I'm an island girl from Honolulu and when I moved to San Francisco, I remember the first time I ate an artichoke. The thorny vegetable was not love at first sight but after dipping the leaves in melted butter, I was hooked.
Now I look forward to them every season and I prefer them simply steamed with a drizzle of olive oil and kosher salt.
Honestly until recently, I did not know if an artichoke had any nutritional value whatsoever, so I looked into it. It appears that there are many health benefits. I learned that the most powerful part of the plant medicinally is its leaves and clinical studies have shown artichokes have been proven to be a safe, non-toxic, natural way to prevent and treat high cholesterol. They are packed with antioxidants, making them incredible defenders against cancer, aging, heart disease, and illness. They also boost the immune system and lower cholesterol.
Wow, good to know that I now gain health benefits by eating artichokes!