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Artichoke is a vegetable that hails from the Mediterranean region and is very popular in Europe. One of the oldest cultivated vegetables that is still grown and eaten today, artichoke has a very interesting history.
According to Greek mythology, artichoke came to be because of a girl named Cynara, whom Zeus fell in love with and made a goddess. He later turned her into an artichoke out of rage when he found out she was sneaking home to visit her family. Artichoke got its scientific name, Cynara cardunculus, from her.
But artichoke is more than just a food and an object from lore. It is also an herbal medicine traditionally used to treat jaundice, dyspepsia and chronic albuminuria — a sign of kidney disease. Artichoke has also been used as a diuretic and liver tonic for centuries.
Today, artichoke is considered a functional food that can help with a variety of health conditions. With its abundance in essential nutrients as well as beneficial phytonutrients, this superfood is well-equipped to do wonders for your body.
Here are two things modern research has found that artichoke can do for your heart and liver.
In a recent study, Chinese researchers reported finding an excellent medicinal use for artichoke. In their search for a natural medicine for alcoholic liver disease, they came across reports suggesting that artichoke has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Alcoholic liver disease is a well-studied disease that’s been linked to both oxidative stress and inflammation. Putting two and two together, the researchers decided to test whether artichoke’s properties can influence these contributors to alcoholic liver disease.
When they treated mice with alcohol-induced liver injury with artichoke extracts, they found that the vegetable reversed the negative effects of alcohol on the mice livers. This, they noted, was evidenced by the decrease in the levels of liver enzymes they observed in the mice.
The researchers also noted that artichoke increased the natural antioxidant levels of the mice, which helped suppress oxidative stress. Furthermore, artichoke decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory chemicals in liver tissues.
These results — published in the journal Nutrients — suggest that artichoke offers protective benefits against alcohol-induced liver injury.
In another study, British researchers assessed the effects of artichoke leaf extracts on the blood lipid levels of otherwise healthy individuals with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. This condition is closely linked to cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death in England.
The researchers randomly assigned 75 volunteers into two groups. One group received 1,280 mg of artichoke extracts a day for 12 weeks, while the other received a placebo.
The researchers reported that, at the end of the treatment, the artichoke group had an average reduction in plasma total cholesterol of 4.2 percent. In contrast, total cholesterol levels increased by an average of 1.9 percent in the placebo group.
The researchers found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. However, both treatments significantly improved the general well-being of the participants.
These findings convinced the British researchers that adding artichoke to your diet can greatly helo lower your total cholesterol levels.
Artichoke is a versatile culinary ingredient that can add a lot of flavor and nutritional value to your meals. Whether you choose to steam or boil this veggie, it will serve you well as side dish, an appetizer, an additional ingredient or even as a snack. Here are some of the amazing benefits you can expect from eating this ancient superfood: (h/t to WomensHealthMag.com)
Artichokes are delicious, nutritious and heart- and liver-friendly! Get creative in the kitchen and enjoy the health benefits of this medicinal vegetable by exploring new ways of adding it to your recipes.
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