Gardeners told 'nutritious' vegetable is 'easiest to grow and doesn't need storage'

A gardening guru has shared the ultimate vegetable everyone should think about growing – particularly in the event of the apocalypse. Benedict Vanheems shared the golden nugget of advice on his GrowVeg podcast. He explained: "Jerusalem artichokes are one of the most prolific vegetables you can grow and they're one of the easiest, because unlike say potatoes, the tubers can stay in [the ground] all winter, to lift up as they are needed, at your convenience, with no special storage required.

" He touts the Jerusalem Artichoke as "pretty much bomb proof", suffering from scant diseases like blight and minimal pest invasions. Not only is this plant practical, but it's also been hailed as a traditional remedy for diabetes and boasts an aesthetic appeal when in bloom. "These guys can grow really, really tall, sort of 10ft or three metres plus, and they flower in profusion in the late summer so this makes them a really decorative plant in their own right," he adds.



Contrary to its name, the Jerusalem Artichoke hails from North America and bears no relation to the Middle East. By the mid-17th century, it had become a staple across Europe as a food source for humans and animals alike, thanks to its straightforward cultivation. Benedict, a big fan of the underappreciated vegetable, continued: "These humbly, knobbly tubers pack a seriously nutritious punch, having a slightly sweet, slightly nutty, unctuous umami taste.

Why they aren't more popular, I don't know." He also addressed the notorious side effect of Jerusalem Artichokes, which can lead to an embarrassing increase in flatulence. However, he suggests that cooking them with acidic liquids like lemon juice or vinegar can break down inulin – the culprit behind the gassy episodes.

Adding herbs such as fennel, dill, or ginger may aid digestion too. For those looking to further mitigate the wind-inducing effects, Benedict recommends fermentation, adding: "If you want to reduce its wind-inducing impacts still further, then try fermenting your tubers. Just slice up nicely clean tubers into thinnish slices, mix them with a little bit of chopped up salad onion and some garlic and ginger and some salt to create a kind of briny solution.

".