I’ve enjoyed artichoke hearts, from a can, many times – on salads, in dips or marinated in an oil/garlic dressing. For the first time, at a friend’s dinner party, I picked apart and ate a whole artichoke, leaf by leaf until finally uncovering the heart.
Admittedly I had to ask for help in order to dig out the heart and cut away the fuzzy non-edible piece.
Nonetheless, the next week at the grocery store I bought two whole artichokes – one for me, one for my husband. Curious about the health benefits, I looked them up. Here is what I found.
- High in antioxidants
- High in fiber
- Cancer prevention/treatment
- Aids digestion
- Good for liver function
- Empties your colon
- Known to reduce cholesterol
Although artichokes take a while to cook – about 30 to 40 minutes boiling first, then simmering on the stove top (15 minutes if you have a pressure cooker), they are worth it. Dip them in melted butter (I know, not so healthy, but delicious) or other dip if you want to add pizazz to the flavor. One recipe I looked up suggested simmering with garlic and/or lemon juice in the water for added flavor.
I’m hooked and have committed to eating an artichoke at least once per week. It’s one of the few foods I feel good about eating, doesn’t fill me up and offers a tremendous number of health benefits. That tastes good all around.
How about you? Are you an artichoke fan? You prepare them at home?
