Yes, these unique spears of green (and occasionally white and purple) are terrific sources of vitamin C, K, and folate. They also boast a well-rounded mineral profile, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and trace mineral manganese.

You can think of asparagus as eye food because it offers an impressive bouquet of carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These powerful free-radical scavengers prevent macular degeneration, keeping your vision sharp into old age.

The lutein in asparagus and a phenol called ferulic acid give asparagus a pronounced benefit for people with arthritis. Both of these compounds inhibit the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme that initiates inflammation.

If all of that weren’t enough, asparagus is high in inulin, providing an excellent food source for beneficial gut bacteria. That’s right- this high-protein multivitamin is also a powerful prebiotic.

You might have heard that asparagus makes some people’s pee smell funny, but not others. This is because the liver converts asparagusic acid, found in asparagus, to sulphurous compounds that cause a distinct odour. This process occurs in everyone, but due to genetic variations, roughly 50-60 per cent of people cannot smell it!