You’ve heard of them!
You’ve seen them!
But… Do you like artichokes? If you answered no, you’re like a lot of other people… Heck, plenty of people haven’t even tried artichokes enough times to decide whether or not they really like them. I remember the first time I even tried them, by then I was much, much older than when I first tried any other vegetable.
What I’m trying to say is, artichokes are way more uncommon than they should be, they’re delicious, nutritious, and easy to find. They have multiple edible parts as well, beside the scrumptious hearts, parts of the leaves are able to be eaten as well.
For plenty of people though, the idea of preparing/eating a fresh artichoke can be daunting, seeing as it’s quite unfamiliar, plus, the fact that artichokes look the spiky, weird way that they do certainly doesn’t help matters in any way.
It’s honestly a shame though, how people never think of artichokes as the incredible, delicious, nutritional superfoods that they are, and today we’re here to tell you why. Enjoy!
How The Artichoke Came To Be…
The artichoke (Cynara scolymus), has one of the longest histories of human cultivation, dating back at least three thousand years to the time of the Ancient Egyptians. They were also cultivated throughout southern Europe and it was the Spanish settlers who actually brought artichokes to America in 1600 when they were settling the California coast. Even today, California remains a dominant artichoke grower, supplying nearly all of the artichokes consumed in the United States and proclaiming itself to be the “Artichoke Capital of the World”.
Here Are Just A Few Of The MANY Nutrients and Health Benefits That You Get From Artichokes
Artichokes are, without a doubt, powerhouses when it comes to nutrition. They’re chock-full of valuable nutrients and vitamins, all of which are very, very important for your health. Just a few of the bioactive compounds that artichokes are particularly rich include things like rutin, gallic acid, quercetin and cyarin, all of which have proven time and time again over the course of history that they can hold their own when it comes to preventing an entire array of chronic conditions, only some of which are heart disease, liver dysfunction and cancer. Heck, according to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) artichokes are actually ranked up in the top five vegetables in the world when it comes to antioxidant activity.
In fact, just to add to all the reasons to start consuming more artichoke, there was even a certain scientific study that found that you were actually able to use artichoke leaf extract to get rid of or at least decrease abdominal discomfort associated with stomach upset, reflux and heartburn.
However, we should warn you, there are most definitely some types of people that should NOT be using this particular extract. These types of people include, but isn’t limited to, those with gallbladder issues, liver disease, kidney disease or pregnant or nursing mothers. If you fit any of these descriptions and you still wish to use the extract, at least consult a professional before you do, in order to see whether or not it’s right for you.
