Is there anyone here who
cannot smell a difference? I have a friend who had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the phenomenon - he did a bit of research and found out that some of the population can smell the difference and some cannot.
Here's some more info on this fascinating topic...
Quote:
Asparagus is filled with sulfur-containing amino acids that break down during digestion into six sulfur-containing compounds. These can impart a unique smell to urine as they are excreted. "It's the same sulfur group that makes skunks smell," said Barbara Hodges, a dietician with Boston University's nutrition clinic, the Evans Nutrition Group.
Scientists remain divided on why people have different urinary responses to eating asparagus. One camp thinks only about half of the population have a gene enabling us to break down the sulfurous amino acids in asparagus into their smellier components. Others think that everyone digests asparagus the same way, but only about half of us have a gene that enables us to smell the specific compounds formed in the digestion of asparagus.
"There's something of a dispute," said Dr. David Stollar, chairman of biochemistry at Tufts University Medical School.
The unusual smells are nothing to worry about, though. According to the Dictionary of Medical Syndromes, which includes an entry on the urinary excretion of odoriferous components of asparagus: "The syndrome does not have any pathological significance."
Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies. It's crunchy, juicy, easy to cook, and has great flavors. What's not to like? So, I've got insomnia, and since my semester is over for me, I'm indulging in all the late-night TV shows. I'm watching a show about some Asparagus Festival in Stockton, CA. The host guy says that the bigger the asparagus, the more tender it is--while holding up one about 1" in diameter (I can't ever find something that big locally). In any case, my experience says that the bigger the asparagus is, the older it is. Thus, it's more likely that the skin be stringy and chewy. What say ye? Feel free to share your favorite asparagus recipes too. Mine is very simple: asparagus lightly tossed in olive oil, lots of garlic, sea salt, and pepper. On the show tonight they showed some asparagus dipped in batter and deep fried. Yumm! I'll definitely do this soon.
