One of the highest-fibre vegetables, and traditionally used for the liver and digestion.
Globe artichokes are among the highest-fibre vegetables available, and they carry cynarin
and other compounds long associated with bile production and digestion.
Artichoke leaf
extract has reasonable evidence for improving cholesterol and for functional dyspepsia,
though those studies use concentrated extracts rather than the vegetable.
They are also
high in inulin, which makes them an excellent prebiotic and a common cause of gas.
Per 100g raw.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Snap off the stem rather than cutting it — it pulls out tough fibres
with it.
Lemon everything. Cut artichoke browns within
seconds.
The choke is the fuzzy centre and must be scraped out before
eating the heart.
Tinned hearts in water, not oil, if you want the
vegetable rather than the oil.
Cynarin stimulates bile flow, which is the mechanism behind artichoke's traditional use
for digestion and fat handling. Extract trials have shown modest LDL reductions and
improvement in dyspepsia symptoms.
The inulin content is genuinely high — among
the best food sources. That feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and it is fermented into gas, which
is why artichokes affect some people strongly.
Kidney disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your
numbers.
IBS: several vegetables are high-FODMAP and commonly trigger
symptoms — tolerance is personal.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.