibly higher calorie foods later in the morning
- Include protein foods each day especially those which are lower in fat lean meats, fish, chicken, turkey, venison, pheasant, rabbit, oily fish and pulses such as peas, beans and lentils
Choose high fibre carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain cereals, oats, wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholewheat pasta
- Have at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day in a rainbow of colours. Choose dishes that are made from a wide variety of vegetables
- Swap full-fat dairy foods to low fat varieties and use semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
- Cut down on the amount of fat and fatty foods that you have and choose polyunsaturated varieties and spreads. Banish the chip pan and the frying pan and only have fried foods occasionally
- Try having hot drinks without adding sugar and cut down on sugary drinks, sweets, chocolate, cakes and biscuits
- Keep an eye on your weight. By cutting down on fatty foods, fries and sweet, sugary foods this should go some way to helping you lose weight or keeping to a healthy weight
- Make sure you take enough fluid every day by having about 6 8 glasses each day whether this is as tea, coffee, sugar-free soft drinks, water, herbal or fruit teas
Asparagus Can Help With Weight Loss
Not only is asparagus low in fat and calories , but it also contains lots of soluble and insoluble fiber, making it a good choice if youre trying to lose weight. Because your body digests fiber slowly, it keeps you feeling full in between meals.
Fiber can definitely help you feel satiated, making it beneficial for weight loss, says Gans. It can also aid constipation, and research suggests it may help lower cholesterol.
To maximize the veggies calorie-torching potential, pair it with a hard-boiled egg: the combination of fiber-rich asparagus with the egg’s protein will leave you feeling satisfied.
Asparagus contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, making it a natural diuretic. In other words, eating more of the spears can help flush excess fluid and salt from your body, which may help prevent urinary tract infections.
When women are not urinating enough, they can get a UTI, explains Gans. Its possible that a diet rich in asparagus could prevent these painful infections from developing, since going to the bathroom more frequently can help move bad bacteria out of the urinary tract.
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Sugar And Sweet Foods
If you are trying to keep a healthy body weight or are perhaps trying to lose some weight, then cut out or cut down on the sugar you add to hot drinks or switch to using a sweetener. If you drink a lot of fizzy, sugary drinks switch to the low calorie versions instead. Only have sweets, chocolate, cakes and biscuits as occasional treats.
To help sum up what this might mean:There are no shortcuts to having a healthy diet and it can be a lot easier than you think to incorporate healthy foods into your everyday diet. It doesnt necessarily mean giving up all the foods that you enjoy but having these as foods as occasional treats.
It might be best to make better food choices gradually, making simple, small changes to your existing diet on a regular basis. Then after just a few months, youll be well on your way to having a much healthier diet.
Can Asparagus Cause Cancer
One study published in 2018 caused quite a stir as its findings associated higher levels of asparagine with the ability of breast cancer tumors to spread, and lower levels of asparagine with less ability to spread. It is important to note that the study focused on a lab-grown mouse mammary tumor and all variations were conducted in mice that had no immune system.
Investigators first implanted mice with mouse triple-negative breast cancer tumors. Then they blocked the production of asparagine with the drug L-asparaginase and put the mice on a diet low in asparagine. They found that this reduced the tumors ability to spread.
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Asparagus Is Full Of Antioxidants
Asparaguspurple asparagus in particularis full of anthocyanins, which give fruits and veggies their red, blue, and purple hues and have antioxidant effects that could help your body fight damaging free radicals. When preparing asparagus, try not to either overcook or undercook it. Although cooking the veggie helps activate its cancer-fighting potential, letting it boil or sauté for too long can negate some nutritional benefits. Overcooking asparagus could cause the vitamins to leach out into the water, says Gans.
Asparagus is also a source of vitamin E, another important antioxidant. This vitamin helps strengthen your immune system and protects cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. To fill up on its benefits, roast asparagus with a little olive oil: Our body absorbs vitamin E better if its eaten alongside some fat, says Gans. And when you cook it with olive oil, youre getting healthy fat and vitamin E.
