March is National Nutrition Month and marks the beginning of spring. It’s also a time for wonderful family meals that celebrate holidays such as Easter. Artichokes are often included on the Easter dinner menu, but did you know that the delicious vegetable is also served at another holiday tradition called St. Joseph’s Table?

St. Joseph is a patron of fathers and families, and is one of the most beloved saints of Sicilians, Italians and Italian-Americans. The St. Joseph's Table tradition was brought to the United States by Sicilian immigrants who settled in Louisiana, Texas, California, Colorado and New York, and is held on or as close to March 19 as possible. The celebration thanks St. Joseph for protecting families during the course of the year with Artichokes! It’s also a tradition that invites families to experiment with Artichokes by trying new recipes like Italian Stuffed Artichoke.

In addition to the tradition of St. Joseph's Table, another thing to celebrate in March is health. March is National Nutrition Month and the perfect time to serve up healthy appetizers or side dishes of cooked Artichokes. Artichokes are high in fiber and are a good source of magnesium and folate. Artichokes are also an excellent source of powerful disease-fighting antioxidants like vitamin C. In fact, according a 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Artichokes were ranked the best antioxidant source among all fresh vegetables. What’s more, unlike other vegetables, the antioxidant levels in Artichokes actually increase when cooked, so try steaming or baking chokes to retain their high nutrient value.

No matter what you are celebrating this month, be sure to do it with Artichokes! For additional information on the health benefits of Artichokes, check out our online health and nutrition information. You can also find tasty recipes, as well as rate, review and submit your own family recipes, by visiting our online recipe database.