Hey there, viewers!
Do you like eating artichokes?
Most people have a mixed relationship with this veggie.
They either absolutely love it, or hate even the sight of it.
If you can’t stand artichoke, perhaps you’ll reconsider after watching this video.
Today we’re going to talk about the top 8 health benefits of artichokes and artichoke
extracts.
They’re sure packed with minerals and antioxidants.
But can they really help prevent cancer?
Is this green, leafy veggie good for your cholesterol and blood pressure?
We’ll be talking about all of these AND more...
1.
Packed With Nutrients Artichoke comes loaded with important vitamins
and minerals.
It’s also low in fat, with one raw artichoke weighing around 128 grams, and containing
less than a gram of fat.
It’s also rich in antioxidants.
Artichokes are especially packed with vitamins C and K, as well as folate, which are vital
nutrients for your body.
They have necessary minerals like magnesium, phosphorus and iron.
If you eat one medium-sized artichoke, you will get about 7 grams of fiber.
This makes up about 23% to 28% of the fiber your body needs on a daily basis.
The big advantage of an artichoke is the amount of calories.
One artichoke gives you only 60 calories, which is great for people keeping count.
On the other hand, it gives you 4 grams of protein, which is a lot higher than most other
plant-based foods.
How do you like to eat artichokes?
Do you eat them on their own or with other veggies?
Do you bake, fry, or microwave them?
Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the comments below...
2.
Lowers Bad Cholesterol The leaf extract of an artichoke can control
cholesterol levels in your body.
Research among 700 participants showed that taking the extract every day for a period
of 5 to 13 weeks brought down your blood cholesterol.
In one study, 143 participants who had high cholesterol were given the artichoke leaf
extract on a daily basis for six weeks.
The participants showed a reduction in both total cholesterol as well as LDL, or “bad”
cholesterol.
They reduced by 18 and 22%.
The added benefit of taking this extract is that it also increases the HDL, or “good”
cholesterol levels in your body.
There’s a specific antioxidant found in artichokes, which is responsible for regulating
your blood cholesterol levels.
This particular antioxidant helps prevent the formation of cholesterol.
It also helps process the cholesterol in your body.
As a result, your overall cholesterol goes down.
3.
Regulates Blood Pressure Do you suffer from high blood pressure?
Artichokes can be good news for you.
Taking artichoke extract helps bring it down to a reasonable level.
In a study conducted on 100 men with high blood pressure, it was found that having artichoke
extract every day for 12 weeks brought it down by about 3 mmHg (millimetres of mercury).
Studies have shown how the extract works on your blood pressure.
It promotes the enzyme eNOS, which widens the blood vessels and brings down the blood
pressure.
Considering artichokes are a great source of potassium, it’s no wonder they can regulate
blood pressure.
Potassium’s known to do that.
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4.
Improves Liver Health If you take artichoke leaf extract, you can
help protect yourself from liver damage.
In fact, this extract aids the growth of new tissue.
Not just this, artichokes also help the production of bile.
Bile removes harmful toxins from your liver.
A study on rats found that artichoke extract lessened the amount of damage done to the
liver.
There was considerably less damage in the liver after being given artichoke extract.
The liver function in the rats was better even after they were given a larger dose.
The rats in the first group also showed higher levels of antioxidant activity.
In a study involving humans suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, it was
seen that having 600 milligrams of artichoke extract every day for two months improved
the way the liver functioned.
It’s believed the antioxidants in artichokes are the reason you see these particular benefits.
Before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like.
Nuts are healthy for you, but should you be eating them all?
Watch 6 nuts you should be eating, and 6 you shouldn’t.
Now back to the benefits of artichoke...
5.
Improves Digestive Health Remember fiber from a minute ago?
Fiber is crucial for maintaining your digestive health, as it promotes good gut bacteria,
reduces constipation and diarrhea, and lowers the risk of bowel cancer.
Artichokes have inulin, a fiber that works just like a prebiotic.
Research has found an increase in gut bacteria after the participants were given artichoke
extract for three weeks on a daily basis.
Another study was done on nearly 250 people with indigestion.
One group was given the extract, while the other was given a placebo.
After about 6 weeks, the group with the extract found that they weren’t as gassy as the
group with the placebo.
A specific compound in artichokes produces bile in the liver, and also helps with the
digestion of fat.
This is the reason artichokes can help with indigestion problems.
6.
Eases Symptoms of IBS Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a digestion
related issue.
It causes problems such as stomach pain, bloating, cramping, diarrhea and gas.
But artichokes can help ease these symptoms.
In a study among participants with IBS, results showed that consuming artichoke leaf extract
every day for a period of six weeks can help ease any IBS symptoms you may be experiencing.
In fact, 96% of the participants in the study ranked the extract as being more effective
than other treatment methods they’ve tried.
This included laxatives.
In another study of more than 200 people with IBS, those given one or two capsules of extract
every day for two months saw a decrease in symptoms by more than a quarter.
They also reported a 20% increase in their quality of life.
Artichokes have compounds with antispasmodic (anti-spaz-mod-ick) properties.
These compounds are the reason artichokes can help put a stop to muscle spasms, and
reduce inflammation in people with IBS. 7.
Lowers Blood Sugar Artichokes can help lower the blood sugar
levels in your body.
In a study on overweight adults, having kidney bean and artichoke extract every day for two
months brought down blood sugar quicker than people given a simple placebo.
In another study, eating boiled artichoke as part of your meal showed that blood sugar
and insulin levels dropped after 30 minutes.
However, this effect was only seen in healthy adults that were not suffering from bad metabolism.
While it’s not yet fully understood how artichokes affect blood sugar levels, it’s
been observed that the extract slows down glucose activity.
This could be the reason why artichoke is good for lowering blood sugar levels.
8.
Anticancer Effects Along with other advantages, artichokes are
also shown to have anticancer effects.
Various studies have shown that artichokes can reduce the growth of cancer cells.
There are a few antioxidants in artichokes that are known to slow cancer growth.
For instance, research has shown that silymarin (sigh-lee-marin), a particular antioxidant
found in artichokes, can help in the prevention as well as treatment of skin cancer.
If this isn’t a good reason to eat more artichoke, I don’t know what is.
Artichokes are definitely great for your health, but there’s another green leafy veggie you
should be eating daily.
We’re talking about spinach, a powerhouse of iron.
If you love green leafy veggies, that’s even better.
They’re some of the healthiest foods on the planet.
Here’s what you need to know...
Watch the 12 Healthiest Green Leafy Veggies You Should Eat Every Day.
You can also try our video on What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Spinach Every Day.
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about health and fitness.
Do you eat artichokes often?
Are you thinking of trying them after watching this video?
Let us know in the comments below!