Leaves of the Earth-apple, Jerusalem-artichoke, Sunnroot, Sunchoke or Topinambour -Helianthus tuberosus - in summer in the bed of a vegetable garden,

The tubers are popular with diabetics because they consist of 16% carbohydrates in the form of the polysaccharide inulin.Jerusalem artichokes have been used in the diet since 1922 to flank the treatment of diabetes.Inulin, the long-chain sugar substance, cannot be digested because the enzymes required for this are not present, and therefore acts as a dietary fiber in the intestine. Fermentation only occurs in the large intestine, but this can also lead to flatulence. If inulin is regularly consumed with food, it lowers blood lipid levels and promotes the presence of bifidobacteria.