Know2eat

Cardoon

Cynara cardunculus var. altilis

What cardoon has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About cardoon

The same species as the globe artichoke, grown for its thick celery-like leaf stalks rather than its flower buds. The stalks are blanched to reduce bitterness and need long cooking.

Also known as Cardone, Artichoke thistle, Cardo, Chardon

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Cardoon is routinely credited with the cholesterol findings from artichoke leaf extract because the two are the same species. The extract research used leaves prepared and dosed in a specific way, and no trial has tested cardoon stalks against any lipid outcome.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Cardoon

Ask about Cardoon

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories17 kcal1%
Protein0.7 g1%
Total fat0.1 g0%
Carbohydrate4.07 g1%
Fibre1.6 g6%
Water94 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.011 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.018 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.041 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.041 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C2 mg2%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.02 mg2%
Riboflavin (B2)0.03 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.3 mg2%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.338 mg7%
Vitamin B60.116 mg7%
Folate68 µg17%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium70 mg5%
Iron0.7 mg4%
Magnesium42 mg10%
Phosphorus23 mg2%
Potassium400 mg9%
Sodium170 mg7%
Zinc0.17 mg2%
Copper0.231 mg26%
Manganese0.256 mg11%
Selenium0.2 µg0%
Other measured compounds
Ash1.13 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Cardoon, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169981).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Fructans and irritable bowel syndrome

    Cardoon carries the same fructans as its close relative the globe artichoke, and portions of stalk are large. Bloating and wind are the usual complaint in people sensitive to fermentable carbohydrate.

  • Allergy

    Daisy-family sensitisation

    Cardoon is a thistle. People strongly sensitised to the Asteraceae family occasionally report reactions, and handling the spiny stalks causes mechanical irritation regardless.

  • Worth knowing

    Requires long preparation

    The stalks are stringy and bitter unless peeled, held in acidulated water and simmered for a long time. Raw cardoon is not palatable, and the USDA record here is for the raw stalk.