Low Histamine Asparagus with Garlic and Ginger Sauce (also Low Oxalate, Low Lectin)
This low histamine asparagus with garlic and ginger sauce is a great side dish to add to your collection of low histamine recipes.
The sauce turns the asparagus from ho-hum to yum!
Asparagus is often served with hollandaise sauce. It’s a rich, creamy sauce made from eggs, butter, citrus, and pepper.
But you may have some of those ingredients on hold for the moment if you are dealing with food intolerances like Histamine Intolerance or Lectin Intolerance, for example
So, we’ve come up with a different kind of sauce that complements asparagus equally well.
Our recipe uses garlic, ginger, cardamom, sesame oil, and macadamia nuts to liven up this vegetable side dish.
It’s easy to make. Perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday potlucks.
This recipe is:
- Low histamine
- Low oxalate
- Low lectin
- Dairy free
- Gluten free
- Vegetarian
Keep reading to learn:
- The difference between green and white asparagus
- Our tips for preparing asparagus
- How to make the recipe
Let’s start with the difference between white and green asparagus.
Low Histamine Asparagus: What’s the Difference Between White and Green Asparagus?
Before you change your diet on your own, please make sure you’re working with a healthcare practitioner who can help you with this. Never limit foods unnecessarily, and always have a licensed medical provider who is supervising your case.
Both green and white asparagus fit into the low histamine diet.
Where you live and the time of year may determine what’s available to you.
Asparagus is technically a spring vegetable. That means that asparagus is in season from about April through June here in the northern hemisphere.
The white asparagus season is also in the spring, but more limited. It will be more expensive than green asparagus since it’s more labor intensive to grow, and the season is shorter.
Green asparagus may be the only option available to you depending on the time of year.
The difference in white asparagus and green asparagus comes from how they are grown.
White asparagus grows underground without exposure to sunlight. That means white asparagus doesn’t develop chlorophyll. That’s the naturally occurring compound that makes plants green.
This chlorophyll content is part of what affects nutrient content.
But before we get into that, here’s more on the taste differences.
Taste of Green vs White Asparagus
Green asparagus is described by America’s Test Kitchen as vegetal, grassy, and slightly mineral.
Their trained tasters found white asparagus to have a more delicate, less pronounced flavor.
In this low histamine asparagus recipe, the sauce is bold. So, we’ve used green asparagus.
White asparagus has a delicate flavor that may be better savored with a simple sauce that lets the vegetable shine.
However, we think green asparagus holds its own with this flavorful garlic and ginger sauce.
Now, let’s get back to the nutritional differences.
Nutritional Value of Green vs White Asparagus
Both green asparagus and white asparagus are packed with nutrients.
But green asparagus has more:
- Protein
- Fiber
- Calcium
- Vitamin C
In some cases, almost double what its counterpart has!
Green asparagus is also higher in antioxidants, in part because it has chlorophyll.
Like you read earlier, chlorophyll gives green asparagus its color. Chlorophyll also boosts antioxidant concentration.
Since white asparagus lacks chlorophyll, it won’t have as high a concentration of antioxidants.
Antioxidants aid in the health of your cells.
Did You Know? Many green vegetables like asparagus have anti-inflammatory compounds like quercetin that can be helpful if you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?
Related Article: Health Benefits of Quercetin
Another difference between white asparagus and green asparagus is texture. This affects preparation.
Keep reading for tips on how to prepare both.
Tips for Preparing Low Histamine Asparagus
In this section you’ll read about how to prepare the asparagus as well as tips for using a steamer basket.
Let’s start with preparation tips.
Preparing Green Asparagus
Asparagus stalks can be tough in both white and green varieties.
Here are tips for removing the tough parts.
Since we used green asparagus in this recipe, let’s start there.
For green, start with one piece and snap off the toughest, bottom portion. That will leave you with the spears and the most tender part of the stalk.
Here’s a hack for you.
Take one piece and bend it near the bottom. It should have a natural breaking point and snap here. Discard the bottom portion (about 1 inch usually).
You don’t have to do this with each one though.
Use this one as a guide. Then line up the remaining spears alongside it and cut the rest at that same point. Much faster!
White asparagus is treated a little differently.
Preparing White Asparagus
White asparagus is thicker and more fibrous. Think woody stems.
You’ll start by snapping off the bottoms, just the same as with the green asparagus.
Additionally, you’ll use a peeler along the bottom two-thirds of the asparagus to shave it down.
There are lots of great videos online if you need a demo. Just search for something like “peeling white asparagus”.
