Jerusalem artichoke uses

What is Jerusalem artichoke used for?

Jerusalem artichoke uses

This plant closely related to the sunflower is grown in gardens for its edible tuber, although it also has other applications.

Human food: tubers are an excellent winter food. These are rich in inulin, a very healthy type of dietary fiber in slimming diets and especially for people with diabetes.

The tuber is generally consumed boiled, in culinary preparations similar to those of potatoes. If it is harvested in winter, preferably after it has frosted, it has a sweet and pleasant taste, and is eaten as a radish, raw in salads.

*More information about Jerusalem artichoke in food in the following list.

Animal fodder: the leaves and also the tubers are an excellent feed for animals, such as pigs and cattle. In some Latin American countries it has received the name of “papa chanchera“, for its use as food for pigs. (Chanchero in Spanish means person who takes care of pigs).
Coffee substitute: the roasted tubers are used to prepare a substitute drink for coffee, without caffeine.
Sweetener: due to its high inulin content, it is an industrial source to produce fructose and sweeteners.
Medicinal: the tuber is used in phytotherapy. It has a laxative, cholagogue, and stomach tonic effect. It is a popular remedy for diabetes and rheumatism.

*More information about the medicinal properties of the Jerusalem Artichoke in the list below.

Biomass: the entire plant is usable as an energy source. The tubers are used in industry for the production of ethanol, of better quality than that produced from sugar beets. These are used in perfumery, for industrial alcohols and fuel.
Industrial uses for the extraction of inulin: the tubers have a high content of inulin, between 16 – 20% of the fresh weight of the tuber, being one of the richest natural sources of this type of fiber.

Industry uses inulin to produce sweeteners and additives. Due to the properties of inulin, it is used to replace fat in light foods, as it simulates their thick texture and improves the palatability of these products. An example of its use is found in some low-fat yogurts, since in Germany, approximately 70% of yogurts contain inulin.