It Can Help Fight Cancer
Pictured recipe:Ricotta Gnocchi with Spring Vegetables
This herbaceous plant-along with avocado, kale and Brussels sprouts-is a particularly rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.
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Can Improve Digestive Health
Dietary fiber is essential for good digestive health.
Just half a cup of asparagus contains 1.8 grams of fiber, which is 7% of your daily needs.
Studies suggest that a diet high in fiber-rich fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes (
24 ).
Eating asparagus as part of a fiber-rich diet is an excellent way to help meet your fiber needs and keep your digestive system healthy.
Summary As a good source of fiber, asparagus promotes regularity and digestive health and may help reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
How Can Diet Affect Bph
Similar to prostate cancer, BPH is a multifactorial disease. Many hormones and growth factors act in the prostate tissue to cause enlargement. But some epidemiologic studies have also identified dietary factors associated with BPH.
For example, a study in China showed that overeating animal proteins could increase the risk.
Another study from Japan showed that regular milk consumption has the same effect. Thats why a plant-based diet is recommended for preventing prostate enlargement and reducing the number of prostate cancer cells
According to other research, Asian men have a lower incidence of BPH. Such a lower incidence responds to a high-fiber diet compared to Western men . But why is diet so important?
The amount and proportion of nutrients we take influences the function of the body. Among many other things, they modulate hormone concentrations. They also modulate the role of the sympathetic nervous system, which acts directly in the urethra. Thats why changing your diet can improve your urinary tract symptoms if you have them .
In this article, we will discuss 3 foods that shrink prostate gland. The following foods, nutrients and diets are recommended to shrink the size of the prostate gland. You can always look for food sources or prostate supplements that include them in the list of ingredients.
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Include Fiber In Your Diet
Fiber is an important part of your diet because it:
- Helps regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.
- Provides a feeling of fullness.
- Helps with weight loss.
- Can lower the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Plant foods are the best sources of fiber. In addition to fruits and vegetables, eating a variety of whole grains, cereals, legumes , nuts, and seeds can provide the fiber you need.
Read your food labels carefully to find out if the foods you choose have whole grains. Food labels must have the word whole right before the name of the grain. For example, when choosing a wheat bread or pasta, the label must read whole wheat, not enriched wheat flour.
Here are some tips to get more fiber and whole grains in your diet:
- Eat foods such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, barley, whole oats, oatmeal, bran cereals, and popcorn.
- Try pancakes, muffins, or bread mixes made with whole-wheat or buckwheat flour.
- Choose a whole grain like barley and add a small amount of dried fruit or toasted nuts.
- Add beans to rice, pasta, salad, and soups.
- Choose fresh fruits and vegetables instead of juices.
Slowly increase how much fiber you eat and drink at least 8 glasses of liquids each day.
For more information on how to include fiber in your diet, read Food Sources of Fiber.
Asparagus And Tomato Penne Recipe For Prostate Health
Once you reach the age of 40, its time to keep track of your prostate health. One of the best ways to prevent prostate cancer is to have a healthy diet with prostate-friendly foods such as asparagus, bell peppers and tomatoes. Theyre rich in nutrients that lower your risk for prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia and other related diseases. If you want to take charge of your prostate health, try this penne with asparagus, bell pepper and tomato recipe.
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Sugar And Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar has not been proven to be a direct cause of cancer of the prostate or otherwise. But there are very solid arguments for leaving it out of your diet.
The link between excessive consumption of sugar and the onset of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes has long been established, and the health problems that these conditions cause can be ruinous for the individual involved.
Additionally, in 2009, the Huntsman Cancer Institute released findings that illustrated how cancerous tumor cells use sugar in much greater quantities than normal cells.
