Artichoke Nutrition
What You Need To Know About Artichoke Nutrition
We get a good dose of artichoke nutrition from the plant's flower bud and stem, though the leaves, while seldom eaten, are also nutritious. A somewhat strange appearing vegetable, resembling a small green hand grenade, the artichoke, like the hand grenade, is power packed – with nutrients. Originating in the Mediterranean, an area noted for low rates of chronic disease, and having pockets of populations enjoying high life expectancies, the artichoke has always been a prized part of the Mediterranean cuisine.
When we talk about artichoke nutrition we can run down quite a list of beneficial ingredients contained in this amazing vegetable. The artichoke has been looked upon as a health promoting food since ancient times, and all sorts of wondrous attributes have been claimed for it. Some of these supposed benefits have been a mixture of fact and fiction. Others however, have been proven to be true over time. Besides being an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, the artichoke is also an excellent source of fiber, with a serving (a medium sized artichoke) providing up to 12% of our recommended daily requirement. The American diet is traditionally lacking in fiber, given our predilection towards meat products and processed foods. A serving of artichoke also gives us 10% of our vitamin C requirement, plus 170 milligrams of potassium, both of which also tend to be lacking in our diets.
Artichokes are a good source of folate, very important in keeping the heart healthy. Doctors often prescribe folates, usually in the form of folic acid, to patients suffering from heart disease, or who have undergone open heart surgery. The list of artichoke nutrition elements includes vitamins A , B6, and niacin, and a host of important minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, chromium, and zinc. If that weren't enough, you'll get a decent supply of protein from the plant, plus a serving is low in both calories (25) and sodium (about 70 milligrams), and contains no fat or cholesterol.
Artichokes contain some powerful anti-oxidant compounds. These, together with vitamin C, make this vegetable a cancer fighting food, and also a food that promotes a healthy liver. The presence of anti-oxidant compounds is considered beneficial in helping prevent heart disease. One of the interesting artichoke nutrition facts is, unlike most vegetables, the nutrients are usually not destroyed by cooking. The disease-fighting anti-oxidants, considered higher in the artichoke than in any other vegetable, are actually enhanced by the cooking process. The artichoke appears to hold on to most its nutrients when cooked, much better than other vegetables. Still, when cooking artichokes, steaming or microwaving them is better than boiling them, if you want to preserve the majority of the nutritional elements.
If you are looking for a low-calorie, nutrient rich vegetable, which is truly a heavyweight when it comes to anti-oxidants, look no further than the artichoke. Try some grilled.