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Artichoke - Spanish Nutrition Foundation. 

The scientific name is Cynara scolymus L. or also Cynara cardunculus variety scolymus (L.). This plant (or the thistles from which it comes) could be originally from Egypt or North Africa. The plant called Cynara was already known to the Greeks and Romans. It seems to have been given aphrodisiac powers and takes its name from a girl seduced by Zeus, and then transformed by him into an artichoke.

The artichoke is the fruit of the artichoke, a perennial plant up to 2 meters high, with very lobed leaves, without thorns (unlike thistles, of the same family), pale green and with whitish threads on the underside.

It is a source of nutrients and non-nutritive substances such as proteins, fiber, phosphorus, potassium, sterols and cynarin. After water, the major component of artichokes are carbohydrates, among which inulin and fiber stand out. The main minerals are potassium and phosphorus. Potassium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and muscles. In the case of phosphorus, it contributes to the maintenance of bones and teeth in normal conditions. It is a food with very few calories (44 kcal/100 g artichokes). One serving of artichokes covers 20% of the recommended intake of phosphorus for the study population.

However, the most remarkable of its composition are a series of substances found in small quantities (sterols and cynarin), but with remarkable positive physiological effects.