Artichoke is a rather infrequent guest in our area. Its cultivation, of course, is quite possible, for example, in greenhouse conditions, but the climate of our latitudes does not quite satisfy this whimsical vegetable to the growing conditions. It is most prevalent in countries with a warm maritime climate: Spain, Greece, Italy, South America and other southern countries. This article is designed to answer all your questions about artichoke, its medicinal properties and contraindications.
Short description
Artichoke belongs to the genus of plants of the Astrovae family. It has inflorescences of rather large sizes, which are based on parts of which are consumed as various culinary dishes and medicines. 
In fact, the food artichoke is a flower bud that did not bloom at the time of collection, its diameter reaches 7.5 cm, formed from fleshy scales of rather large sizes.
Did you know? The Greek name for this plant is Cynara. - at The literal translation means "dog", which is explained by the fact that the scales of its fruits resemble dog teeth in their structure and hardness.This is a perennial herb with a straight, low stem. The leaves are rather wide, have a feathery form, are covered with whitish short hairs below, form a dense outlet closer to the root.
An adult artichoke looks somewhat like a thistle, because its flowering is accompanied by the blooming of purple or blue flowers.
By perennial herb also include Nemesio, rudbeckia, gelihrizum, Volzhanka, Corydalis, phlox, alyssum, Heuchera, alpine aster, dahlias, acanthus, mountain arnica, tiarellu, chickweed, spurge cypress, hemlock, aconite wolf, hedgehog team.
Calorie and chemical composition
In order to better understand the usefulness of the artichoke for the body, you must first familiarize yourself with its chemical composition. Artichoke varieties grown in France and Spain are considered fairly low-calorie foods and contain only 47 Kcal per 100 g. 
Boiled artichokes are slightly more caloric than their raw counterparts - 53 Kcal per 100 g.
Did you know? On the Australian continent and in some countries in South America, this plant is considered a weed and is widely destroyed.The fruits of this plant contain a huge amount of carbohydrates (about 15%), proteins (3%), fats (0.1%), as well as phosphates and various salts of iron and calcium. The rich range of vitamins that are included in its composition includes vitamins B1, C, B2, P and B3, as well as carotene and inulin.
The composition includes a very significant amount of organic acids - chlorogenic, glycolic, glyceric, quinic and caffeic. The leaves placed on the outer layer contain a large amount of essential oils that give the fruit a specific pleasant taste. 
Benefits and healing properties
These fruits have long been known for their healing properties. For example, in Russia in the 18th century it was recommended for the treatment of patients with jaundice and gout, because it was believed that this drug has pronounced choleretic and diuretic properties, which is confirmed by modern research.
It is now known that the extracts of this plant have draining properties in relation to the liver, biliary system and kidneys, which makes them an excellent tool for the need for detoxification therapy.
Important! In order to get the maximum effect from eating this product, it should be eaten as soon as possible after preparation, because after some time its inflorescences darken and their useful properties decrease.Artichoke broths prepared according to popular recipes help to reduce the amount of uric acids and cholesterol in the blood. They are also able to remove the unpleasant smell of sweat and are used to increase potency in men and stimulate sexual attraction in women.
Application
The artichoke, due to its specific taste and beneficial properties, has found its application not only in various fields of medicine, but also in cooking.
One of the most unpopular, but still possible applications of this plant is its use as a fodder crop for cattle.
In cooking
Artichoke dishes should be eaten the same day they were made. However, before you start a meal, it is still necessary to properly prepare. It is worth starting with cleaning, which is quite difficult and requires certain skills.
Learn about the use in cooking of medlar, chabra, wild garlic, celery, sverbigi, onion-slyzuna, monarda, rokambolya, plectranthus, momordiki, lagenaria.To get started is to remove all external hard leaves and villi that fit under them, and then slightly trim the internal leaves.
Peeled artichokes can be subjected to almost any kind of cooking: frying, pickling, stuffing, salting and use them as an integral part of the filling for pies, omelets and pizza.The easiest way is to boil the fruit, after which they can be served with any side dish.
Important! To keep your artichokes fresh for a longer period, it is recommended that you put them in a solution of water with a small amount of citric acid or vinegar for a while.
In folk medicine
Since ancient times, folk healers have used this product in order to treat a huge list of various diseases. For example, its juice in combination with honey is actively used to treat various diseases of the oral mucosa: stomatitis, cracks in the tongue during childhood and thrush.
Perhaps its use in the treatment of dropsy, with various alkaloid poisoning and difficulty in emptying the bladder. 
From ancient times Vietnamese people valued artichoke tea for its useful properties, such as its ability to reduce inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines and the concomitant analgesic effect.
In cosmetology
The ability of artichoke juice to restore hair follicles has been known since the times of the ancient Greeks. He is able not only to treat the already formed alopecia, but even to completely cure the progressive form of this disease.
For the treatment of this ailment, it is recommended to rub the juice of these fruits into the hair roots and not to wash it off for several hours.
In addition, the mask with the use of the juice of this plant are actively used in cosmetology, because they have a significant rejuvenating effect. 
A similar mask can be made on the basis of white clay according to the following simple recipe: after mixing the clay with water, add a slurry of 20-25 ml of artichoke juice to it. The finished mask is recommended to be applied on the skin of the face for a short period.
Recipes of traditional medicine
For the treatment of atherosclerosis, artichoke extract is excellent as a choleretic agent. For its manufacture, you need to take 170-200 fruits of this plant and grind them with a meat grinder or blender.
Other ingredients can be added to the resulting product to enhance its properties, for example, 20 g of fruit sugar, 12 g of willow bark, 8 g of gentian, 7 g of fennel seeds and 20 g of dried peppermint.
Then everything should be thoroughly mixed, pour 40% alcohol and insist for 2 weeks in a dry place at a temperature of + 23-25 ° C. After this, the extract can be drained from the sediment and poured into a dark shade container for storage. 
The extract thus obtained is taken orally for 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, 1.5 hours after meals.
The tincture based on these fruits is prepared in the same way. Take 0.5 kg of dried artichoke leaves and fill them with 1 liter of 40% alcohol. Next, let it brew for 14 days in a dark and cool place, after which you will get a ready-to-eat product.
This tool is recommended to take 3 times a day, diluting before applying 100 ml of settled water.
Preparation of medicinal raw materials
For the manufacture of medicinal raw materials mainly use the leaves and inflorescences, some traditional healers also recommend collecting the roots of this plant, however, modern studies have proved the ineffectiveness of medicines made from them.
Peak harvest occurs in the spring season. 
The best period to collect the leaves is the flowering period, whereas inflorescences are recommended to be collected immediately after the flowers have blossomed. Artichokes can not lie unprepared for a long time, so it is recommended to start making preparations immediately after assembly, and the excess can be eaten.
Contraindications and harm
Artichoke contains a large amount of polyphenol, which stimulates the secretion and promotion of bile along the biliary tract. Therefore, it is recommended to use it with caution to persons who suffer from cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia and cholelithiasis.
It is undesirable to eat artichokes for people who do not tolerate vegetable fiber, especially its more mature forms, since its leaves contain a large amount of them.
However, young artichokes of small size do not have similar properties, and they can be safely consumed. 
In addition, this vegetable has the ability to reduce pressure, so people suffering from hypotension, it is recommended to refrain from the use of this product.
Persons suffering from various food allergies and idiosyncrasy of this product are strictly prohibited to use it as food.
We hope that this article has helped you find an answer to your questions about artichoke and its health benefits. Carefully read the list of contraindications to its use, before you decide to use the tools or eat a dish of it. Cheers and bon appetite!
