Artichoke is now popular as a plant with high nutrition and has a myriad of health benefits. In fact, this flower-shaped plant can be extracted into herbal medicine to treat certain diseases.
Artichoke is actually a type of plant that belongs to the wild plant group. Even so, nutrition and benefits artichoke no less than other vegetables. In addition, although the shape looks complicated, this plant originating from the Mediterranean region is relatively easy to process into a favorite dish.
Artichoke Nutrient Content
Most of the content artichoke is a carbohydrate consisting of fiber and starch. Eating one fruit artichoke already meet approximately 25% of the recommended daily intake of fiber.
Not only that, artichoke also contains several other important nutrients, such as:
- Protein
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin C
- B complex vitamins, especially vitamin B9 (folic acid)
- Minerals, such as magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium
great again, artichoke including vegetables with the highest antioxidants. Therefore, it is not surprising that artichoke provide various health benefits.
Benefits of Artichokes for Health
The following are some of the benefits artichoke for health you need to know:
1. Maintain a healthy digestive system
As described above, artichoke very rich in fiber. These nutrients have an important role in keeping the digestive system healthy, preventing or relieving constipation, and also lowering the risk of colon cancer.
Not only that, artichoke also contains inulin, which is a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics are an important component in our diet, because they provide nutrients for the good bacteria in the gut.
By maintaining a balance of good bacteria, the health of the digestive system and the body as a whole will also be maintained.
2. Help relieve symptoms irritable bowel syndrome
In addition to maintaining the balance of intestinal bacteria, artichoke can also nourish the intestines by relieving intestinal muscle cramps caused by inflammation. In addition, the antioxidants in artichoke It can also reduce inflammation in the intestines.
Nutrition and benefits artichoke This is very useful for sufferers irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who often experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, stomach cramps, diarrhea, bloating, and constipation.
3. Help maintain a healthy heart
A study revealed that consuming leaf extract artichoke regularly can help maintain liver health, as well as improve liver function that is impaired due to fatty liver. Experts suspect that this can happen thanks to the role of antioxidants named cynarin and silymarin contained in artichoke.
4. Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL)
In one study, leaf extract of artichoke taken every day for 6 weeks has been shown to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL).
This can happen because artichoke contains the antioxidant luteolin which plays a role in preventing the formation of cholesterol, and stimulates the body to be more effective in processing cholesterol.
5. Lowering blood pressure
A study revealed that hypertensive patients who took extract artichoke every day for 3 months can decrease diastolic and systolic blood pressure.
This is believed to be due to the potassium content in artichoke which plays a significant role in controlling blood pressure.
In addition to the benefits described above, artichoke It is also thought to be useful for improving bone health, helping lower blood sugar, and fighting cancer cell growth.
Some of the benefits still require further study. Even so, the content of nutrients, natural compounds, and antioxidants in artichoke stay special. So, there's no harm in entering artichoke into your daily menu.
Get nutrition and benefits artichoke also very easy. You can steam, boil, bake, or saute them. Part artichoke which can be consumed is the flesh behind the leaves and the heart which is white with a purplish tip at the innermost.
Nutrition and benefits artichoke very good for health in general and not to be missed. However, if you want to consume artichoke as an alternative treatment for certain medical conditions, you should first consult with your doctor.
