These babies are sunchokes. Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, which is a curious name for them, as they are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem. In fact, they are the tubers from a type of sunflower, and they were first cultivated by native North Americans, long before Europeans arrived on the continent. You are starting to like them already, aren't you? Good! But let's not stop there. Here are more things to like about them:
- They contain a good amount of protein, no fat, and surprisingly little starch.
- They have a mildly sweet flavor from fructose, so they are a better choice for people with type 2 diabetes than grains or other starchy vegetables.
- They are a good source of many important nutrients, including potassium, iron, fiber, niacin, thiamine, phosphorus and copper. Not to mention loads of fiber!
- They are a great plant to place in your garden: easy to grow and super pretty!
- Finally...
