Artichoke originated in the Mediterranean countries and was a popular delicacy at Roman feasts. It is now grown in many hot areas and is an important crop in parts of California. A good artichoke will have a nice color, well closed centre leaves and be without bruises or blemishes.

The base should be without any tendency to woodiness. Artichoke is often eaten raw as well as cooked, but cooking artichokes in an aluminum pot causes discoloration and blackening. Like other plants in the thistle family, to which it belong, the artichoke contains some therapeutically valuable oils which have a strong stabilizing effect on the human metabolism.

It is used to aid liver complaints and is also a very important diuretic for those suffering from the retention of water. In some parts artichoke forms the basis for several drinks which are fortified with alcohol. You can try one yourself with by juicing 20z (50g) of the artichoke leaves and adding both artichoke juice and the residual pulp to a bottle of white wine.

Leave for a week, strain into a clean bottle and it is ready for use. A wine glassful each day is the normal amount to take. This is a useful recipe because artichokes are not always available and there are great price fluctuations. With wine you can take the juice whenever you wish.

This is called 'artichoke elixir' in the therapeutic index. Artichoke juice is not normally taken alone, but is mixed with others and, where its use is suggested, it can be fresh, frozen or with wine. Artichoke extract is not a very good source of vitamin C, but is rich in calcium.