Some similarities to : Wild Asparagus but that is low and prostrate and is bluish green whereas (Garden) Asparagus is tall, upright and green.

Slight resemblance to : Fennel in that the leaves are finely divided, but the flowers are totally different.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

No relation to : Bath Asparagus which is Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem, a member of the Lily Family.

Not to be confused with: Sea Arrow-grass nor with Marsh Arrow-grass nor with 'Poor Man's Asparagus' which are different plants altogether.

Asparagus, or Garden Asparagus has long been known by what some now regard as a nick-name, but in the past (as long as three Centuries ago or more) was used frequently, that word being 'Sparrowgrass'. When grown as a vegetable it is allowed to grow high with many feathery leaves but in autumn is cut down to a finger-length stub. In the second year the sparrowgrass spears are harvested when they are no higher than 6 inches, cutting them off 2 inches below soil level.

Several of the 300 species of Asparagus are used as house plants, where they may be better known to gardeners as Asparagus Fern. Asparagus is dioecious, meaning it has male and female flowers on separate plants.

When eaten, sparrowgrass makes the urine of people smell within just 20 minutes of consumption, although not everyone can smell it. Sparrowgrass synthesises a sulphurous compound called Asparagusic Acid and its corresponding dithiol, dihydroasparagusic acid, which are both unique to Asparagus. When consumed, an enzyme breaks the compounds down into odorous compounds excreted in the urine. These malodorous compounds all contain sulphur and include Methanethiol, Dimethyl Sulphide, Dimethyl Disulphide, Bis(methylthio)methane, Dimethylsulphoxide and Methyl sulfonyl methane (Dimethyl Sulfone).

Asparagusic Acid and the double-thiol derivative Dihydro-Asparagusic Acid (or dimercaptoisobutyric acid) is uniquely present only in Asparagus. It is synthesized within Asparagus from Isobutyric Acid which is present in many plants. But obviously, a source of sulphur is also required, which may come from one of the two sulphur-containing amino acids, Cysteine or Methionine.

CHEMICALS INVOLVED in the SMELL OF URINE (after consumption of Asparagus) The above two compounds are the main malodorous factors of urine after ingestion of asparagus. Methanethiol, a gas better known as methyl mercaptan CH3SH, has the malodorous smell of rotting cabbage which is also present in bad breath, some cheeses and, marsh gas and natural gas. It is created in the decay of organic matter. Bacteria can convert methanethiol into dimethyl sulphide. Methanethiol is a weak acid, and in the marine environment may be responsible for the dissolution of some metals, mercury being an obvious candidate. At high concentrations it is neurotoxic, concentration should be kept below 10ppm. The odour threshold is 0.002ppm which provides adequate warning. Dimethyl sulphide (DMS) (CH3)2S, as well as dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO (CH3)2S:O, depicted below) are emitted into the atmosphere by phytoplankton in the oceans. DMS also smells of rotting cabbage, but has a higher odour threshold of about 0.05ppm. DMS contributes to the flavour of cabbage, asparagus and seafoods when cooked, and is added as a flavouring to food. DMS is the most abundant biological sulphur containing compound in the atmosphere where it oxidizes into DMSO, sulphur dioxide and eventually into sulphuric acid. High in the atmosphere these sulphates act as condensation nuclei for cloud formation. Thereafter, when it falls to Earth it is responsible for acid rain. Burning sulphur containing substances like coal contributes more acid rain. DMS is present in most wines (as a desirably characteristic if below a certain concentration and as an off-flavour if high) and it also emanates from cooked cabbage, asparagus and truffles. The following six compounds contribute less to the smell Dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) is found in plants belonging to the Cabbage Family and in crude oil. It is one of 36 identified compounds in the malodorous smell emitted from sewage works. Bis(methylthio)methane (aka bis(methylmercapto)methane, 2,4-dithiapentane, and truffle sulphide) is an important contributor to the flavour of truffles, and is added as the primary ingredient (besides olive oil) to synthetically produced and so called 'truffle oil'. However, the taste of truffles is multi-dimensional and caused by several chemicals not present in the cheap synthetic 'truffle oils'. These last two do not smell, but are non-the-less identified compounds in the urine of people who have consumed asparagus in the last 20 minutes. Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) was recently made famous by Sir James Lovelock with his Gaia hypothesis where it was discovered that it is being produced and released into the atmosphere (detailed above) as a result of the action of trillions of minute marine organisms. Before that it was once hailed as a wonder super-drug in the 1970's until it fell into disrepute shortly afterwards. It is still used medicinally, applied externally as an analgesic, It is an excellent solvent for many kinds of chemicals, and is used as a paint-stripper. It is readily absorbed through the skin, and thus one medical use is to take other drugs into the body when applied topically, but it can also transport other unwanted deadly poisonous solutes into the body by this mechanism; extreme care needs to be taken in the laboratory. Absorbed through the skin or taken internally it causes a taste sensation in the mouth like those of fish, onion, garlic or oyster, possibly shortly afterwards accompanied by visual disturbances, sensitivity to light, headache and skin irritation. It is probably neurotoxic to the young developing brain at doses as low as 0.3ml/kg body weight, so special caution should be exercised! MSM, or Methylsulfonyl methane (aka methyl sulfone and dimethyl sulfone) occurs naturally in many primitive plants and is present in smaller amounts in food. It is marketed in health shops as a drug to reduce the effects of arthritis in the knee, although efficacy in this treatment is unknown and possibly doubtful.

It also contains several furostanol and spirostanol glycosides, amongst which are Sitosterol and Stigmasterol and their glycosides. A spiro-furostanol saponin called sarsapogenin is present which exhibits spermicidal activity. Altogether, about twelve spirostanols are known to occur in Asparagus, and which exist throughout the plant.

L-Asparagine (Aspartic Acid) is one of the 20 common (22 now) naturally occurring, but non-essential, amino acids and the first to be discovered, and it was discovered in Asparagus in 1806. As an amino acid, it constitutes part of the backbone of some proteins. Reactions between asparagine and reducing sugars are responsible for the un-wanted creation of toxic acrylamides during the high temperature cooking of food, as occurs when baking, grilling or toasting starch-containing foodstuffs. Acrylamides are thus present in bread, chips, crisps, baked potatoes and other baked products probably including fried rice. Acrylamide does not occur naturally in asparagus.

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