Asparagus growing

Asparagus cures hangover and preserves liver

What can we do in case of hangover? We can drink a lot of water, take a rest, but we can also eat asparagus. A new study shows that amino acids and minerals in the extract of asparagus may relieve drowsiness and protect liver cells from toxins in alcohol. Extracts taken from the leaves and shoots of asparagus have been analyzed in the laboratory at the Institute of Medical Sciences at the South Korean National University. The research has shown how asparagus affects on human and rats liver cells.

“The analysis has shown a significant reduction of cell toxicity after treatment of extract from the leaves and shoots of asparagus”, confirmed the principal investigator B.Y. Kim and added: “These results provide evidence of how the biological function of asparagus can help reduce alcohol hangover and protect liver cells.”

Over time, chronic alcohol abuse causes oxidative stress that leads to liver damage, and excessive absorption of alcohol can result with headache, nausea, diarrhea and thirst.

Asparagus has long been used to fight cancer, fungal diseases, inflammation, and is also known by diuretic effect. It is also a good source of folic acid, potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C and thiamine.

Technorati Tags: asparagus, hangover

Ingredients for 4 people:

1 kg (35, 3 ounces) of white asparagus
1 spoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

Mustard and onion sauce:

200 g (7, 1 ounces) of shallot (onion)
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
pinch of sugar
1, 5 dl (5,1 fluid ounces) vegetable clear soup
pinch of saffron
1 spoon of mustard
salt

Preparation and serving:

Peel the white asparagus and cut off the woody ends. Tie them and boil in salted water for about 15 minutes, take them out and drain well. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce of onion. Cut shallot into rings and stew on sunflower oil. Sprinkle onion with a little sugar and stew until it fades. Pour everything with vegetable base soup, add saffron and leave it to cook slowly for about 15 minutes. Then add the mustard sauce and adjust flavor by adding salt. Sauce is ready.

Fry drained and cooked asparagus shortly in olive oil, sprinkle with sesame and fry until sesame receives golden color. Serve on a hot plate with the prepared sauce, onion and salted potatoes or as a side dish with meat. Water in which asparagus were cooked can use as a base of aromatic soup. If leftovers are cooked in it for the next 15 minutes it is rather stronger. Leftovers, of course, must be cleaned.

Technorati Tags: asparagus, asparagus recepies, sesame, white asparagus