Chicory

Chicory, also known as Cichorium intybus, is a plant that is grown for salad leaves, or for the roots. The roots are baked and ground and used as a coffee substitute and food additive. It is also grown for feeding livestock.

Chicory root extract is a dietary supplement and chicory is added to food. The root of the chicory plant has oils that are used to help the body get rid of intestinal worms and parasites. Chicory is used a lot in German folk medicine for gallstones, sinus problems and as a tonic.It contains inulin which helps with weight loss and the functioning of the bowels, in particular for constipation.

The use of chicory goes back to the ancient Egyptians and Romans. Medieval monks raised it and the Dutch added it to coffee. In the American civil war chicory was used by the Confederate troops and became a tradition in New Orleans. It was used a lot in the southwestern part of the United States. It has been used as a coffee substitute in American prisons.

In the culinary world the leaves are used for salads and the roots for a coffee substitute. Chicory greens can be boiled or sauteed and eaten for greens. A search of the internet will bring up dozens of recipes that use chicory. As for nutrition, the leaves contain more  nutrients than the roots, and they both contain inulin, vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium.

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Valerie Lull, Author
Ten Healthy Teas
Lullval@clearwire,net