Elizabethan folklore noted that the artichoke was created when a beautiful woman angered the gods, who then turned her into a thistle. One of the oldest known, cultivated plants, artichoke, related to the thistle, was used as early as the 4th century B.C.E. as both food and medicine.

A pupil of Aristotle was the first to provide a detailed description of it. Pliny said that it was more esteemed than any other herb in ancient Rome. So costly that it could be afforded by only the aristocracy, artichoke was used extensively by the Romans for digestion and healthy liver function. But that’s not all. Considered a powerful aphrodisiac, available only to men, it was considered scandalous for women to partake. That didn’t stop Catherine de Medici, however, who may have introduced the artichoke to France when at 14 she married Henry II. In defiance of protocol, she openly ate them in large quantities.

While Goethe eschewed this unusual vegetable, complaining that only the peasants ate thistle, the French raised artichoke to the gourmet status. But it was discovered in France that it wasn’t just the parts that reached the dining table that were significant. A French doctor successfully used artichoke leaf when drugs failed to cure a child of jaundice. This inspired researchers to uncover the benefits of its leaves, which contain a generous amount of certain vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron and potassium.

Artichoke is truly a no-fat, high-fiber food. Although relatively bland, it leaves a sweet taste in the mouth, which affects food eaten with or after it. Once it was introduced in California, it took a long time before it became commonplace. That may have changed, however, after Marilyn Monroe was named the first artichoke queen.

It has been found that artichoke leaves, or bracts as they are correctly called, contain the highest concentration of active properties, beneficial for a wide variety of ailments. In the past, artichoke was purported to be an effective deodorizer and breath freshener, as well as cosmetic. However, its benefits extend beyond the realm of hygiene. It promotes bile function to cleanse the liver and gall bladder and inhibits the internal production of cholesterol. In addition to supporting digestion and liver functions, artichoke also is a powerful antioxidant and blood cleanser and may help to relieve irritable bowel syndrome. Some other possible benefits: