Artichoke
When purchasing artichokes, choose heavy, deep-green ones with tightly
packed leaves.
The artichoke is a member of the thistle family; the edible portion is basically a large
flower bud with tough, petal-shaped leaves, and an inedible, prickly flower center. Its
elusive, mysterious heart, beneath the prickles, has been hailed as a tonic, as well as a
pleasant addition to antipasto plates.
Varieties
The familiar globe artichoke is the only true artichoke (Jerusalem artichokes are
unrelated). Artichokes may range in color from dark violet to pale green, and in size from a
golf ball to a softball. Baby artichokes are a bit more tender than globe and do not need to
be trimmed.
Buying and storing tips
Artichokes can be found in most health food stores, specialty markets, and supermarkets.
Look for heavy, deep-green artichokes with tightly packed leaves, avoiding those with heavy
browning (a few brown spots are normal, generally indicating frost damage, and won’t
affect the flavor). Store unwashed artichokes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to
four days. Artichoke hearts are also available in cans and jars, and as a frozen
vegetable.
Availability
Artichokes are available all year long, and are at their peak from March through May.
Preparation, uses, and tips
Wash artichokes just before cooking. Cut off the tips of spikier outside leaves. To cook,
place whole artichokes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add one tablespoon (15ml) of
olive oil. Place a plate or pan lid on
top to keep them completely immersed. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for about 25
to 30 minutes. To eat a whole cooked artichoke, pull off the leaves one by one, dip each leaf
in melted butter, vinaigrette, or other dipping sauce,
and scrape off the pulp from the thick end between your teeth. Discard the remainder of the
leaf. Once you’ve eaten most of the outer leaves, pull the remaining inner leaves off to
expose the inedible prickly choke. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edge beneath the
prickles, or gently scrape the prickles off with a spoon to arrive at the tender heart, which
can then be cut into pieces and eaten.
Nutritional Highlights
Artichoke (raw), 1 medium
Calories: 60
Protein: 4.2g
Carbohydrate: 13.4g
Total Fat: 0.19g
Fiber: 6.9g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (15mg), and Folate (87mcg)
*Good source of: Magnesium (76.8mg), and Potassium (474mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
Health benefits and concerns
Asthma
Vitamin C, an antioxidant present in fruits and
vegetables, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This anti-inflammatory activity
may influence the development of asthma symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that
young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in
fruits rich in vitamin C.
Bruising
Many Americans eat insufficient amounts of foods containing vitamin C; the disease caused
by vitamin C deficiency, scurvy, causes easy bruising. While very few people actually have
scurvy, even minor deficiencies of vitamin C can increase the incidence of bruising. People
who experience easy bruising may want to try eating more fruits and vegetables—common
dietary sources of vitamin C.
Capillary
fragility
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables provides more of the nutrients that support the
structure of capillaries.
High
homocysteine
A controlled trial showed that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables containing folic
acid, beta-carotene, and vitamin C effectively lowered homocysteine levels. Healthy people
were assigned to either a diet containing a pound of fruits and vegetables per day, or to a
diet containing 3 1/2 ounces (99g) of fruits and vegetables per day. After four weeks, those
eating the higher amount of fruits and vegetables had an 11 percent lower homocysteine level
compared to those eating the lower amount of fruits and vegetables.
Kidney stones
Potassium reduces urinary calcium excretion, and people who eat high amounts of dietary
potassium appear to be at low risk of forming kidney stones. The best way to increase
potassium is to eat fruits and vegetables. The level of potassium in food is much higher than
the small amounts found in supplements.
Multiple sclerosis
(MS)
In one survey, researchers gathered information from nearly 400 people (half with MS) over
three years. They found that consumption of vegetable protein, fruit juice, and foods rich in vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium
correlated with a decreased MS risk.
Stroke
Researchers have found an association between diets low in potassium and increased risk of
stroke. However, the association of increasing dietary potassium intake and decreasing stroke
mortality only occurred in black men and hypertensive men in one study. Others have found an
association between increased risk of stroke and the combination of low dietary potassium plus
high salt intake. Increasing dietary potassium has lowered blood pressure in humans, which by
itself should reduce the risk of stroke; however, some of the protective effect of potassium
appears to extend beyond its ability to lower blood pressure. Maintaining a high potassium
intake is best achieved by eating fruits and vegetables.
Health benefits and
concerns for vegetables
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other
vegetables. Read about health benefits and concerns
for vegetables for a full description.
The information presented in this website is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
Back to top
