Along with asparagus, artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables. Artichokes are flowers of a type of thistle that have been eaten for quite some time and were even treated as a delicacy in ancient Rome.
Artichokes aren’t easily eaten. The heart, or meatiest part of the vegetable, is covered by the flowerets that form the choke. These are inedible and must be avoided. Around the heart and choke are many layers of bracts, like stiff leaves, that contain less and less edible material the further from the center they are. It’s something of an event to eat a whole one, but you can buy canned hearts if you are impatient.
All the work of getting to the heart is worth it for low-carb dieters. Not just because it is delicious, but because artichokes have a negligible glycemic index and effective carb count. This is yet another veggie that you should eat whenever you like.
| Name | Serving Size | Effective Carbs (g) | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artichokes | 1 medium | 6.5 | N | N |
N: Negligible
Sources:
CalorieKing
David Mendosa
