This unexpectedly pale spear isn’t as strange as you think.
But what is white asparagus?
It has to do with the deliberate harvesting process where it’s grown without sunlight.
It’s sweeter and more tender than the green variety.
White asparagus stalks are picked before they peek through the soilthey never see the sun.
That rarity translates to premium prices, but to some people, those sweet stalks are worth it.
White Asparagus Nutrition
The nutritional value ofwhite asparagusis similar togreen asparagus.
Asparagusic acid is responsible for the odor.
Only asparagus (white and green) contain asparagusic acid.
When it goes through our digestive systems, it gets broken down into compounds that contain sulfur.
It’s the sulfur that stinks when it leaves the body.
However, according to a 2020 study published inMetabolites, only some people with particular genes can smell it.
Cooking White Asparagus
The delicately sweet spears demand kid-glove treatment in the kitchen too.
Lay spears flat on a cutting board and peel the bottom two-thirds of each spear with a vegetable peeler.
Boil in a large skillet filled with several inches of water until very tender, 10 to 20 minutes.
(Don’t leave them tender-crisp as you might with green asparagus.)
