Asparagus (Nandi asparagus shoots): benefits, effects, dietary contraindications and seed treatment methods

Asparagus, also known as Nandi asparagus shoots, Di asparagus shoots, or lu sun. It is a delicious and tasty dish. It is mainly distributed in China, Germany, France, Spain, the United States and Japan. So what are the benefits, effects and dietary contraindications of asparagus? How should asparagus seeds be treated? And what points should be noted when treating asparagus seeds? Let us find out together.

I. Benefits and effects of asparagus

1. Eating asparagus can fight cancer

The health benefits of asparagus are very distinctive, especially its anti-cancer effect, which is highly commendable. This is mainly because asparagus is rich in selenium, the king of anti-cancer elements, which blocks the division and growth of cancer cells, inhibits the activity of carcinogens and speeds up detoxification, and can even cause cancer cells to reverse, stimulate the body's immune function, promote the formation of antibodies and improve resistance to cancer; combined with the strengthening effect of the folate and nucleic acids it contains, it can effectively control the growth of cancer cells, so eating a moderate amount of asparagus regularly is very beneficial to your health.

2. Eating asparagus can clear heat and promote urination

If you are prone to internal heat or suffer from high blood pressure, asparagus is also very suitable to eat regularly, because asparagus has the effect of clearing heat and promoting urination, and appropriate consumption by such patients can effectively improve their condition.

3. Eating asparagus can promote fetal brain development

Asparagus is very rich in folate, so it is very suitable for pregnant women to eat, as it not only supplements folate but also helps the baby's brain development.

4. Eating asparagus can improve immunity

What should you do if your immunity is poor? Eating asparagus to boost immunity is a good choice. It not only improves immunity but also relieves fatigue, lowers blood pressure, improves cardiovascular function and increases appetite.

5. Eating asparagus can lower blood lipids and aid weight loss

Asparagus is also quite effective for lowering blood lipids and aiding weight loss. Asparagus is a low-sugar, low-fat, high-fiber food. It is also rich in trace elements; although its protein content is not high, its amino acid composition ratio is appropriate, and eating it for weight loss has the effect of lowering blood lipids and promoting weight loss.

II. Dietary contraindications for asparagus

1. People with gout should not eat much asparagus, mainly because asparagus contains a small amount of purines.

2. People with cold-deficient spleen and stomach should not eat asparagus, and people with diabetes should also not eat asparagus, because asparagus is a cooling food.

3. If you have an allergic constitution and have an allergic reaction after eating asparagus, then you must avoid eating it, otherwise it will lead to adverse conditions.

III. Pre-planting treatment methods for asparagus seeds

First, place the dry seeds in hot water at 55-58 degrees Celsius to soak, killing germs inside and outside the seeds. When soaking, after the seeds are put into the hot water, the water temperature should be kept at 54-56 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, and the seeds should be stirred at regular intervals; when the temperature drops to 54 degrees Celsius, promptly add hot water above 70 degrees Celsius to raise it to 56 degrees Celsius. After soaking for 20 minutes, immediately pour out the hot water, add cold water at about 25 degrees Celsius to cool it down, then rub and wash the seeds with your hands for 10-15 seconds, and then replace with clean water to soak the seeds.

The amount of water for soaking asparagus seeds should be more than 5 cm above the seeds, and the clean water should be changed once each morning and evening. Each time the water is changed, rub and wash the seeds with your hands to rub off the sticky substance on the seed surface, with the rubbing force becoming lighter each time.

After soaking for 72 hours at room temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius, drain off the water, place them in a clean basin or dish, cover with a wet cloth, and keep at 25-28 degrees Celsius to germinate for 24 hours, and then they can be sown. At this point, a small number of seeds can be seen to have broken open and shown white. Some reports say to germinate for 48 hours or a little longer, and sow after the seeds have grown radicles. Doing so makes it easy to damage the radicles during actual operation.

IV. Reasons why asparagus seeds need treatment

As long as the soaking time is sufficient and the water temperature is kept at 20-25 degrees Celsius during soaking, after 3 days of soaking, seedlings will begin to emerge about 10 days after sowing. Some people worry that soaking seeds in hot water at 55 degrees Celsius will affect seed germination. The results of comparative trials show that seeds treated with hot water at 55 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes can increase the germination rate and germination vigor of the seeds, and can effectively kill the germs carried by the seeds, and are an effective measure to prevent stem blight and other diseases spread through seeds.

V. Points to note when treating asparagus seeds

1. The water temperature for the soaking treatment must be accurately controlled; the rough method of mixing three parts boiling water with one part cold water must not be used to replace measurement with a thermometer. The water temperature before the seeds are put in is required to reach 57-58 degrees Celsius, and after the seeds are put in it can drop to about 55 degrees Celsius.

2. The duration of soaking at 54-56 degrees Celsius must not be less than 20 minutes.

3. After the soaking treatment is finished, immediately pour out the hot water and add cold water to cool it down. If there is no thermometer to measure the water temperature or the relevant conditions are lacking and hot-water seed soaking cannot be carried out, you can first soak in cold water for 48 hours, then switch to a 1:500 dilution of 50% carbendazim aqueous solution and soak for 24 hours. During soaking, the liquid must be 2-3 cm above the seeds; after soaking is finished, drain off the liquid and sow. To avoid seeds sticking to fingers or clumping together due to moisture during spot sowing, a small amount of dry fine soil or coal ash can be used to mix with the seeds to absorb surface moisture and keep the seeds separate.