Asparagus is quite a refined veggie as it is often expensive to buy, mainly because it is very labour intensive to grow.
They have a distinct intense flavour which is loved my many.
They have different colours for example French asparagus is purple, the British and American varieties are green, Spanish and much Dutch asparagus is white, as it’s grown beneath the soil and cut just as the tips emerge. (Source bbc good food)
So if we can eat it can guinea pigs eat asparagus as well, and how much can they eat?
Lets have a look at its nutritional data to get a further idea about it.
Energy 85 kJ (20 kcal)
Carbohydrates 3.88 g
– Sugars 1.88 g
– Dietary fibre 2.1 g
Fat 0.12 g
Protein 2.2 g
Vitamin A equiv. 38 μg (5%)
– beta-carotene 449 μg (4%)
– lutein and zeaxanthin 710 μg
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.143 mg (12%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.141 mg (12%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.978 mg (7%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.274 mg (5%)
Vitamin B6 0.091 mg (7%)
Folate (vit. B9) 52 μg (13%)
Choline 16 mg (3%)
Vitamin C 5.6 mg (7%)
Vitamin E 1.1 mg (7%)
Vitamin K 41.6 μg (40%)
Calcium 24 mg (2%)
Iron 2.14 mg (16%)
Magnesium 14 mg (4%)
Manganese 0.158 mg (8%)
Phosphorus 52 mg (7%)
Potassium 202 mg (4%)
Sodium 2 mg (0%)
Zinc 0.54 mg (6%)
Oxelate 130 mg
(source: Wikipedia)
What we are looking for is a low amount of phosphorus, calcium, sugar, fat, and oxelate acid. A healthy amount of vitamin a and c is also a bonus.
As you can see it does contain some phosphorus and oxelate, a hint of calcium, fat and sugar.
But it is high in nutrients and has reasonable levels of vitamin a and c, so guinea pigs can eat asparagus, but refrain from feeding daily. These include the asparagus stalks and tips. Once a week should suffice.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cooked Asparagus?
Unfortunately, cooked asparagus is not good for piggies. They cannot eat any cooked food at all, no matter how good it is for them in its raw state.