Jerusalem artichoke
Helianthus tuberosus
英俗名:sunchoke or Sunroot
日本語: キクイモ
菊科Asteraceae
向日葵屬Helianthus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke
摘錄
The tubers store the carbohydrate inulin (not to be confused with insulin) instead of starch. For this reason, Jerusalem artichoke tubers are an important source of fructose for industry.[citation needed] The crop yields are high, typically 16–20 tonnes/ha for tubers, and 18–28 tonnes/ha green weight for foliage. Jerusalem artichoke also has a great deal of unused potential as a producer of ethanol fuel, using inulin-adapted strains of yeast for fermentation.[2]
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The tubers have a consistency much like potatoes, and in their raw form have a similar texture to potatoes, but a sweeter, nuttier flavor; raw and sliced thinly, they are fit for a salad. The carbohydrates give the tubers a tendency to become soft and mushy if boiled, but they retain their texture better when steamed. The inulin is not well digested by some people, leading in some cases to flatulence and gastric pain. Gerard's Herbal, printed in 1621, quotes the English planter John Goodyer on Jerusalem artichokes:
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E6%B4%8B%E5%A7%9C
菊芋（學名：Helianthus tuberosus），也稱洋薑、鬼子薑，是一種菊科向日葵屬宿根性草本植物。原產北美洲，十七世紀傳入歐洲，後傳入中國。
秋季開花，長有黃色的小盤花，但結籽率低，長江以南可形成種子，生產上一般用塊莖繁殖。其地下塊莖富含澱粉、菊糖，可以食用，也可鹽漬，或製取澱粉和酒精原料。地上莖也可加工作飼料。菊芋被聯合國糧農組織官員稱為「21世紀人畜共用作物」。
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/File:Sunroot_growing.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sunroot_top.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sunroot_flowers.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JlmartichokeS.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rossler1.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... erosus.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... erosus.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... lowers.jpg
菊糖Inulin
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E8%8F%8A%E7%B3%96
菊糖（Inulin），也叫菊粉，一種果聚糖，由果糖分子聚合而成，(請勿與甜菊糖苷混淆)多含在菊科和桔梗科植物的細胞中（如洋姜）。
醫學作用：菊糖清除率，由於菊糖進入血流後既不分解，又不與蛋白結合，腎小球濾過為唯一排泄途徑，所以可把菊糖注射入人體，觀察菊糖清除率以確定腎功能。