Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Artichokes

The little spiny green vegetables you pass by in the supermarket may not be as pretty as carrots or your run-of-the-mill potatoes but they are delicious and more importantly, artichokes are good for your health. While we often only eat the heart or dip the end of each spiny leaf in melted butter and suck the small piece of white flesh from it, we disregard the leaves as a non-viable part of the vegetable. However the leaves, it seems, are pretty important. The leaves found at the stem of the artichoke plant itself become artichoke leaf extract and are an important part of keeping your cholesterol levels safe among other things.

Plucked from the stem of the Cynara Scolymus or globe artichoke plant, artichoke leaves and their powerful extract also known as ALE, has a variety of uses against bodily ailments. For years in herbal medicinal practices ALE has been used to help the liver cleanse itself by keeping the bile circulating efficiently, but it can also aid in many more internal issues. ALE is a strong antioxidant and a great addition to any daily regimen, and can be used as a way to detoxify your body and rejuvenate your diet.

As an anti-inflammatory, artichoke leaf extract helps against bloating as well as gastrointestinal disorders, abdominal pain, digestive problems, gas, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and acid reflux disease. ALE can also help keep your gallbladder in good working order as it always working with the liver inside the body to keep bile production strong.

In relation to the idea that ALE keeps your cholesterol levels in check, researchers at the University of Reading in England in 2008 found that ALE positively lowers plasma (or bad) cholesterol levels. Seventy-five volunteers took either a placebo pill or an ALE pill for the total research period of twelve weeks with significant results. Cholesterol is only a concern once it reaches abnormally high levels and then drugs are usually given to patients to help reduce the danger. Usually the type of drugs given are called statins, but there are some common and potentially dangerous side effects like liver damage, rashes, memory loss, and muscle pain associated with these drugs. Professionals say it is a matter of weighing the pros and cons and whether or not the cholesterol-lowering pills are worth the possible side effects. With ALE, the doctors found that the levels of cholesterol can be stabilized before they reach sky-high and reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack. ALE has little side effects except that some people taking it for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) experienced an influx of gas, others also have allergic reactions to it—people who are allergic to daisies should not take artichoke leaf extract because they are in the same family—and if you have gallstones, ALE could worsen them.

The UK has been a big supporter of artichoke leaf extract in treating urinary tract infections and resolving digestive pain. One of the doctors of the study, Dr. Rafe Bundy, says that lowering the cholesterol levels can, “Reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Our research investigated whether ALE could be beneficial to otherwise healthy people who had raised levels of cholesterol but were not yet at a stage where they needed standard medical intervention.” Bundy goes on to say that ALE is an additional natural option to following a healthy diet.

ALE is available over the counter at your local pharmacy or health food store. Next time you are perusing the aisles and you see an artichoke, think about putting one in your basket.