Vegetable
Artichoke
The globe artichoke and its leaf extract, traditionally used to support the liver, bile flow, and healthy cholesterol.
🌱 What it is
The globe artichoke is the edible flower bud of a thistle-like plant. Both the cooked vegetable and concentrated extracts of its leaves have a long history of traditional use for digestion.
✨ How it may help
- May help support healthy liver function
- Traditionally used to support bile flow and fat digestion
- May help support already-normal cholesterol levels
- A good source of fiber as a whole food
🥄 How to use it
Eat cooked globe artichokes as a food, steaming or boiling them and enjoying the tender leaf bases and heart. An artichoke leaf extract can be taken per the label for extra digestive support; it works gradually over weeks.
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 medium cooked artichoke (120g) · about 64 calories
- Fiber 7g
- Vitamin C 12mg
- Folate 87mcg
- Potassium 474mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central
⚖️ Caution
Eating the vegetable is very safe. Concentrated leaf extracts should be avoided with gallstones or a blocked bile duct, since they stimulate bile flow. Those allergic to ragweed or daisies may react, and anyone with liver or gallbladder disease should check with a doctor before using the extract.
🍃 A note from nature
An artichoke plant left unharvested opens into a large, brilliant purple thistle flower — a reminder that this humble vegetable is really a flower bud in disguise.