Encouraging Health

Go ahead, celebrate this season’s delicate asparagus spears by digging into a big pile. Why? Your pancreas will thank you.

Seems that getting lots of folate — specifically from food, not so much from supplements — may help protect you from pancreatic cancer. And just half a cup of asparagus delivers 190 micrograms of the stuff, more than 25 percent of what you need.

Your Pancreas, and More
Folate is a member of the B-vitamin group, and it has long been touted as a heart helper. Some early research also links high folate intake to a lower risk of colon, breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. Pancreatic cancer prevention is just the newest member of the why-we-love-folate list. (Do you know what pancreatitis is? Read up on the symptoms.)

Food Is a Factor
Folate from both food and the stuff found in supplements (folic acid) helps your heart. But in a study, when it came to defending against pancreatic cancer, only food sources seemed to have an effect. Folate-rich foods aren’t hard to come by if you go for the green — as in artichokes, brussels sprouts, lima beans, avocados, soybeans, and broccoli. And of course, asparagus — which is in season in many U.S. markets. Trim away the woody ends of succulent stalks, and serve them up in one of these three ways:

Steam them, and then garnish with fresh tomato for a salad alternative.

Asparagus with Fresh Tomato Garnish

This quick raw “tomato sauce� makes a beautiful, elegant topping for asparagus spears. This is a great dish for entertaining because it will be just as delicious warm or room temperature.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 pound asparagus, steamed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, shallot, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Serve the asparagus topped with the tomato garnish.

Snip them into 1-inch pieces to make this creamy-yet-creamless Asparagus Soup

Ingredients
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1 yellow-fleshed potato, such as Yukon Gold (6 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried savory, or marjoram leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 ounces asparagus, woody ends removed, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Place broth, water, potato, shallot, garlic, thyme, savory (or marjoram) and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potato is tender, about 8 minutes. Add asparagus, return to a simmer, and cook, covered, until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more.
2. Meanwhile, cook prosciutto in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour the soup into a large blender or food processor (see Tip); puree until smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary. Season with pepper. Serve topped with the crisped prosciutto.

Chop and boil them briefly, and then use the chunks to fill an omelet. One of my favorite breakfasts (or any meal) is Asparagus and Eggs!

For more information, browse Encouraging Health.