Benefits Of Artichoke

What is it?

The artichokes are the fruits of the artichokes and is a vegetable that belongs to the Asteráceas family (Composite) with more than a thousand genera more than 20,000 species, of which very few are grown. This family is characterized because its flowers are composed by the fusion of hundreds and even thousands of tiny flowers, as is the case of the sunflower. The family includes vegetables of different species: leaf (chicory, lettuce, endive, escarole), flower (artichoke) or stem (cardo). A common feature in many of these plants is that their tissues contain abundant latex.

Composition and properties

Great presence of vitamin B1, A, C and K.

Vitamin B1 intervenes in the use of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and in the balance of the nervous system.

Plentiful amount of potassium

This mineral helps the transmission and generation of nerve impulse and normal muscle activity. It also intervenes in the balance of water inside and outside the cell.

High content of magnesium, phosphorus and calcium.

In the case of calcium, due to its plant condition, it is used less in the body than calcium containing dairy products or other foods of animal origin.

Great presence of fiber.

Fiber is abundant in artichokes and promotes intestinal transit.

What is good for?

Protects the liver and helps digestion.

The artichoke helps the recovery of the liver in case of liver disease due to its active principle, cynarin. In addition, cynarin promotes biliary function by helping the digestion of fats. It helps treat ailments such as indigestion, dyspepsia caused by cholelithiasis, gas or flatulence.

Reduce the cholesterol.

The main virtue of the artichoke lies in the capacity provided by its acids and cynarin to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood, treat hypertension and prevent arteriosclerosis.

It helps fight diabetes.

Inulin is a type of fiber that can lower blood sugar levels and prevent or help fight diabetes.

Good to lose weight.

They are a very low calorie dish and rich in fiber. It should be accompanied by a diet low in fat and rich in fiber.

Good against fluid retention.

It has a high content of potassium that empowers it as a diuretic remedy. It is suitable for people with fluid retention, uric acid, circulatory diseases, gout, etc.

It favors the skin.

It is a good draining of fats so it helps to improve skin diseases such as dermatitis, acne or eczema. It also helps eliminate cellulite.

Anticancer power.

The acids caffeic, pantotheic and flavonoids help to the prevention or improvement of the cancerous processes. It helps prevent certain types of cancer such as the appearance of colon and breast cancer.

How to take it?

It is preferable to eat them in salads in order to take advantage of all their properties, but they can boil and drink the resulting broth to take advantage of their values.

Artichokes can appear in a wide variety of dishes: raw, boiled, steamed, fried, battered, stewed, sautéed, grilled, baked or vegetable stew.

Also baked or grilled artichokes dipped in olive oil, are highly delicious and medicinal because of the high content of oleic acid and vitamin E.