By Michael T. Murray, ND
Long considered a delicacy, the globe artichoke is actually the unopened flower bud of a thistle-like plant whose Latin name is Cynara scolymus. It is one of the world's oldest cultivated vegetables, and it has a noble history. Artichokes are referenced in the writings of the Greek historian Dioscorides, who noted their large-scale cultivation near Carthage, and the early Roman scholar Pliny, who remarked that they were more esteemed and commanded a higher price than any other garden vegetable.
Today, 99 percent of all the globe artichokes grown in the United States are produced in the area of Castroville, California, the self-proclaimed Artichoke Capital of the World. Worldwide, though, the lion's share (80 percent) of artichokes hail from Italy, Spain, and France — all countries that border the Mediterranean Sea and have a similar climate of warm winters and cool summers.
Nutritional Highlights
Globe artichokes aren't just a delicacy. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, magnesium, and the trace mineral chromium; a very good source of vitamin C, folate, biotin, and the trace mineral manganese; and a good source of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin A, and potassium. A medium-sized artichoke delivers all these nutrients in a mere 60 fat-free calories.
Health Benefits
Fresh artichokes are very low in calories because most of the carbohydrate is in the form of inulin, a polysaccharide or starch that is handled by the body differently than other sugars. In fact, the body does not use inulin for energy metabolism. This makes artichokes extremely beneficial to diabetics as inulin has actually been shown to improve blood sugar control in diabetes. However, it is important that the artichoke be as fresh as possible as inulin is broken down into other sugars when artichokes are stored for any length of time.
The artichoke has a long folk history in treating many liver diseases. Recent evidence supports this longtime use. The active ingredients in artichoke are caffeoylquinic acids (like cynarin). These compounds are found in highest concentrations in the leaves, but they are also found in the heart.
Artichoke leaf extracts have demonstrated significant liver-protecting and regenerating effects. They also possess choleretic effect, meaning they promote the flow of bile and fat to and from the liver. This is a very important property; if the bile is not being transported adequately to the gallbladder, the liver is at increased risk of damage. Choleretics are very useful in the treatment of hepatitis and other liver diseases via this decongesting effect.
Choleretics typically lower cholesterol levels, since they increase the excretion of cholesterol and decrease the manufacture of cholesterol in the liver. Consistent with this choleretic effect, artichoke extracts have been shown to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels in both human and animal studies.
In one experimental double-blind study, 30 patients given 500 mg of cynarin per day for 50 days had an average 20 percent reduction in total cholesterol along with an average 15 percent reduction in triglycerides compared to a matched group who received a placebo.
Caffeoylquinic acids from artichoke have also demonstrated potent activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Specifically these compounds inhibit a key enzyme (HIV integrase) essential to the virus's ability to reproduce.
How to Select and Store
An artichoke should be compact and heavy for its size. Its outer leaves should be thick, firm, fleshy, and tightly closed. Avoid artichokes whose leaves have begun to spread apart or appear dry and woody — signs the artichoke is past its prime. Turn the artichoke over and check the stem end; tiny holes are evidence of worm damage, which may be extensive inside.
Spring artichokes should be a softer green than the fall and winter crop, which are typically olive green and may have what growers call a winter-kissed appearance: bronze-tipped leaves or a lightly blistered, whitish outer surface. These changes are caused by light frost exposure in the fields and do not affect the artichoke's taste or tenderness.
Avoid those with blackened, wilted leaves, or dark spots; these artichokes are not bronzed, but damaged and deteriorating. Lastly, give your prospective purchase a squeeze; the plump, crisp leaves of a fresh artichoke will reply with a squeaky sound.
In addition to fresh whole artichokes, baby artichokes and artichoke hearts are also available in cans and jars or frozen. All the inedible parts have been removed from these products, so they're practically ready to enjoy. Canned artichokes are usually packed in brine. To reduce their high sodium content, drain the brine and rinse with cool water.
Similarly, with marinated artichokes, which are usually sold in jars, you can significantly lessen the hefty calorie tally supplied by the seasoned oil mixture in which they are preserved by pouring off the oil and letting them drain in a colander for a few minutes, then rinsing with cold water if you're concerned about sodium. Frozen artichoke hearts are uncompromised by added ingredients; simply cook them briefly until heated through.
Despite their sturdy appearance, fresh artichokes are quite perishable. Place them in a plastic bag, sprinkle in a few drops of water to maintain moisture, and store in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator, where they will keep for no more than four to five days. Do not rinse, wash, or trim them before storing. To store cooked artichokes, allow them to cool, wrap in plastic wrap, or place in a plastic bag and refrigerate. They should keep for four to five days.
Tips for Preparing
Artichokes can be steamed, baked, or boiled and are delicious eaten either hot or cold. Artichoke hearts can also be sauteed or stir-fried alone or with other vegetables in a small amount of broth or oil. Be sure to cut off the artichoke's topmost inch to remove the upper inedible leaf tips. Trim the tips of the remaining outer leaves with kitchen shears. To prevent cut parts from darkening, rub them with lemon juice or place the entire artichoke into a bowl of cold water with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
Immediately before cooking, clip or pull off any short, coarse leaves at the bottom and cut the stem flush with the base to make for a more attractive presentation when served.
3 Ways to Serve Artichokes
Serve whole artichokes or quartered artichoke bottoms with a healthy dipping sauce. Try an olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette with or without added garlic. Simply add several unpeeled garlic cloves to the pot when cooking the artichokes, then remove and mash the cloves to create a paste to add to the vinaigrette.
For a sauce with an Asian flair, combine soy sauce, lemon juice or rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated fresh ginger; top with a dash of dark sesame oil. Plain whole yogurt makes an excellent base for a rich, creamy dip. Flavor it with pureed roasted red peppers; roasted eggplant, lemon juice and garlic; or a rich bleu cheese or buttermilk-based salad dressing.
Stuff steamed or boiled artichokes with a mixture of cooked brown rice or quinoa; pine nuts or walnuts; and chopped vegetables such as onion, mushrooms, sweet pepper, and broccoli. They can also be chilled after cooking and filled with tuna, shrimp, salmon, or chicken salad.
Quartered artichoke hearts can be used as an addition to tossed salads, pasta, rice pilaf, tuna or chicken casseroles, or warm potato salad.
This article is reprinted with permission from Dr. Michael Murray’s Natural Living News. For more articles like this one, visit www.DoctorMurray.com/NLN.
Dr. Michael T. Murray is one of the world’s leading authorities on natural medicine and the author of more than 30 bestselling books, including The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. He is a graduate and former faculty member, and serves on the Board of Regents, of Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington.