Sunchokes at the Co-op

by Jaimie Jusczyk Digital Marketing Specialist

Sunchokes are available at the Concord Food Co-op!



Sunchokes at the Concord Food Co-op

Sunchokes are a type of sunflower with a bright yellow flower and can grow to 9 ft tall. They are native to New England and can even become invasive if not tended to.

You may know them as Jerusalem Artichokes or Sunroot, but whatever you call these knobby little carbohydrates, introduce them into your diet slowly to avoid any unwanted side effects as the human digestive system can not break down the inulin and it will be metabolized by bacteria in the colon.

Not sure how best to enjoy them? Watch the video below as Shawn, the Co-op's Produce Manager and James from Generation Farm share how they like to enjoy these sweet nutty flavored tubers.



Like James suggested, steaming sunchokes is the best way to enjoy them cooked. If you boil them they will not hold their shape and will turn to mush. Preparing them amongst other root vegetables is a great way to enjoy their flavor without over doing your inulin intake.

Why do we want to eat sunchokes? Sunchokes contain more than three times the amount of iron than a serving of broccoli. The sunchoke is also a great choice for diabetics due to the high levels of inulin that may help regulate blood sugar levels. Sunchokes are also used to help boost the  immune system and remove toxins from the body.

Local and organic, the Co-op is receiving sunchokes from Generation Farm in Concord, NH. They may not be the most popular vegetable so why not try something new and out of the box this week! Share in the comments how you prepared and enjoyed them! Stop by the Concord store and try some.