Jerusalem artichoke appears in Aajonus's framework specifically in the context of raw starch juicing. It is positioned alongside yam as one of the acceptable raw starches that can be consumed in juice form. Within the Primal Diet, the emphasis on jerusalem artichoke is narrow but specific: it is a starch source that is taken as a juice rather than cooked, making it distinct from most starches, which Aajonus generally associated with cooking and digestive burden. Its role is as a raw carbohydrate source, used in juice form, and it is explicitly discussed in relationship to fat pairing, a non-negotiable element of how Aajonus approached all carbohydrate-containing foods.
Overview
Jerusalem artichoke appears in Aajonus's framework specifically in the context of raw starch juicing. It is positioned alongside yam as one of the acceptable raw starches that can be consumed in juice form. Within the Primal Diet, the emphasis on jerusalem artichoke is narrow but specific: it is a starch source that is taken as a juice rather than cooked, making it distinct from most starches, which Aajonus generally associated with cooking and digestive burden. Its role is as a raw carbohydrate source, used in juice form, and it is explicitly discussed in relationship to fat pairing, a non-negotiable element of how Aajonus approached all carbohydrate-containing foods.
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Required Pairing
This is the most detailed and specific guidance Aajonus gave regarding jerusalem artichoke. He was explicit that jerusalem artichoke juice must be consumed in conjunction with some kind of fat. He stated directly:
"And jerusalem artichoke juice. Yes. And in conjunction with some kind of a fat. You could have cheese when you have the juice or you could have cream in it."
Aajonus Vonderplanitz
Two specific fat options are named:
1. Cheese, consumed alongside the jerusalem artichoke juice as a fat buffer 2. Cream, blended or combined directly into the juice
This pairing is not presented as optional or preferential. It is framed within the same context as all raw carbohydrate/juice protocols on the Primal Diet, where fat accompaniment is required to buffer the sugars, slow absorption, and prevent an undesirable glycemic or digestive response.
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Contraindications
- i
While Aajonus does not give an extensive list of contraindications specific to jerusalem artichoke in these passages, there is an implied contraindication embedded in the discussion of cooked forms and pasta preparation. In a separate but related exchange about pasta and starches, Aajonus states clearly:
- ii
> "No spinach, no... carrot, no artichoke. None of that."
- iii
This refers specifically to pasta made with artichoke added as an ingredient, meaning that artichoke (including presumably jerusalem artichoke) added to cooked pasta preparations is not acceptable. The acceptable form, by contrast, is the raw juice. This draws a clear boundary: cooked or processed artichoke incorporated into other cooked food preparations is to be avoided, while raw juice is the sanctioned delivery method.
- iv
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Culinary Applications
Jerusalem artichoke is discussed exclusively in the context of juicing. It is not described as a food to be eaten whole or raw in solid form in these passages. The preparation method is juice, run through a juicer, and then combined with either cream or cheese. No specific recipe with precise measurements is given in the available source passages for jerusalem artichoke juice specifically, but the pattern mirrors Aajonus's standard juice-with-fat protocol applied across other vegetable and starch juices on the diet.
The discussion arises in the context of a broader conversation about yam juice and raw starches, where jerusalem artichoke juice is offered as a parallel alternative:
"So that's about the only starch not to cook is the yam. Sally: So I would have that raw or in juice? Aajonus: In juice., And jerusalem artichoke juice. Aajonus: Yes. And in conjunction with some kind of a fat. You could have cheese when you have the juice or you could have cream in it."
Aajonus Vonderplanitz
This confirms that yam and jerusalem artichoke occupy the same categorical position in Aajonus's thinking: they are the starches that do not require cooking and that are beneficially consumed in their raw, juiced form.
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