The findings seemed to confirm that extra sugar and sweeteners were best left alone for the maintenance of robust health.
Foods High In Curcumin
In this case, we are talking about a spice instead of a nutrient. Thus, we do not have a long list of foods that contain curcumin. The primary source is turmeric, but you can also find curcumin as a powder in the market. Its what gives mustard its yellow color, too.
However, since the daily dose is rather high compared to what we usually have, we recommend using a supplement instead. Other ways you can increase your intake of curcumin is through one of these daily hacks:
- Turmeric smoothie: They taste great if you add whey powder, almond milk, peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder.
- Turmeric salad dressing: Mix one tablespoon of turmeric powder with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and any other spices that go along with the taste.
- Curry sauce recipes: Its an Indian sauce you can find already made in the market or do it yourself with turmeric, margarine, peanut oil, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cilantro, chili peppers, and yogurt.
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Five Foods To Protect Your Prostate
Good news if youre worried about your prostate health: What you eat can make a difference. There is plenty of strong evidence that good nutrition and an active lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer and slow its progression, says Mitchell Sokoloff M.D., Chair of the Department of Urology and Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
There are a few categorical changes you can make to your diet that make a big difference in overall health, as well as prostate health. What you eat can potentially disadvantage your prostate health e.g. foods you might want to avoid or protect the prostate in various ways. The Science of Living Well, Beyond Cancer recommends a diet that is high in colorful vegetables, low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, and moderate in animal-based protein . Some might refer to this as a version of the Mediterranean Diet. PCF-funded epidemiologist Lorelei Mucci, M.P.H., Sc.D., at Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health notes that people in Mediterranean countries not only eat more vegetables and fruits they also eat less fatty foods, processed food, and red meat categories that can increase insulin resistance, increase inflammation, raise cardiovascular risk and be a part of a dietary pattern that may increase obesity, as well.
Can Help You Lose Weight
Currently, no studies have tested the effects of asparagus on weight loss.
However, it has a number of properties that could potentially help you lose weight.
First, its very low in calories, with only 20 calories in half a cup. This means you can eat a lot of asparagus without taking in a lot of calories.
Furthermore, its about 94% water. Research suggests that consuming low-calorie, water-rich foods is associated with weight loss (
31 ).
Potassium lowers blood pressure in two ways: by relaxing the walls of blood vessels and excreting excess salt through urine .
Asparagus is a good source of potassium, providing 6% of your daily requirement in a half-cup serving.
Whats more, research in rats with high blood pressure suggests that asparagus may have other blood pressure-lowering properties. In one study, rats were fed either a diet with 5% asparagus or a standard diet without asparagus.
After 10 weeks, the rats on the asparagus diet had 17% lower blood pressure than the rats on the standard diet .
Researchers believed this effect was due to an active compound in asparagus that causes blood vessels to dilate.
However, human studies are needed to determine whether this active compound has the same effect in humans.
In any case, eating more potassium-rich vegetables, such as asparagus, is a great way to help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
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Foods To Avoid: Red Meat
A juicy steak, a Sunday roast or some Italian meatballs are just a few popular dinner choices that make use of red meat however, if these are some of your favourites then I have some bad news – they won’t help the health of your prostate!
The problem with red meat is that it elevates levels of arachidonic acid in your body and this, in turn, increases inflammation – the very thing your enlarged prostate does not need! The more inflammation present in your body generally, the more likely you are to have inflammation in the prostate. Therefore, avoiding or limiting your intake of foods which trigger an inflammatory response is a good place to start when dealing with the problem.
The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives to red meat that won’t cause such issues including fish. Why not swap that Sunday roast for a tasty fish stew?
If this doesn’t take your fancy though, simply have a look at our Recipe Hub for some cooking inspiration. Our Healthy Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas is extremely popular, as is our Trout with Creamy Potato Salad.
When cooking from scratch, beans also make a good alternative to meat, plus they happen to be high in protein and fibre.