How To Steam Asparagus Using a Steamer Basket
Steaming vegetables is easy. All you need is a large pot or pan with a lid and a steamer basket.
A bamboo steaming basket also works.
We haven’t yet experimented with the bamboo style. If you have tips, please share in the comments!
But when you are using a stainless-steel steamer basket like this one, here are some tips.
This one features a handle in the middle. It makes pulling the basket out much easier.
And it has silicone feet. This helps keep your pots and pans from getting scratched up.
You can steam almost any kind of low histamine vegetable using this same method.
Find more low histamine veggie choices on the low histamine foods list.
Here’s how to steam vegetables using this type of stainless-steel steamer basket.
Fill your pot with about ½ inch of water. Then add your empty steamer basket.
You’ll know you have the right amount of water if you put your steamer basket in and the water doesn’t seep through the holes.
Here’s why water levels are important when steaming veggies.
If your asparagus is in the water, you are essentially boiling your asparagus, not steaming it.
Steaming vegetables allows veggies to retain more nutrients.
Once you have the right amount of water, bring it to a boil.
Then add your asparagus to the steamer basket.
Cover the pot.
Steam until tender.
Our green asparagus was what we’d consider average thickness. We liked it best cooked until tender but still with some crunch and firmness.
This took about 3 minutes.
If you like your asparagus softer, or it’s thicker, add a little extra time.
Next, take a look at an ingredient we’re experimenting with for sauces. Organic apple juice.
Using Apple Juice in Sauces
You’ll often see high histamine ingredients in sauce recipes.
High histamine sauce ingredients include:
- Hoisin sauce
- Fish sauce
- Soy sauce
- Vinegar
- Citrus juice
But what can you use instead?
We do occasionally use lemon or lime juice in recipes. But only if it’s ½ teaspoon or less per serving.
Many do fine with this small amount. However, it isn’t always tolerated.
That’s one reason we started looking into other ingredients.
Plus, eliminating these liquid ingredients may result in not having enough sauce.
Sesame oil is a go-to substitution for us. But adding more oil isn’t always the best option. The taste can become overpowering.
Plus, the acid component (like citrus or vinegar) often creates a good balance in a recipe.
So, we thought we’d experiment with juice.
Apple juice doesn’t have the same tang as citrus or vinegar. But it does create depth of flavor. And adds some acidity.
Here are a couple things to know about using apple juice.
Apple Juice and Sugar Content
Typically, we don’t recommend drinking juice while on the low histamine diet.
Many people do fine with fruit. But fruit juice is more concentrated. So, it has more sugar content.
Sugars can increase histamine levels in your body when consumed. But in this recipe, we’ve only used ½ cup of juice. That comes to just 2 tablespoons per serving.
You could still get a decent amount of sauce from ¼ cup of juice. That would bring each serving down to 1 tablespoon.
If you aren’t sure how you do with fruit or fruit juice, you may try testing 1 teaspoon of juice. If tolerated, try 2 teaspoons. Then go from there.
Did You Know? You are less prone to sugar spikes when these natural sugars are consumed alongside dietary fiber. Asparagus is a good source of fiber.
Making Apple Juice
Most people won’t have a juicer, and that’s ok. We’ll talk about that in a minute.
If you do have a juicer and want to make your own apple juice, about 3 medium sized apples will yield about 1 cup of juice. For this recipe, you’ll need about 1 ½ apples to yield ½ cup of juice.
Just follow the instructions for your particular juicer.
Don’t have a juicer and still want to use fresh apples? No problem. Here’s our work around for you.
Use a food processor or blender.
Once you add the roughly chopped apples to the food processor or blender, add just a little bit of water. Just enough to help the blender along. Get them as smooth as possible.
Then add a little bit more filtered water at a time to thin out the consistency. Keep blending to combine.
Making “juice” this way won’t result in apple juice like what you’d drink as a beverage. It will still be a little thick and chunky. Somewhere between apple sauce and apple juice.
That’s ok. Using juice in this recipe is for added flavor. The juice also gives you enough liquid to toss the asparagus in.
Consistency isn’t vital. So don’t water it down too much.
Here’s one more option for you and what to know.
Choosing Prepared Apple Juice
Prepared apple juice will be a little higher histamine due to age, aka the time it’s spent on the shelf.
And like you read earlier, the higher concentrations of sugar in juice can raise histamine levels, too.
So, if you are still really sensitive, using a prepared juice for this recipe may not be the way to go just yet
However, you may do okay with the small amount you’ll consume as part of this recipe, depending on your tolerance.
