Also going by the name of earth apple, Sunroot, Sunchoke and Topinambour, the Jerusalem artichoke shares no other connections with the holy city besides the name. Furthermore, it is not even a true artichoke! It was originally cultivated by the American Indians and is in reality a type of sunflower. The name is obtained from the Italian word girasole meaning sunflower.
Deep Cleansing Jerusalem artichoke Juice
- 1 cup chopped Jerusalem artichokes
- 1 small cucumber
- 1 apple
- 2 carrots
Add-ons
- Kale leaves
- ginger
Nutritional Information
Jerusalem artichoke supplies the greatest amounts of iron among the typically eaten roots and tubers. A one hundred gram serving of the fresh vegetable fulfils about 42% of the daily iron needs. It is also a very good source of potassium and magnesium, two important electrolytes, in addition to phosphorous. The tuber also contains small quantities of the anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, A and E. Furthermore, it contains small amounts of the group of B-complex vitamins like folates, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine and thiamin.
The Jerusalem artichoke makes a good supplement to any diet plan since one gram contributes only 73 calories, a significant 1.6 grams of fibre, only 0.01 grams of fat and two grams of protein.
Health Benefits of Jerusalem artichoke
Artichokes offer many advantages. They contain a carbohydrate called inulin, which impersonates insulin and breaks down into fructose in the colon. This does not affect blood sugar levels like carbohydrates that break down into glucose. This makes the vegetable diabetic friendly. Inulin is also considered a prebiotic as it is not easily digested and is food for the friendly bacteria residing in the large intestine. Additionally, inulin has been known to provide relief from constipation by adding bulk to the digestive tract. Finally, it aides calcium absorption, cuts down on levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, as well as obstruct a variety of cancers.