Vegetables and everything else
Asparagus on a GLP-1: protein, portions and how to actually eat it
About 2.4 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz), cooked, for around 22 calories. Six spears, about 100 g (3.5 oz), give roughly 2 g of protein for 22 calories.
How asparagus sits on a GLP-1
Asparagus is about 2.4 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz) and very light, with almost nothing in it but water, fibre and folate. On a GLP-1 that lightness is the point: six spears take up almost no room and sit easily, which is more than can be said for broccoli or sprouts. The woody ends need snapping off, and the spears are best cooked soft enough to cut with a fork rather than served with a snap.
When your appetite is small
Wrap it. A spear of steamed asparagus wrapped in a slice of prosciutto is the kind of first mouthful that gets a stalled meal started, and three of them is about 9 g of protein. Alternatively, chop six spears into a two egg omelette with a little goat's cheese for a light, soft plate of about 18 g.
Three ways to prepare it
Steamed and wrapped in prosciutto
Four minutes in a steamer, then one slice of prosciutto around each spear. Salt, softness and a start to the meal.
Chopped into an omelette with goat's cheese
Spears cut into short lengths, softened in butter, then two eggs and a crumble of cheese. About 18 g in a small pan.
Roasted with parmesan and a soft egg on top
Ten minutes at 200C, about 390F, parmesan grated over, a soft boiled egg broken on top. A light plate of about 12 g.
What to eat it with
Eggs, prosciutto, parmesan, butter, lemon, hollandaise, smoked salmon. Asparagus is a light vegetable that suits rich protein, and the protein is what makes it a meal.
How it compares
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | about 2.4 g | 22 kcal | this page |
| Broccoli | about 2.8 g | 35 kcal | See the page |
| Prosciutto | about 27 g | 250 kcal | See the page |
| Eggs | about 13 g | 150 kcal | See the page |
All figures are typical values for the food as eaten, cooked, not laboratory figures for a particular brand.
Australian, US and UK names
Asparagus in all three countries, green being standard; white asparagus is more common in Europe and thicker, and tinned or jarred asparagus is soft enough to need no cooking at all. Australian and UK asparagus are spring vegetables, US supply is year round.
Questions people ask
Does asparagus have protein?
A little: about 2.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz), so six spears give about 2 g. It is light and easy on a slow stomach, and it becomes useful once it is wrapped in prosciutto or folded into eggs, where the protein is.
Your number comes first
Knowing what is in a food only helps once you know how much you are aiming for. The target is 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of your goal weight, not your current weight, which for most people is 90 to 140 g a day.
Work out your protein targetMore on eating well when your appetite is small: high protein foods for a small appetite, how much protein on a GLP-1, and every food we have written up. The whole system in five documents is the Keep Muscle Kit, A$47 / US$29 / £23.
EverStrong provides nutrition and strength coaching and education. It is not medical advice and does not replace your prescribing doctor.