All about Asparagus

We love asparagus season here at The Veg Round, so we’ve decided to celebrate by sharing everything you need to know about this spring delight. 
Asparagus season is considered to run from St George’s Day, 23rd April to 21st June the Summer Solstice. It’s so short because Asparagus grows very quickly, some sources say up to 10cm in a single day. This means they soon run out of energy and need plenty of time to restock for the following year. As a result, Asparagus growers stop cutting spears on midsummers day. 
Asparagus is typically green as we all know, but did you know it comes in white and also purple colours. White asparagus occurs when it’s grown in the dark, and the chlorophyll isn’t activated which is what normally causes the green colour. White asparagus is more commonly grown in Europe, and Germans eat more white asparagus than green asparagus. Purple Asparagus is the sweetest of all the varieties, with 20% more sugar and less fibre in it. Despite this, purple asparagus has the best antioxidant properties helping to reduce inflammation and even fight cancer. In general though, asparagus is very good for you, being rich in fibre, potassium and antioxidants which help with digestion and heart health.
A couple more fun facts for you, if you were wondering how long we’ve been cultivating asparagus (you probably weren’t but anyway), nearly 2,500 years is the answer. Asparagus can be in the ground for 2-3 years before being harvested, and asparagus plants can last up to 30 years.