myFM: Asparagusic and Dandelions

by Lianne Phillipson May 19, 2021

myFM: Asparagusic and Dandelions

First off, this week I got a great listener question from a very curious 8 year old.

From Delaney: I know it's a weird one but my son wanted me to ask. Why does asparagus make our pee smell funny???

Such a great question! Asparagusic (asp-ar-a-ga-sick) acid is a sulfur containing compound that makes the smell - but not in everyone. If you have the enzyme to break down the acid, your pee won’t smell. If you don’t, it will. 

Another interesting situation with a particular food and a polarizing experience is cilantro - the fact that it tastes like soap is genetic. You can get past it though, I’ve had many clients do that and love it now!

Next, I wanted to take a moment to highlight an overlooked nutritional superstar - dandelions!

Well, this innocuous “weed” is actually one of the most nutrient-dense plants. It blows superfoods like spinach and kale out of the water! It’s the real deal because you can eat the flower all the way down to the roots - the whole plant is edible.

Dandelion tea can be made like ginger tea by putting the root in hot water. The taste of dandelion is slightly bitter like arugula. You can eat them fresh in salads, but I wilt them in a frying pan and eat with an egg or on top of rice with a side of salmon.

Nutrients: One half cup of dandelions contain more calcium than a glass of milk and more iron than spinach. One cup of dandelion greens contains 19 mg of Vitamin C, and the leaves contain more Vitamin A than carrots. And if you need some Vitamin K1 in your life, there’s no better source than dandelion leaves - 55 mg of leaves contain a whopping 535% of your daily value.

Best harvested in the spring, so go for it now!

Listen to the segment


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