The artichoke has important benefits and properties, helping against high cholesterol or liver diseases. Learn why and what are its main uses in health.
The artichoke becomes a true and authentic delicacy for many, and it can be a suitable food in weight loss diets, since it can help you lose weight and lose those extra kilos.
In turn, it is a healthy food that cannot be lacking in a balanced diet, as it has important benefits and various properties that are very important for health.
In addition, they are delicious in salads and hot dishes, and are ideal for children and adults, thanks to the different virtues it has.
Do you know what artichoke is?
While the artichoke is the fruit that is obtained from the artichoke plant, before knowing what it consists of, we must know a little more about the plant itself. In this sense, the artichoke basically consists of a perennial plant that can reach 2 meters in height, which belongs to the Composite family.
It has very characteristic leaves, with lobes (but without spines), with a lobed appearance, which can reach 60 centimeters in length. Its flowers are bluish in color, and we find it in many parts of the world, especially in different areas of the Mediterranean.
The scientific name of the artichoke is Cynara scolymus L., and it is also known even by the name of the plant itself, or by the name of artichoke.
What are the benefits of artichoke?
The artichoke leaf contains magnesium, potassium and sterols, which act in a certain synergy with cynarin, a substance both aromatic and bitter. In fact, it is to these compounds that we owe its main qualities (at least, the most important).
Ideal for natural liver care
In case of common liver problems, it is quite likely that you already know that artichoke becomes an excellent option as a natural treatment (and very effective). Why? This is due to the fact that the artichoke acts as a natural hepatoprotector, a quality that translates into helping to protect the different liver cells in a totally natural way.
This hepatoprotective quality is due to the presence of caffeic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid and caffeolinic acid.
In addition, its effect on the liver (not only its protective action) is due to the presence of cynarin, its main active principle, which, as we will see in the following lines, also acts very beneficially on the gallbladder.
As regards the care and protection of the liver, the artichoke is very interesting in case of fatty liver, failure of the liver, jaundice and hepatitis.
Artichoke useful for digestion
As we mentioned before, the cynarin present in artichokes gives us the main qualities that this wonderful food offers us. Thus, for example, it helps with the function of the gallbladder. In this way, it helps to stimulate the production of bile and favors the expulsion of fats.
This means that, among other interesting aspects, artichokes are very suitable for a correct digestion of fats. For this reason, it is interesting in case of indigestion, gas and flatulence.
Regarding its qualities on the gallbladder itself, did you know that it is also useful in case of dyspepsia caused by the presence of stones or stones in the gallbladder?
Artichoke for high cholesterol
In case of highcholesterol, the artichoke also becomes an excellent natural option, thanks precisely to the fact that it acts as a wonderful liver tonic, helping the liver to better metabolize fats.
That is, thanks to the presence of the acids that we have mentioned above, together with cynarin, it helps reduce high levels of cholesterol in the blood, preventing arteriosclerosis.
The main properties of the artichoke, in summary
As we indicated, the artichoke has a very important regulatory activity of bile secretion, being indicated in cases of poor digestion of fats, jaundice and a lazy liver.
It helps to regenerate liver cells, helping to fight toxic substances, and can be ideal in cases of fatty liver, while being able to reduce high cholesterol.
In addition, the artichoke can become an excellent cleanser, helping our body to expel the different toxins and substances that it does not need.
For this reason, we should not forget about its consumption in slimming and weight control diets either.