Artichoke Health Benefits..Gets To The Heart of The Matter!
Artichoke Health Benefits
You are probably thinking, why has this vegetable been included on a website all about antioxidants?
That's a normal enough question to ask I guess. Not exactly a common food really?
Well, let me tell you that this member of the thistle family is big in antioxidant power. I'll explain. Researchers are always exploring the
health benefits of antioxidants,
that's all we seem to be hearing about these days. Some of
these researchers have been compiling lists of the antioxidant value of the most commonly eaten foods.
In a survey of more than 1000 popular foods conducted by American and Norwegian researchers, it was discovered that, ranked in the top 50 (for highest antioxidant content per 100 grams of food..was the humble artichoke.
In fact to make this more impressive, most of the foods that ranked higher were
spices
..which we tend to eat in much smaller amounts anyway.
Artichokes Health Benefit...Big On Antioxidants
It gets better..A research unit of the USDA conducted their research, this one measured the antioxidant capacity of more than 100 foods. Again, artichokes were right up there in the rankings. But, when the total antioxidant capacity per serving was tallied up, artichokes beat..peppers,
apples,
blackberries,
cherries,
plums
and
strawberries!
Now that is some feat, considering these
fruits
and veggies can hold their own when it comes to antioxidant power.
Artichoke Health Benefits...Hearts For Your Heart
Artichokes are high in fiber too. With all our fast-food living, fiber is one thing a lot of us come-up short on.
It's important to eat fiber, as it can help prevent high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and some kinds of cancers..especially colon.
Just one medium cooked artichoke will provide roughly a quarter of your daily requirement.
A good source of magnesium, they will also help in controlling high blood presure and will help the muscles run smoothly, reducing the risk of arrhythmia (dangerous variation of the heart rhythm). In fact 20 to 35 per cent of people who have heart failure also have low levels of magnesium, according to studies.
Artichoke Health Benefits..High in Folate For Pregnant Women.
Folate is called folic acid when included in
supplements
or added to fortified foods. It is a B vitamin, and is known for it's strong role in fetal development. Well, our good friends artichokes are loaded with it!
Folate is an essential nutrient, even more so if you are pregnant. Studies have shown that up to 70 percent of cases of birth defects (spina bifida being very common) could be prevented if women took enough folic acid before and during
pregnancy.
Folate can help the heart and nerves to function properly. Hymocysteine is an amino acid in our blood. It's linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease and strokes. Folate (and other B vitamins) help to break down hymocysteine, thus
lowering the risk of problems.
In fact a deficiency in folate is one of the most common deficiencies in USA. Simply not enough is consumed in foods such as
spinach,
ocra etc. The recommended daily intake is 400 micrograms.
Artichoke Health Benefits..Bursting With Vitamin C
Artichokes are a great source of
Vitamin C,
a potent antioxidant that will halt any
free radicals
before they do any damage. A diet high in vitamin C will help the keep your skin healthy, and build a
strong immune system
against bacteria and viruses.
So, artichokes health benefits in a nutshell are..
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