Artichoke Jerusalem
Sunchoke
Jerusalem artichokes are the edible roots of a plant related to the American sunflower. They store carbohydrates as inulin, a complex carbohydrate (starch) made of units of fruit sugar (fructose). Right after the Jerusalem artichoke is dug up, it tastes bland and starchy. After it has been stored for a while, the starches turn to sugars, so the artichoke tastes sweet. Jerusalem artichokes are high in fiber with the B vitamin folate, vitamin C, and iron.
One-half cup raw sliced Jerusalem artichoke has one gram dietary fiber, 10 mcg folate (2.5 percent of the adult RDA), 3 mcg vitamin C (4 percent of the RDA for a woman, 3 percent of the RDA for a man), and 2.5 mg iron (14 percent of the RDA for a woman, 32 percent of the RDA for a man).
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Sliced and served raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable side dish.
Low-sodium diet
Look for: Firm clean roots with no soft or bruised patches.
Refrigerate Jerusalem artichokes in plastic bags, covered containers or the vegetable crisper to protect their moisture and keep them fresh.
When you slice a Jerusalem artichoke, you tear cell walls, releasing polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that converts phenols to brown compounds that darken the flesh. You can slow the reaction (but not stop it completely) by painting the cut surface with a solution of lemon juice or vinegar and water.
In cooking, the starch granules in the Jerusalem artichoke absorb water, swell, and eventually rupture, softening the root and releasing the nutrients inside.
Some people are unable to properly digest inulin, the carbohydrate in the Jerusalem artichoke. For them, eating this tuber raw may cause painful gas. Cooking breaks down inulin and improves digestibility.
