Jerusalem Artichokes Cause Gas – 400 Year Old Warning Ign…

A gardener discovered why Jerusalem artichokes cause gas after eating multiple servings in one day. He later found a 400-year-old warning that could have saved him hours of digestive distress.

Jerusalem Artichokes Cause Gas: The Backstory

Last year, this gardener planted several Jerusalem artichokes in his raised garden bed. He read they were maintenance-free and produced tasty tubers that could be eaten raw or cooked.

The information was accurate. The plants required no watering, weeding, or mulching. Eventually, the bushes grew to 6 feet in diameter and 12 feet tall.

Moreover, the plants produced pretty sunflowers and approximately 10 pounds of tubers. Initially, he planned to replant most of them near his greenhouse.

The Jerusalem Artichokes Gas Incident

However, he decided to eat a few tubers first. For lunch, he sliced them thin on a salad. The taste was crispy, nutty, and lightly sweet.

For dinner, he oven-roasted them with shallots, garlic, butter, herbs, salt, and pepper. The result was nutty, lightly sweet, with a potato-like texture. He found them extra delicious.

Then the gas began. He experienced hours of loud, voluminous farts. Consequently, he researched the phenomenon on Wikipedia.

At the bottom of the article, he found a quote from John Gerard circa 1621. Gerard warned that Jerusalem artichokes “stir and cause a filthy loathsome stinking wind within the body.” Furthermore, Gerard noted they cause “the belly to be pained and tormented” and are “meat more fit for swine than men.”

What Reddit Said

Most people found the 400-year-old warning hilarious. However, many shared their own Jerusalem artichoke horror stories. One commenter’s neighbor discovered that soaking the tubers in brine for several days reduces the gas-producing effects.

Some pointed out that the gas comes from inulin, a carbohydrate that humans cannot easily digest. In addition, several users suggested that gradual consumption helps build tolerance.

A few commenters asked whether the experience involved actual pain or just gas. One person admitted they might not mind the gas in exchange for free, tasty tubers when home alone.

The Verdict

Overall verdict: The gardener learned a valuable lesson about researching food before consumption. Sometimes the old warnings exist for good reasons. Nevertheless, he plans to keep growing Jerusalem artichokes but will stick to admiring the flowers. For more stories about unexpected consequences, check out our TIFU stories and gardening fails.

From r/tifu (2,357 upvotes)