Artichoke’s Profound Health Benefits, Plus How to Cook and Eat

The high amount of fiber found in artichoke nutrition means artichokes can help normalize blood sugar levels , avoiding spikes and dips in insulin that can lead to serious problems for diabetics. The fiber in artichoke nutrition allows glucose to be absorbed in the blood more slowly, and because fiber is a substance that can be digested and does not require insulin, fiber does not count toward the amount of carbohydrates or glucose you consume.

Artichoke compounds also have anti-inflammatory effects. One animal study found that supplementation with artichoke extract helped prevent adiposity and related metabolic disorders, such as dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance and inflammation.

6. Good Source of Iron, Which Prevents Anemia

While many people think of animal products, like beef and eggs, as the only and best sources of iron, artichokes are also a good source, especially for plant-based eaters who need to make sure they consume enough of the vital mineral.

An iron deficiency is most common among women, especially premenopausal women, and children. Low levels of iron can result in fatigue, a weakened immune system, poor concentration and ability to focus, as well as digestive disorders like leaky gut syndrome and irritable bowel disease.

Even more serious is a condition that occurs when iron levels are low for an ongoing time called anemia. Anemia occurs when the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin, and therefore red blood cells are not able to properly distribute oxygen throughout the body.

Consuming iron-rich foods is a great way to prevent anemia and negative symptoms associated with iron deficiency.

7. Improves Skin Health and Appearance

Not eating enough foods that contain vitamins like vitamin C and E, plus other nutrients, often results in low collagen production and other skin-related conditions that age the skin prematurely. Artichoke benefits for skin include supporting your immune system and supplying antioxidants that fight free radicals.

Immunity is largely based upon the health of the gut wall and the amount of nutrients coming into your body and properly being absorbed, so your immune system is partially in charge of dictating how well your body is able to protect your skin from infection and unhealthy bacterial buildup.

Artichokes’ positive effects on the digestive tract and liver mean that your immune system is well-equipped to quickly heal your skin once damaged, burned, or when it comes into contact with common toxins and pollutants.

How to Select

In grocery stores you’ll find several types of artichokes available, including fresh artichokes, canned artichoke hearts and frozen artichokes. A medium-sized artichoke is about the size of a tennis ball, while a small “baby artichoke” is roughly the size of a golf ball.

How do you buy fresh artichokes?

When selecting artichokes, the heaviest and firmest artichokes are best. If you press the leaves against themselves, it will create a slight squeaking sound, and this is a good indicator of an artichoke being fresh.

How do you tell if an artichoke is good?

The artichoke should be a healthy green color, and it should look fresh, not dehydrated.

Are artichokes still good if they are closed?

Yes, the petals should still be closed. This means that the artichoke is fresh, and it will be tender when eating.

How long do fresh artichokes last?

In order to keep your artichoke fresh, it needs to be stored properly. Keep the artichoke in an airtight plastic bag, and cut off the edge of the stem to keep it from spoiling while it’s being stored.

It’s best to cook the artichoke within a week of buying it if possible. If not you can freeze the artichoke to use at a later time.

What if an artichoke is purple inside?

The flower itself is purple, so this is normal. Before eating an artichoke, remove the purple part using a knife, since under the purple leaves is the fuzzy, grayish-brown choke that is edible.

Are jarred artichoke hearts healthy?

These are a healthy addition to your diet but have a higher sodium content than fresh artichokes, as do canned hearts. You can rinse them to remove some of the sodium.

How to Cook and Eat

Artichokes can be eaten raw but may be hard to digest, so they are typically cooked in order to take advantage of artichoke nutrition benefits.

What does an artichoke taste like?

People describe artichokes’ taste as light, crunchy, nutty and not bitter, unlike some green vegetables. Some compare the taste to asparagus, although artichokes are said to be sweeter and nuttier.

The taste seems to depend on how you cook artichokes and the specific type.

What do you eat artichokes with?

The most complementary ingredients for an artichoke include olive oil, lemon, parsley, rosemary, high-quality cheeses, red onion, arugula, salt and pepper.

Artichokes can be steamed, boiled and baked. When cooked perfectly, artichokes will be silky and creamy and should hold together well.

Keep in mind that the larger the artichoke, the longer it needs to cook.

Start by rinsing the artichoke well under cold water. There may be a light film on the artichoke, which happens while it’s growing, so rinse it well or scrub it with a kitchen brush or towel in order to clean it.

Cut an inch off the top of the artichoke and trim the stem. Then pull the petals apart slightly.

This will allow you to season the entire artichoke. You can also squeeze some lemon juice on it so it won’t brown easily while cooking.

How to steam artichokes

If you want to know how to cook artichokes fast, steaming is a good option. To steam artichokes, place them in a steaming basket with the stem facing up, and when the water is boiling, leave them in for about 30 minutes (when steaming a medium-sized artichoke).

