Buzz
Asparagus season arrives in spring, bringing with it a rare variety of the vegetable. If you visit a farmers market, you may notice pale, ivory-colored asparagus stalks mixed with the familiar green ones. Although their tastes and appearances differ, both white and green asparagus are derived from the same plant species, but at different stages of growth.
As explained by Taste of Home, white asparagus is essentially asparagus that has been shielded from sunlight. The young stalks grow underground, which prevents them from developing color. They only begin to turn green when they break through the surface and are exposed to sunlight, triggering chlorophyll production.
Farmers can keep asparagus white indefinitely by preventing sunlight exposure. The white asparagus available to consumers is either cultivated in darkness or harvested before it emerges from the soil. In contrast, green asparagus is exposed to the open air and sunlight as it grows.
Now that you understand how white asparagus is grown, you may wonder why it's so special. Once you peel away the tougher outer layer, the white variety is more delicate and tender than the traditional green kind, with a sweeter, milder flavor reminiscent of turnips or peas. These attributes make it a prized delicacy among vegetable enthusiasts. Germans, in particular, adore white asparagus—or spargle—and celebrate its arrival with sparglefests throughout the spring season.
If you're a fan of asparagus but wish it didn't make your pee smell, you might think the white variety would offer a scent-free option. Sadly, both white and green asparagus share this odd characteristic. All asparagus contains asparagusic acid, which breaks down into sulfur compounds in our digestive system. The distinctive odor you notice in urine after eating asparagus is actually the sulfur. However, you might be lucky if you're one of the 20 to 40 percent of people who can't detect the odor—especially if you find yourself at a sparglefest.
