The Great Health Benefits of Artichokes

Did you know that artichokes are a vegetable with great health benefits?

Dr Hanife Mehmet

The edible part of the plant is the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom and are therefore harvested before they reach this point; once artichxokes bloom, they become a single purple blossom.

Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean region, but they are largely based in California for industrial purposes. Artichokes have arching and lobed green leaves and grow 1.4 metres to 2 metres tall. They have been referred to as a “superfood” due to the high levels of antioxidants that they contain.

Artichokes have been cited to have different health benefits including:

1. CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE: according to a study it was found that artichoke leaf juice was able to regulate blood pressure in individuals with mildly high blood pressure. Although further research is required on this, the blood pressure reducing property of this vegetable may be due to the high levels of potassium contained in it.
2. MAY LOWER CHOLESTEROL: artichoke leaf extract may assist in reducing cholesterol levels according to previous studies; however, further research on this is required to further validate this potential benefit on the body.
3. LIVER HEALTH: a few studies have mentioned that artichoke may improve liver function for individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and may contribute to the overall health of the liver.

Artichokes are low in sodium and contain key nutrients that make them beneficial to health including potassium, fibre, vitamin C, magnesium and folate.

Artichokes may look difficult to prepare for a meal but it is actually very easy. They are usually eaten by steaming them, the first step is to rinse the artichokes and cut off the stem, slightly open up the petals and steam them for approximately 30 minutes. Some individuals like to fill the inside of artichokes with rice mixed with mince meat of their choice. Once the artichokes have been steamed there are actually a few different ways that it can be eaten. Some individuals peel away the petals and eat the centre of the vegetable, whereas others may pull away the leaves and scrape the meaty part of the leaf; this part of the leaf contains the most health benefits and have a sweet and earthy taste. This is only one of many simple ways to eat artichokes and there are many more other delicious recipes for artichokes.

Artichokes also can be purchased canned or jarred and may be used in the ingredients of foods such as pasta, dips and stir-fry.

So, what have you learned about the health benefits of artichokes?  

Dr Hanife Mehmet

(BBiomedSc, BHlthSc/AppSc [Chinese Medicine], PhD)