1.0WholeHealth Chicagohttps://wholehealthchicago.com/blogwholehealthchicagohttps://wholehealthchicago.com/blog/author/wholehealthchicagorich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="q0du5x78ib"><a href="https://wholehealthchicago.com/blog/2010/02/14/artichoke-leaf">Artichoke Leaf</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://wholehealthchicago.com/blog/2010/02/14/artichoke-leaf/embed#?secret=q0du5x78ib" width="600" height="338" title="“Artichoke Leaf” — WholeHealth Chicago" data-secret="q0du5x78ib" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://wholehealthchicago.com/blog/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> This grand perennial with its purplish flower head is native to southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Canary Islands. In the days of ancient Rome and Greece, Europeans began to cultivate artichoke as well. It is now grown commercially in North Africa. Although the flesh of the spike-tipped petals, called "bracts," and the heart of the flower head are eaten as a delicacy, it is the plant's large, lobed leaves and their extracts that are used medicinally.