You can even add a clove of garlic and some lemon into the steamer to add flavor. Steaming the artichoke is an excellent way to preserve its nutrients, since it doesn’t destroy some of the delicate nutrients and antioxidants.

How to boil artichokes

To boil an artichoke, submerge the artichoke in boiling water, then keep the water at a high simmer for about 30 minutes.

How to bake an artichoke

Pull apart the pedals and season well with heart-healthy olive oil and spices. Then wrap it with two layers of foil and put it on a baking sheet, baking at 425 degrees for about an hour.

Be careful of under- or over-cooking artichokes. When undercooked they can be tough and chewy, and overcooked they can get slimy and mushy.

How to eat

It’s easy to eat an artichoke to take advantage of artichoke nutrition.

Start by pulling off a petal from the cooked inside part of the artichoke. Then pull off the soft and delicious flesh with your clenched teeth.

Once you consume all of the petals, remove the fuzzy layer that’s covering the heart of the artichoke. Then eat the heart, which most of us find to be the tastiest part.

Recipe Ideas

Artichokes can be served as an appetizer or a side dish, while stuffed artichokes can even be a delicious plant-based meal. Artichoke hearts can be added to salads, pizzas and pastas.

A popular and tasty way to use these veggies is to make a hot artichoke dip. Try this healthy Goat Cheese & Artichoke Dip Recipe.

You can also try this Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe or Baked Italian Spinach Artichoke Chicken Recipe.

Here are other healthy artichoke recipes to try to take advantage of artichoke nutrition:

• Roasted artichoke hearts with potatoes. Toss in olive oil and roast for 30–35 minutes at 425 degrees.
• Italian roasted artichokes with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Broiled artichokes with parmesan cheese and red pepper.
• Grilled artichokes with grilled calamari or broiled fish and lemon juice.
• Instant pot artichoke risotto made with ricotta, spinach, onion and water chestnuts.
• Artichoke and feta omelet.
• Pureed artichoke soup with cauliflower.
• Artichoke salad made with mustard greens and homemade dressing of shallots, olive oil and lemon juice.
• Artichoke pizza with arugula, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.

How to Grow

The artichoke plant is a herbaceious perennial plant that is related to thistles, dandelions and sunflowers.

Nearly 100 percent of the artichokes grown commercially in the United States today are grown in California. They’re available 12 months a year, with the peak artichoke season being the spring and the fall, roughly from March to May.

Artichokes are also grown in the Mediterranean region commonly, as well as other parts of the world, where they’re frequently used in different types of healthy cuisines.

An artichoke plant can grow to be six feet in diameter and three to four feet in height. When the plant flowers, it’s about seven inches in diameter, and it has a vibrant violet-blue color.

When the plant blooms, it’s no longer edible, and it becomes coarse. This is why artichokes are harvested and eaten before reaching this mature stage.

Here are some tips for growing artichokes:

• Artichokes can be planted in either the spring or fall. They can take up to two years to fully mature.
• Give artichokes plenty of space since they are large plants. Mature plants will be three to six feet in height and four to five feet wide.
• The plants need full sun exposure and light, fertile, well-drained soil. Slightly sandy soil is ideal.
• Feed the plants vegetable plant food every two weeks or so.
• Harvest the buds before they develop into full flowers. Remember that after your grow artichokes you’ll only eat the base, which is edible food part, but not the flower bud.

Risks and Side Effects

What part of the artichoke is poisonous?

It’s a misconception that artichokes are poisonous or dangerous to eat. Both the outer leaves and heart are edible and safe for most people to consume.

Is too much artichoke bad for you?

For a small percentage of people, artichokes can cause some side effects, such as intestinal gas and allergic reactions. Those who are allergic to plants like marigolds, daisies and other similar herbs are at the greatest risk of having an allergic reaction.

Are artichokes bad for you if you have allergies to similar veggies?

Artichokes may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae families of plants. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies and many others, so if you have allergies to any of these, such as a ragweed allergy, be sure to check with your health care provider before taking artichoke extract or eating artichokes.

There’s also concern that artichokes could possibly worsen bile duct obstruction by increasing bile flow, which is the liquid naturally released by the liver. If you have this condition, don’t use artichoke extract or consume artichokes without first discussing your decision with your doctor.

By increasing the bile flow in the body, gallstones may become worse, so if you suffer from gallstones, use precaution when consuming artichokes.

Final Thoughts

• Artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) are a group of vegetables that have edible leaves and hearts.
• Artichoke nutrition benefits include their high antioxidant power that may help prevent cancer, fight cardiovascular diseases, detox the liver, support the digestive system, provide fiber, help manage weight, help control blood sugar and diabetes, provide a good source iron to combat anemia, and improve skin health and appearance.
• How do you buy fresh artichokes? When selecting artichokes, the heaviest and firmest artichokes are best.
• Artichokes can be eaten raw but may be hard to digest, so they are typically cooked. They can be steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted, baked and more in order to enjoy the benefits of artichoke nutrition.