The Benefits of Artichoke

Artichokes have long been used in cooking and for their medicinal properties.

Artichoke (Cyanara scolymus) promotes urinary excretion and stimulates the liver. It is also a champion In preventing cellular aging.

Artichoke is good for stimulating the liver

Artichoke has depurative but also choleretic properties. It stimulates bile secretion by the liver and the evacuation of the vesicular bile thanks to its cynarin content. But cynarin is essentially concentrated in the stem and leaves of the artichoke. The parts we consume contain little. The infusions of leaves are therefore the only ones that appear effective in stimulating the liver. Artichoke's high polyphenols containt would help fight liver cancer by causing apoptosis of cancer cells in the liver. (1)

It facilitates urinary excretion

Artichoke facilitates the elimination of urine: it is slightly diuretic thanks to its potassium and inulin content. Like all diuretics, it releases water but not fat. On the other hand it could intervene in the sensation of satiety with its appetite suppressant effect. A Hungarian study found that among obese children and adults who follow a low-calorie diet, those who drank a concentrate of artichoke juice have seen their hunger sensation greatly diminish. Their body mass index also dropped. (2)

Eating it raw is better than cooked

Most commonly artichokes are eaten cooked. But to limit the loss of nutrients that can reach up to 40%, it is better to only steam it for 10 minutes instead. The ideal remains to consume it raw and especially when they are slightly immature as this is when the have their highest nutrient content. (3)

It helps prevent constipation

Thanks to its high fiber content (35%), artichoke regulates intestinal transit and would help fight and prevent colon cancer. Some of the carbohydrates found in it are inulin (probiotics) which stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria bacteria and helps fight pathogenic bacteria. In some people, inulin causes flatulence and bloating, but in most cases it contributes greatly to maintaining a healthy intestinal flora. Inulin is recognizable to the taste: after eating artichoke, the water that one drinks seems sweet. (4)

It is good for pregnant women

Artichoke is rich in folate, which is also called vitamin B9: a cooked artichoke alone covers a third of the daily needs. Pregnant women in early pregnancy greatly need these folates because they decrease the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus. A maternal deficiency in folate increases the risk of premature birth, abnormal placental development and spontaneous abortion. All women of childbearing age should pay attention to their folate levels, by consuming vegetables such as artichokes. (5)

References:

(1) Miccadei S, Di Venere D, Cardinali A, Romano F, Durazzo A, Foddai MS, Fraioli R, Mobarhan S, Maiani G. Antioxidative and apoptotic properties of polyphenolic extracts from edible part of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) on cultured rat hepatocytes and on human hepatoma cells. Nutr Cancer. 2008;60(2):276-83

(2) Antal M, Regöly-Mérei A, Biró L, Arató G, Schmidt J, Nagy K, Greiner E, Lásztity N, Szabó C, Péter S, Martos E. Effects of oligofructose containing diet in obese persons, Orv Hetil. 2008 Oct 19;149(42):1989-95. Hungarian.

(3) Ferracane R, Pellegrini N, Visconti A, Graziani G, Chiavaro E, Miglio C, Fogliano V. Effects of different cooking methods on antioxidant profile, antioxidant capacity, and physical characteristics of artichoke. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Sep 24;56(18):8601-8. Epub 2008 Aug 30.

(4)Kleessen B, Schwarz S, Boehm A, Fuhrmann H, Richter A, Henle T, Krueger M. Jerusalem artichoke and chicory inulin in bakery products affect faecal microbiota of healthy volunteers. Br J Nutr. 2007 Sep;98(3):540-9. Epub 2007 Apr 20.Click here to read

(5) Czeizel AE, Periconceptional folic acid and multivitamin supplementation for the prevention of neural tube defects and other congenital abnormalities.Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2009 Jan 22