If we talk about healthy vegetables, very few of us have heard of jerusalim artichoke and its healing properties. It is very similar to potatoes and is very beneficial to health when consumed regularly.
The tuber of jerusalem artichoke is used in the pharmaceutical industry and human nutrition. Unlike potatoes, jerusalim artichoke contains no starch, but you should know that it contains insulin-like substance that lowers blood sugar and from this perspective, jerusalem artichoke is extremely effective for diabetic people.
This kind of artichoke can be used fresh, cut into thin slices in salads, which you can add other vegetables. You can use it as addition to other dishes such as boiled or baked potatoes. You can find it in the form of flour for making bread. Jerusalem artichoke can be eaten roasted and boiled.
Diabetics can use this plant in unlimited amounts, because it lowers blood sugar. Jerusalem artichoke is a good source of potassium. Just half a cup of tuber will satisfy 20% of daily need for potassium. ½ cup of Jerusalem artichoke contains 1.5 grams of protein and 1.2 grams fiber. It also contains iron, vitamin C, folic acid and vitamin B1 and vitamin B2.
It is best to eat it fresh because the thermal processing of the tubers will lead to destroying of nutrients. The tubers grow until the end of November, and you can leave them in the ground during the winter until spring.
Jerusalem artichoke originates from sunflower family, but the resemblance is only with this part of the plant which is over the ground. The stem can grow to 3.5 meters in height, the leaves are heart-shaped, color can be dark red or bright yellow as the sunflower, but smaller.
Artichoke is one of the best sources of dietary fiber, particularly a high content of inulin, which is a soluble polysaccharide. Inulin shouldn’t be confused with insulin, which is a hormone. The root provides 1.6 mg or 4% of daily fiber needs. Inulin contains zero calories, it is inert carbohydrate which does not undergo processing in the human body, and thus the tuber is ideal sweetener for diabetic people.