Importance of well balance diet
All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.
ARTICHOKES
Typical serving size:
1 medium artichoke, cooked (4 oz to 114 g)
HOW THEY HARM
Allergies
WHAT THEY HEAL
Skin cancer
Indigestion
ARTICHOKE FACT
The Jerusalem artichoke isn’t in the artichoke family but is a member of the sunflower family
Its
“official” name is actually sunchoke
The artichokes grown in the United States that make their way to your plate are cultivated in
California
In fact, Castroville, California, claims to be the Artichoke Capital of the World
Artichokes, a relative to the thistle, are actually a flower bud, and blossoms can be up to 7 in (18 cm)
in diameter
Health Benefits
Prevents skin cancer
Artichokes are a great source of silymarin, an antioxidant that may help
prevent skin cancer
Helps indigestion
Artichoke leaf extract may aid indigestion by increasing the flow of bile, which
is needed to digest fats
Choose an extract that is standardized for caffeoylquinic acids and follow the
package directions
Health Risk
Potential allergic reactions
Eating artichokes may provoke allergic reaction in people sensitive to
ragweed
Allergies
Bake thawed frozen hearts drizzled with olive oil and ground almonds
Steam trimmed globes in a quarter-inch of water in a covered microwaveable dish for 5 minutes
Stuff hollowed globe artichokes with a turkey meat loaf mixture
Buying Tips
High-quality artichokes are usually compact and heavy for their size
When squeezed, a fresh artichoke will make a squeak
The thickness of each stalk should correspond to the size of the artichoke
Thin stalks signal dehydration, so look for stalks that are firm without “give
”
Storing Tips
Artichokes remain fairly constant in appearance for weeks, but flavor is adversely affected from the
moment they are cut
For maximum taste and tenderness, cook as soon as possible
Refrigerate unwashed, in a plastic bag, for up to 1 week
QUICK TIP:
How to eat an artichoke
To eat, pull off leaves, dip the leaves in lemon juice, and eat the fleshy ends attached to the plant
Lift out the cone and cut out the core, which is the fuzzy portion at the center
The heart is a true
delicacy and will break easily with a fork