5 Side Effects On Your Health That Asparagus Has

Asparagus (Asparagus Officinalis) is a spring vegetable which belongs to Asparagaceae family. It is native to Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia, and is a widely cultivated crop. They are available in many varieties but the common one is white asparagus, green asparagus, and purple asparagus. They are considered as a superfood because of the number of nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, etc present in them.

Eating asparagus on a regular basis has been found to be very beneficial for us and provides a number of health benefits, and as well as beauty benefits for our skin and hair. However, it should be remembered that too much of everything is bad, and the same is true for asparagus. In this article, we will know about the major side effects of eating too many asparaguses, but first, let’s take a look at the below-mentioned nutrition chart of asparagus.

# May Cause Dry Mouth And Dehydration

Asparagus is diuretic in nature which means it increases the frequency of urination in our body and allows our body to get rid of toxins and other impurities in a better way. However, it should be noted that along with the toxins, our body loses a lot of water during this process. Losing too much water can increases the risk of dehydration, which can give rise to various symptoms, and one of them is the Dry mouth.

Some other symptoms of dehydration are rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, sunken eyes, very dry skin, feeling sleepy, etc. Water plays an important role in keeping us healthy. Our body is made up of about 70 percent water, and as well as our vital organs like lungs, kidneys, and brain are also made up of 83, 79 and 71 percent water respectively. Lack of water in our body can give rise to dehydration, which may affect the optimal functioning of these vital organs.For this reason, it is advisable to eat asparagus and other diuretic food in moderation.

# Too Much Dietary Fiber Is Bad For Stomach

Consuming asparagus on a regular and moderate basis has been found to be very beneficial for our stomach and keeps our digestive system healthy. This benefit of asparagus is mainly due to the presence of dietary fibers in them.The dietary fibers present in the asparagus acts as a natural laxative, improves bowel movement and ensures smooth elimination of stool from our system. This helps in providing relief from constipation and other digestive problems like abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, etc.

Although dietary fiber is good for our stomach, it is better to eat asparagus in moderation. This is because having too much dietary fiber in our system can do more harm than the good. It has been found that excess of dietary fibers can give rise to problems like abdominal pain, malabsorption, intestinal gas, intestinal blockage, etc.Dietary fibers absorb a lot of water from our system, and if you are taking too many dietary fibers and not drinking enough water, then it may also affect the digestion and may hinder the absorption of nutrients. Lack of water can also harden the stools, giving rise to problems like constipation, abdominal pain, cramps, etc.

# Foul Smelling Stools

Asparagus is a rich source of many antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E and other antioxidantal compounds that provide a number of benefits. These antioxidants fight with the free radicals in our body stabilizes them and prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells.

By protecting our cells from the oxidative damage, antioxidants provides a number of benefits such as reduces the risk of several types of cancers, eliminates toxins from our system, keeps signs of premature aging like fine lines, wrinkles etc. at bay, improves cardiovascular health, strengthens the immune system, improves skin health etc.

Along with this, asparagus is also a good source of sulforaphane, a naturally occurring antioxidant that provides a number of benefits. As the name suggests, this antioxidant is a rich in mineral sulfur, a compound that is known for its characteristic pungent smell. It has been found that eating food rich in sulfur like asparagus can give a foul smell to your stool.

# Smelly Urine

Another smelly side effect of asparagus reflects at the time of urination. It has been found that some people notice a pungent smell in their urine within 15 to 20 minutes of eating asparagus. This foul smell is due to the presence of a specific sulfur-rich amino acid derivative of methionine, which our body produces during the breakdown of asparagus.

An interesting point to note that is not everyone can notice the pungent smell caused by the asparagus in their urine. Although researchers are yet to find out the exact reason for this, as per current findings genetic factors play an important role in determining whether or not you can smell asparagus odor in your urine.

# Not Suitable For Individuals With Edema Conditions

Asparagus is a good source of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, dietary fibers, etc. that provides a number of health and beauty benefits.

The antioxidants present in the asparagus not only protects our cells from the oxidative damage but also provides a number of other benefits like eliminates toxins, improves cardiovascular health, strengthens immunity, manages cholesterol level and so on.

Vitamin C present in it is anti-inflammatory in nature which means it is very effective for providing relief from inflammatory problems like gouts, arthritis, rheumatism, etc. However, the anti-inflammatory nature of asparagus is not suitable for edema condition ( swelling of the body part caused by the injury or inflammation. It mainly happens when blood vessels leak fluid into the nearby tissues).