Artichokes: What are the contraindications of eating a lot of artichokes?
We could say that the artichoke is one of the most consumed vegetables in diets to lose weight . And it is not for less. This food has a large amount of water and a high percentage of fiber, which are responsible for this plant having a great satiating effect . But, despite all the benefits that it can bring to our body, we must be very careful with its excessive consumption since, instead of benefiting us, it could cause counterproductive effects in our body, as we will see below.
Artichoke benefits
Before getting fully into explaining its contraindications, we would like to highlight all the good things that the artichoke can offer you. As we have mentioned, this vegetable is great for purifying the body as it has a great diuretic effect, it is rich in fiber , it has very few calories, it is very satiating, it only has 1% fat, it improves intestinal transit and it is perfect to end liquid retention.
In addition to having all these benefits, this plant is high in vitamins A, B, C and E and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Also add that you can eat both its stem and its leaves , it is very easy to cook and very versatile since you can include it in all kinds of recipes. But yes, we recommend that you avoid eating it at night before going to sleep.
Who can not eat artichokes?
In general, the artichoke is a food that can be consumed by anyone, although its consumption is not recommended for people with digestive problems or who have the following pathologies:
- People who are following a low-FODMAP diet
- People with intestinal dysbiosis, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, or leaky gut
- People with stones in the gallbladder because it would increase the production of bile
- People who are taking medications to lower blood pressure
- Children under three years of age because it could cause indigestion
In addition, there are also some special cases to highlight. For example, those people who have a tendency to have kidney stones should carry out a responsible consumption of this food. We do not mean that they radically eliminate it from their diet, but we do mean that they consume it in moderation. Pregnant women can eat them without problems, although they should stop consuming them while breastfeeding as this vegetable can reduce the production of breast milk .
Contraindications of eating a lot of artichokes
If you do not suffer from any of the aforementioned pathologies, you can have a moderate consumption of artichokes in your diet but always keep in mind that you should not abuse them . It is advisable to consume a portion of artichokes two or three times a week , whether they are boiled, steamed, baked, in an omelette, etc. The ideal would be to have a varied diet and consume a little of everything. For example, other foods with benefits similar to those of artichokes are spinach or zucchini, so you could combine them in your meals.
The bad thing about eating a lot of artichokes is that they have a lot of fiber and an excess of fiber in our body makes digestion slower and much heavier . As a consequence, your belly will swell a lot, you will have a lot of flatulence and gases and even stomach pains. In addition, you will also go to the bathroom many more times due to its diuretic effect , therefore, we do not recommend that you eat them during dinner because between the gases that it can produce and having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, you will to have a bad break .