Here’s a quick guide for you to help you choose a prepared juice to use in this low histamine recipe.
When choosing apple juice, here’s what to look for:
- Only ingredient is apple (apple juice, apple puree)
- Avoid added sugar
- Avoid additives and preservatives
- Avoid blends with other types of juice
- Choose organic
- Choose one in glass
Here’s one we like: Lakewood Organic Apple Juice
We know you’re going to love this easy and flavorful side dish!
Low Histamine Asparagus Goes Great With
- Low Histamine Beef: Pan Seared Filet Mignon Recipe – Low Oxalate, Low Lectin, with Low FODMAP option
- Low Histamine Salmon Recipe – Low Oxalate, Low Lectin, Low FODMAP, Low Salicylate
- Low Histamine Spring Roll Stir Fry – Low Oxalate, Low Lectin, Low FODMAP, Low Salicylate
Low Histamine Asparagus with Garlic and Ginger Sauce
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot with Lid
- Small Pot with Lid
- Steamer Basket
- Sharp Knife
- High Speed Blender (if you want to use fresh apples instead of store-bought apple juice) OR
- Juicer
Ingredients
- ½ cup Organic Apple Juice (OR about 1 ½ fresh apples)
- 1 teaspoon Organic Fresh Ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
- ⅛ teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Cardamom ground (about 2 pods)
- 1 pound Fresh Asparagus
- 2 Tablespoons Macadamia Nuts chopped
Instructions
- Add water to a pot and place steamer basket inside. Cover with a lid. Make sure water doesn’t seep through the basket. Bring water to a boil over high heat.
- While the water is coming to a boil, start making the sauce. If making your own juice, start by juicing your apples using either a juicer or the cheat method (using a blender or food processor and filtered water) you read about in the section above.
- Whisk together apple juice, minced ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, salt, and ground cardamom in a small bowl. Transfer to a small pot over low heat.
- When your water has come to a boil, add the asparagus to the steamer basket. Steam the asparagus until just tender. About 3 minutes.
- While asparagus is steaming, chop the mac nuts and set aside.
- Asparagus will be done when it is tender but still bright green. Transfer to a serving dish with sides (so the sauce doesn’t spill over*).
- Pour the warmed sauce over asparagus and toss. Top with chopped macadamia nuts and serve right away. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Did you enjoy the flavors of this low histamine asparagus with garlic and ginger sauce? If so, try the sauce on other veggies, too! Let us know your favorites!
More Low Histamine Side Dishes
- Low FODMAP Root Vegetable Mash – Low Oxalate, Low Lectin
- Roasted Cauliflower with Cherries and Pecans Recipe – Low Oxalate, Low Lectin, Low FODMAP,with Low Salicylate option
- Chinese Broccolini Recipe Inspired by Gai Lan Chinese Broccoli – Low Oxalate, Low Lectin, Low FODMAP
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References
O’Brien, E., et al. (2014). Bisphenol A at concentrations relevant to human exposure enhances histamine and cysteinyl leukotriene release from bone marrow-derived mast cells. Journal of Immunotoxicology, 11(1), 84–89.
FoodData Central. (n.d.). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168389/nutrients
FoodData Central. (n.d.). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2157461/nutrients
HappyForks. (n.d.). Recipe analyzer. https://happyforks.com/analyzer
Martins, T., Barros, et al. (2023). Enhancing health benefits through chlorophylls and chlorophyll-rich agro-food: A comprehensive review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 28(14), 5344. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145344
Pegiou, E., et al. (2019). Green and white asparagus (asparagus officinalis): A source of developmental, chemical and urinary intrigue. Metabolites, 10(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo10010017
Reynolds, A. N., Akerman, A. P., & Mann, J. (2020). Dietary fibre and whole grains in diabetes management: Systematic review and meta-analyses. PLoS medicine, 17(3), e1003053. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003053
Shaik, Y., et al. (2018). Impact of polyphenols on mast cells with special emphasis on the effect of quercetin and luteolin. Central-European Journal of Immunology, 43(4), 476–481. https://doi.org/10.5114/ceji.2018.81347
Ullah, A., et al. (2020). Important flavonoids and their role as a therapeutic agent. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(22), 5243. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225243
White Asparagus vs. Green | Cook’s Illustrated. (n.d.). https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos/5722-white-asparagus-vs-green
Am I going crazy? I can’t find any garlic in this garlic and ginger sauce.
Hi Andrea! The recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic. You’re not crazy we realized it accidentally got left off and the recipe has been updated!