Many of us enjoy artichoke hearts, as we can conveniently buy them in jars or cans. Watch out for the frozen ones as they often are packaged with breadcrumbs. I find people are often intimidated by the whole artichokes, but actually they are easy to prepare. Just nestle them upside down in a pot with a couple of inches of water. Cover so that they can steam until you can easily remove an outer leaf. This takes 35 minutes or so for medium artichokes, and 45-50 minutes for large ones. Some people trim the tips of the leaves, but I don't bother. Serve with mayonnaise, or this lemony garlicky butter sauce. Pluck a leaf, dip, and scrape the edible part with your teeth. When you get to the center, remove the choke with a spoon and dip the rest. The stem is not only edible, but yummy.
Carbohydrate and Fiber Counts for Artichokes
- ½ cup artichoke hearts (about 3 oz without liquid): 3 gram effective (net) carbohydrate plus 7 grams fiber and and 45 calories
- 1 medium cooked artichoke (120 grams drained): 4 grams effective (net) carbohydrate plus 10 grams fiber and 64 calories
- 1 large cooked artichoke (160 grams drained): (estimate from published data) 6 grams effective (net) carbohydrate plus 11 grams fiber and 76 calories
Glycemic Index for Artichokes
As with most non-starchy vegetables, there is no scientific study of the glycemic index of artichokes.More Information about the Glycemic Index
Estimated Glycemic Load of Artichokes
- ½ cup artichoke hearts: 2
1 medium artichoke (120 grams): 3
1 large artichoke (160 grams): 4
More Information About the Glycemic Load
Health Benefits of Artichokes
Artichokes are an excellent source of fiber (much of which is soluble fiber), vitamin K and folate, a very good source of vitamin C and magnesium, and a good source of manganese and potassium. Artichokes are an excellent source of many phytonutrients, including antioxidants which may help protect our cells from damage.Low-Carb Artichokes Recipes
Sources:
Leroux, MarcusFoster-Powell, Kaye, Holt, Susanna and Brand-Miller, Janette. "International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol. 76, No. 1, 5-56, (2002).
United States Department of Agriculture. "Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods - 2007". November 2007
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20.
