Artichoke Nutrition Calculator — Calories & Nutrition per Serving

Raw globe artichoke (FDC 169205) delivers 5.4g dietary fiber per 100g (19% DV) — one of the highest fiber concentrations among common vegetables. Only parsnip (4.9g) comes close among non-legume vegetables. Cooked artichoke concentrates further: boiled artichoke has 8.6g fiber per 100g due to water loss during cooking ^[1].

One medium artichoke (~128g) provides approximately 6.9g fiber (25% DV) at just 60 calories. A single artichoke heart (~30g) provides about 1.6g fiber at 14 calories. The fiber in artichoke includes a significant proportion of inulin — a prebiotic soluble fiber that differs from the cellulose-type fiber found in most other vegetables ^[2].

Protein: 3.27g per 100g (7% DV) — higher than most vegetables. Asparagus (2.2g), broccoli (2.8g), and kale (2.9g) are the nearest comparisons. This means artichoke derives roughly 28% of its calories from protein — a high ratio that makes it useful for calorie-efficient protein logging ^[1].

A substantial portion of artichoke's fiber consists of inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) — prebiotic fibers that are fermented by gut bacteria rather than digested by human enzymes. Artichoke is one of the richest dietary sources of inulin, containing an estimated 3-10g per 100g depending on variety and maturity ^[3].

Unlike cellulose (insoluble fiber from most vegetables), inulin is water-soluble and fully fermentable. It reaches the colon intact where it serves as a substrate for beneficial bacteria, particularly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species. This is what distinguishes artichoke fiber from the fiber in lettuce, celery, or broccoli ^[2].

For nutrition logging: the standard USDA fiber value (5.4g per 100g) captures total dietary fiber including inulin. However, inulin's caloric contribution is lower than typical fiber (approximately 1.5-2 kcal/g vs. 2-4 kcal/g for other fibers), which means artichoke's actual available calories may be slightly lower than the listed 47 kcal ^[3].

Fresh globe artichoke (47 kcal/100g): The baseline. 94mg sodium, 5.4g fiber, 3.27g protein, 370mg potassium. Most nutritious option but requires cooking and preparation time. Only the heart and inner leaf bases are edible — outer leaves are discarded after scraping ^[1].

Canned artichoke hearts (33 kcal/100g): Lower calories (water-packed), but sodium jumps to 424mg per 100g — a 4.5x increase from fresh. Fiber (4.3g) and protein (2.5g) are modestly reduced. Rinsing canned hearts under water reduces sodium by approximately 30-40%. The convenience factor makes canned hearts the most commonly consumed form ^[1].

Marinated artichoke hearts (190 kcal/100g): Calories jump 4x due to oil — 17.5g fat per 100g (vs. 0.15g for fresh). Sodium is highest at 530mg. Fiber drops to 3.5g and protein to 1.5g. The oil does increase vitamin E availability. For calorie or sodium tracking, marinated hearts require close attention to portion size ^[4].

Artichoke's mineral profile is notably strong: Magnesium: 60mg per 100g (14% DV) — second only to spinach (79mg, though partially bound by oxalates) among common vegetables, and nearly 3x broccoli (21mg). Potassium: 370mg (8% DV) — comparable to banana's 358mg but at roughly half the calories ^[1].

Phosphorus: 90mg (7% DV) and iron: 1.28mg (7% DV) contribute to a well-rounded mineral profile. Folate: 68mcg (17% DV) makes artichoke one of the better vegetable sources — more than carrot (19mcg) and comparable to broccoli (63mcg) and asparagus (52mcg) ^[1].

One medium steamed artichoke (~128g) delivers approximately 77mg magnesium (18% DV), 474mg potassium (10% DV), 115mg phosphorus (9% DV), and 87mcg folate (22% DV) — a meaningful mineral contribution from a single vegetable serving at around 60-64 calories ^[2].

A whole globe artichoke produces significant waste: only approximately 40-50% of the total weight is edible (the heart, inner leaf bases, and stem). A medium artichoke weighing 128g before trimming yields roughly 50-65g of edible portion. The outer leaves, choke (the fuzzy center), and leaf tips are discarded ^[1].

This matters for nutrition logging: if you eat one medium artichoke, you're consuming approximately 50-65g of the edible portion — delivering about 24-31 kcal, 1.6-2.1g protein, and 2.7-3.5g fiber. The USDA's per-100g values assume edible portion only, so using the whole artichoke weight would overestimate nutrient intake ^[1].

Artichoke hearts (canned or jarred) eliminate this calculation entirely — they are 100% edible. One heart (~30g) provides approximately 14 kcal, 1.0g protein, and 1.6g fiber for the fresh variety. Buying hearts is more practical for consistent nutrition tracking than calculating the edible fraction of whole artichokes ^[4].