The asparagus industry is touting the summer vegetable as a new 'superfood', suggesting it could also be the 'viagra of vegetables'.
The annual asparagus harvest is underway and growers are predicting a bumper 2019 season.
- Robotic harvester gets thumbs up from asparagus industry
- Asparagus on a roll as harvesting continues
There are around 40 asparagus growers throughout the country, mainly in Waikato, Canterbury, South West North Island and Hawke's Bay.
Chair of the NZ Asparagus Council, Mike Arnold said asparagus was a firm favourite among New Zealanders.
"Fresh New Zealand asparagus is in high demand with about 95 percent sold to the local market and the remainder exported to international markets such as Japan and Singapore," he said.
While the asparagus harvest is seen as a signal of warmer days to come, the vegetable also had a long reputation as a health powerhouse.
Those health benefits are being promoted by the industry.
"Cultivated by early civilisations, asparagus was a favourite of Julius Caesar among many others, famed not only for its flavour but also its rumoured health benefits, particularly as an aphrodisiac," said Arnold.
In a statement, chairperson of the 5+ A Day Charitable Trust, David Smith said while modern science hadn't proven whether asparagus was indeed the 'viagra of vegetables', contemporary studies pointed to a much broader array of dietary benefits.
"Asparagus is a great source of dietary fibre and folate, a source of a range of vitamins such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamins B6, C and K, and it contains a significant amount of potassium," he said.
Fresh asparagus is available from September to December.
Newshub.
