Does asparagus contain cancer preventing vitamins?

A diet high in a variety of different vegetables helps reduce your cancer risk. Like many vegetables, asparagus has lots of different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. When present in whole foods in the diet, these can help reduce cancer risk.

Asparagus is a good source of folate. Research shows foods high in folate are likely to help protect against pancreatic cancer and there is some evidence that foods containing folate decrease the risk of cancer of the oesophagus and bowel. Asparagus is also a source of fibre and there is evidence that foods containing dietary fibre, particularly when relatively unprocessed, help protect against bowel cancer. Asparagus is low in kilojoules, like most other vegetables.

Eating at least five serves of vegetables a day helps avoid excess weight gain, which is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of several common cancers. So include a variety of vegetables in your diet, including asparagus if you like!