# What does Heart of Palm taste like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021 "2011-06-01T23:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/1 "2011-06-01T23:49:40Z")
I saw a jar of it in the market. I was curious and wanted to try it, but it was expensive. Does it taste like artichoke hearts? Is it sweet, sour, salty? It was in a jar in some kind of liquid, I can’t remember if it was water or oil. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/2 "2011-06-02T00:33:41Z")
It will vary somewhat depending on what it’s canned/jarred in, but I’d say yes, it is somewhat similar to artichoke hearts, but more bland. Has fiber though. There is some concern about depletion of wild species, as harvesting most species kills the palm (there are some exceptions). ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/3 "2011-06-02T01:31:43Z")
They’re tasty in a salad but definitely not moreso than artichokes. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/4 "2011-06-02T01:38:00Z")
It’s gotta be better than the Heart of Palin, which is what I thought the title read at first glance. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/5 "2011-06-02T03:18:36Z")
They’re canned with citric acid, so that gives them a bit of sourness. But they also have a touch of their own, as well as a touch of spiciness, something like celery but less intense. You’ll encounter spears that are quite fibrous, but most of them are tender. I forget where I first had them, but I took a liking to them instantly. Palm hearts (when I can afford them) and artichoke hearts are my two favorite things to add to salads. Definitely try them. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/6 "2011-06-02T03:19:34Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > It’s gotta be better than the Heart of Palin, which is what I thought the title read at first glance. Same here. Cold and bitter. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/7 "2011-06-02T04:14:36Z")
It tastes like Heart of Chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/8 "2011-06-02T04:29:11Z")
They are usually packed in water. The texture is somewhat like asparagus and the flavour is much milder than an artichoke heart. I don’t seek them out, but I do like them when I find them in a fancy salad in an upscale buffet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/9 "2011-06-02T05:34:42Z")
Quite a bit like human hearts. Match it with Chanti. Reminds me of an office Christmas party once where one of the messengers was eating one and asked me what it was. I told him and he did a hilarious “spit take” disgorging it from his gob. Considering the receptionist he was pleasuring (who was in turn pleasuring all the other messengers) I thought he was being suddenly quite particular and fastidious about what he put in his mouth. But there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/10 "2011-06-02T06:32:39Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > It tastes like Heart of Chicken. You beat me to it, dammit! > [@Implicit](#): > > They are usually packed in water. **The texture is somewhat like asparagus and the flavour is much milder than an artichoke heart.** I don’t seek them out, but I do like them when I find them in a fancy salad in an upscale buffet. ( **Bolding** is mine) I honestly think this is a very good description. If you like the flavor of artichoke hearts I think you will enjoy it. When I use them I generally chop them up and put them in a salad. They add some crunch with some rich flavor so they don’t really need much done with to them. ETA: I would stick with the types packed in water. I would think being packed in oil would make it really yucky. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/11 "2011-06-02T06:38:37Z")
It’s neutral when canned with sodas and water. But I have also had it slightly pickled. Cabbagey and rather less offensive than cabbage. Could make a mean kimchee heart of palm with the propper vetting. The heat and sour might be its only worthwhile character done kimchee stylee, otherwise it is like the scallop of the vegetable world. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/12 "2011-06-02T10:37:04Z")
Did anybody else read the Thread Tile as “Heart Of Palin”? I was thinking–“Political divisiveness has gone too far”. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/13 "2011-06-02T10:48:55Z")
They are good sliced and tossed with Italian dressing and eaten alone. I’ve never found them to have much strong flavor, but that is possibly due to my not having had any decent ones. I like the texture mostly. ---
**Author:** ![vdgg81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@vdgg81](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vdgg81)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-heart-of-palm-taste-like/584021/14 "2011-06-04T08:03:31Z")
I eat them often. Personally, I prefer to just eat them with olive oil and salt, but they do go well in salads and several other things. They’re traditionally paired with chicken and olives and tomatoes as a stuffing to small light savory pies in Brazil.