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Nutritional Information: Artichoke

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How to Store Artichokes

How to Buy Artichokes

You can by whole artichokes or just the heart or bottom of the artichoke.

How to Buy Whole Artichokes

Whole artichokes are sold fresh. They may be sold with the stem still attached, or the stem may have already been broken off. When buying whole artichokes, choose ones that:

Are compact and heavy for their size
Have crisp, tightly packed, bright green leaves

The size of the artichoke varies by variety and is no indication of the vegetable’s quality.

What to Avoid When Buying Whole Artichokes

There are two signs to look for and avoid when buying whole artichokes:

Discolored or brown-tipped leaves are a sign that an artichoke lacks freshness and is likely to have a pungent flavor.
Loosely spread leaves are a sign of overripeness. Overripe artichokes have a large choke and tend to be tough.

How to Buy Artichoke Hearts

The heart, or bottom, of the artichoke is sold on its own, canned or frozen. To make things a little confusing, artichokes may be sold in this way under the name “artichoke hearts” or as “artichoke bottoms.” The two products are slightly different:

Artichoke hearts: Sold frozen or in vinaigrette, artichoke hearts are the upper portion of the larger artichoke bottom. The hearts sold in this way also usually have some leaves attached.
Artichoke bottoms: Canned and preserved in salted or unsalted water or in vinegar and sold ready-to-eat, artichoke bottoms are larger than artichoke hearts and (a little confusingly) are often described as containing more actual “artichoke heart” since the bottoms have more of the artichoke’s flesh and don’t have leaves attached.