How Long Does Asparagus Last? Does It Go Bad?

We all like to enjoy asparagus as they are highly delicious and nutritious.

But what if you find asparagus lying in your fridge for a few days? You will think about whether can you have it or not.

Does asparagus go bad or they are okay to eat even after days?

These contain calories, fiber, carbs, and a lot more which makes them nutritious for your body.

Some people eat them in form of snacks or some keep them as a side dish in their main course.

Besides the way of eating, it can offer you numerous health benefits.

What is Asparagus?

It is a green vegetable that has a long cylindrical structure with pointed sides.

These are also called springtime vegetables.

At first, these used to be found only in California, Michigan, and Washington State but now you can have them all around the world.

Because of this now you can have them in various different varieties.

One can eat them steamed, roasted, grilled, boiled or in any other way to absorb their nutrients.

Cancer patients should eat this as it contains vitamin C and folate which can help them to prevent cancer.

It also has vitamin A which is essential for vision, reproduction, the immune system, and even for bone growth.

But to attain the benefits of asparagus you need to keep them until you eat them.

However it is not as easy as being a vegetable asparagus does not have a long life.

How Long Does Asparagus Last? Does Asparagus Go Bad?

There are different variations of asparagus and they all have a distinct shelf life.

All the asparagus needs a certain temperature that is not too cold or warm.

Therefore you must know which temperature is suitable for which types.

People who have raw asparagus must not leave it in the kitchen because in warm temperatures it will go bad very soon.

Thus keeping it in the fridge will increase its life from 3 to 5 days.

However, you can also use a wet paper towel to cover it before placing the vegetable in the fridge.

This will provide moisture and not let the asparagus dry quickly and extend its life for 5 to 10 days.

The vegetable will only go bad if it gets dry that is why while keeping in the fridge you can add them to a jar with water.

You can make the asparagus good for 10 to 14 days.

Keeping them in the freezer is not advisable as they will get worse in no time.

A freezer should only be used if the asparagus is blanched so that you can enjoy it for more than a year.

Blanched asparagus needs a lower temperature to survive longer so you should avoid keeping it in the fridge or in the pantry.

How to Tell if Asparagus Has Gone Bad?

• Color .

When you are looking for signs that can help you understand that is it good or not.

Then change in color is a major factor.

It is a bright green vegetable when it’s fresh but once the color tends to become green then you must avoid eating.

• Smell.

There is no way of getting an odd smell if the asparagus is fresh.

But as some time passes it will develop an odor that is an indication of decreasing quality.

If you are keeping the vegetable in the pantry and you can sense a foul smell then quickly store it in the fridge to slow the process of rotting.

• Texture.

The stem of asparagus is firm which is a good characteristic that you can look for while buying fresh asparagus.

When you touch after some time and there is no firmness, surely the vegetable has gone bad and you need to throw it out.

The strong tips will become slimy and softer than before then be sure that they are bad.

• Mold .

You can see that is there any mold or spot on the vegetable.

These spots can be of bacteria or fungus thus it is important that you check them.

If you find any of the spots then better for you is to not consume that asparagus.

How to Store Asparagus?

• Fridge.

One can increase the longevity of their vegetables through good storage.

The flavor of the vegetable can be preserved for a long time if you can offer them a cool temperature.

Some people buy vegetables and leave them on their kitchen shelves which will make your vegetable go bad within a couple of days.

Therefore you should always keep it in the fridge to avoid any rotting.

• Wrapping Method.

When you are sure that the rotting process begins then you can use the wrapping method to save it for a longer time.

They need moisture to be good and as they are kept in the fridge they do not get enough water.

Thus either you can wrap them in a wet towel or can even dip them in a jar with water.

Conclusion

When it becomes bad then you will not only lose all its nutritional value but also you can face many side effects.

One gets allergies or stomach-related diseases if one eats a large amount of bad asparagus.

You can have them raw but cooked meals can give you more health benefits as cooking releases more antioxidants.

While purchasing and having them be sure to look for signs that can help you identify that they have gone.

By using the above-mentioned storing techniques you can make your asparagus for a longer period of time.