Artichoke: nutritional and medicinal properties. Cultivation.

The artichoke is a herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family with large inflorescences, whose lower fleshy parts are eaten. An artichoke is a cocoon of a plant that does not bloom and that consists of large scales.

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In the kitchen, very young shoots and flowers are used. Small cones are ideal for snacks, medium artichokes for cooking and frying. The fresh artichoke kernel is cut into thin slices and added to salads. They combine beautifully with rice dishes, for example, with Italian risotto. In its raw form, the artichoke resembles a nut.

When choosing artichokes, make sure they are uniformly green and not too dry, while the size of artichokes does not matter, since a vegetable of any size will find its place on the dining room table.

Useful artichoke properties

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In addition to a pleasant taste, the artichoke has a rich and balanced set of nutrients.

• Artichoke inflorescences contain carbohydrates (up to 15%), proteins (up to 3%), fats (0.1%), calcium and iron salts, phosphates. Artichokes are rich in vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, P, carotene and inulin. They contain organic acids: caffeic, quinic, chlorogenic, glycolic and glyceric.
• The outer leaves of the wrap contain essential oils that give the artichoke a pleasant taste.
• The artichoke is used in fresh, boiled and canned food. Sauces and mashed potatoes are prepared.
• The artichoke is considered a dietary product that is well absorbed and is recommended as a substitute for diabetes starch.
• Modern medicine has confirmed the diuretic and choleretic effect of the plant. It has now been established that artichoke extract drains the liver and kidneys well, which play a key role in cleansing the body of various toxic substances.
• From the leaves and roots of the artichoke, the preparations are made in the form of tinctures, juices and infusions.
• The infusions of leaves and petioles reduce cholesterol and uric acid in the blood, activate the central nervous system.
  Fresh juice squeezed from plants is used in case of alkaloid poisoning, urinary retention and dropsy, as it reduces the smell of sweat.
• Artichoke juice mixed with honey is used to rinse the mouth with stomatitis, thrush, cracks in the tongue in children.
• Preparations derived from artichoke are used to treat urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, jaundice, hepatitis, atherosclerosis, sometimes. allergies, various forms of psoriasis, eczema, blood cholesterol.
• In folk medicine, artichoke is also used to treat gallstone disease, hives, some forms of psoriasis and eczema.
• The artichoke is very useful for the elderly with atherosclerosis. It is known that artichoke extract weakens the toxic effects of certain drugs in the liver.
• Artichoke dishes should always be eaten on the day of preparation. During storage, the fresh artichoke darkens, but this can be avoided by immersing the peeled vegetable in water with the addition of vinegar or lemon juice.
• Cleaning artichokes requires certain skills. To do this, first separate the thick outer leaves and trim the inner ones, scrape the fibers left under the leaves and you will have the tastiest thing in your hands: the fleshy core.
• Artichoke dishes are useful for people with greater acidity of gastric juice, as it contains a significant amount of potassium and sodium salts, which are distinguished by a strong alkaline effect.
• It is recommended as a means to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.

Dangerous properties of the artichoke.

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It is known that artichoke damage may be due to the fact that it contains polyphenol, which helps increase bile secretion. This, in turn, suggests that it should be used with caution for those who have cholecystitis or biliary tract disorders.

In addition, the damage of an artichoke may depend on its size. A small young vegetable can be eaten raw, but a large one must be heat treated, because with age, vegetable fibers become more rigid and difficult to digest through the stomach. If the vegetable basket has already opened and the leaves have turned brown, this is a sign that the vegetable is not suitable for consumption.

It is worth remembering that the artichoke stores its useful properties and a pleasant smell for no more than a week, after which it begins to absorb the unpleasant smell and humidity of the environment. The artichoke helps lower blood pressure, so people with low blood pressure should refrain from using it.

Artichoke cultivation

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The artichoke is a perennial and quite large plant, which reaches two meters high, therefore, to cultivate this crop, you need a large area, well lit, protected from strong winds.

This plant is very demanding with soil fertility, irrigation and light. In other words, the area where this giant will grow must have a fertile soil rich in organic matter, well lit and constantly watered.

Reproduction and care

This vegetable crop can be propagated in two ways

• by seeds and
• root layers.
  Very often, the first method is practiced, because Seeds can be purchased at any seed store.

Artichoke seedling cultivation.

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• Before planting, the seeds should be soaked for a day with water at room temperature and then put on a damp cloth to germinate (for approximately 5-6 days).
• The mixture of soil for seedlings should consist of the same amount of deciduous soil, sand and humus. The bulk of the earth must be constantly moistened, preventing it from drying out or excessive flooding.
• After 12-14 days, when the plants form the first true leaflet, the seedlings are immersed in separate peat pots with a volume of at least 0.5 l. In the diving process, it is necessary to pinch the tip of a young root on each plant to form a good rhizome.
• The usual care of seedlings is irrigation and dressing. Fertilize the seedlings twice: a couple of weeks after immersion and fertilize again after 14 days with a complex mineral composition.

Root layer playback.

A two-year-old adult artichoke plant can form young shoots around its root. They can become whole plants if they separate and grow properly. The process must be separated from the mother bush after the formation of 3 full leaves.

This operation must be carried out very carefully (the basis of the process is deep enough) so as not to damage either the mother plant or the root process itself. After separation, the young plant is transplanted to the ground in a permanent place.

Cleaning and storage of artichokes.

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The fruit artichoke bush begins in the second year. At the end of the summer, the first peduncles appear, and after a couple of weeks they can be cut. Each outbreak must be monitored separately, since the maturation of artichokes occurs unevenly.

You can understand that it is time to cut the artichoke when the upper scales of the cone begin to bend a little and separate. If bluish petals appeared on the top of the bud, the fruit is too ripe and not suitable for food.

The artichoke should be cut with a part of the stem (4-5 cm long). The cut artichoke is stored for quite a long time; These periods vary from 2 weeks to 3 months, depending on the storage temperature.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the cultivation of this plant.

Reference:

https://htgetrid.com/es/artishok-poleznye-svojstva-i-protivopokazaniya/
https://worldhealthdesign.com/alcachofas-solo-beneficios-para-nuestro-cuerpo/
https://www.vivosano.org/la-alcachofa/
https://es.wikihow.com/seleccionar-y-almacenar-alcachofas
http://cronicasherbivoras.blogspot.com/2018/01/como-limpiar-las-alcachofas.html