Chicory coffee has been available for over two centuries, but its popularity has emerged in current years.
This hot drink resembles coffee but is not made with coffee beans instead, it is made with roasted chicory roots.
It is great for people who are trying to low down the amount of caffeine they are consuming. It also has other health benefits like low inflammation, reduced blood sugar, and an enhanced digestive system.
But, with benefits, there are some side effects of chicory coffee.
You will get to know more as you read this article.
What is Chicory?
The drink chicory coffee is made with the help of chicory plants roots. They are roasted, ground, and brewed like coffee.
Chicory is from a Dandelion family and is a flowering plant. It has a tough stem and is hairy, has light purple petals, and these petals are used to make salads.
The taste of chicory coffee will remind you of coffee but, it also has some other flavors, which can be described as nutty or woody.
If you choose, you can use chicory solo, or you can mix it with coffee.
The history of chicory coffee is a little unclear. It is believed that in the 1800s in France. They had a large coffee shortage, and that is when chicory started to be used as a beverage instead of regular coffee.
Due to this scarcity, people started using chicory in their coffees to fill in the need.
After some years, during the civil war, this drink became popular in Orleans, when they too had a shortage because Union Naval blockade one of the ports, which provided coffee.
And now, chicory coffee is popular with people trying to avoid caffeine intake. And now it is used in many homes around the world.
Nutrients in Chicory Roots
The primary ingredient in chicory coffee is chicory roots.
Still, there are some numbers. It is recommended to consume two tablespoons of chicory ground root which is about 11 grams, with one cup of water which is about 235 milliliters.
Here are the nutrients or components in a chicory root of 60 grams.
- Vitamin B6 – 7% of the RDI (RDI means reference daily intake)
- Vitamin C – 5% of the RDI
- Potassium – 5% of the RDI
- Carbs – 10.5 g
- Proteins – 0.8 g
- Calories – 44
- Phosphorus – 4% of the RDI
- Folate – 3% of the RDI
- Manganese – 7% of the RDI
- Fat – 0.1 g
- Fiber – 0.9 g
Chicory is a great source of inulin which has prebiotic fibers in it, which can help in weight loss and enhance gut health.
Two nutrients that link with the health of the brain, manganese and vitamin B6, are also found in chicory.
Keep in mind these nutrients can be low, as only a little amount of chicory roots are used to brew in coffee.
Improvement in Digestive Health
As we discussed, chicory has a good amount of fibers in it. That can help to improve the digestive system.
The health of the gut microbiome is improved by chicory. And having good gut health can have a massive impact on diseases and health.
Some studies show intake of inulin can increase and concentrate on healthy bacteria’s in our colon. And other studies showed chicory reduced difficulties in defecation on 25 participants who were elderly.
Low Blood Sugar by Chicory Coffee
Inulin, a type of fiber in chicory, shows improvement in blood sugar management in humans and also in animal studies.
Diabetic rats were treated by chicory in recent studies for eight weeks. It helped them to stabilize their blood sugar by enhancing the way of metabolizing carbohydrates.
The hormone which transports sugar from our blood to muscles and tissues is insulin. Insulin resistance is a condition where the level of insulin is high for a long period which reduces the effect of this process and results in high blood sugar.
A small study showed inulin tones down insulin resistance. The study was conducted with 40 prediabetes participants.
One study provided 10 g of inulin every day to participants who were 49 diabetic women. They showed a drop in blood sugar level by 8.5 %.
Even though these studies were based on inulin more than chicory, we understood how consumption of inulin affects us. Upcoming research should conduct effects chicory itself on our blood sugar levels.
Decrease in Inflammation
Inflammation is a general response by our immune system. But chronic inflammation could contribute to diseases of the heart, cancer, or diabetes.
Animal studies showed roots of chicory could have anti-inflammatory components.
In other studies, feeding dried out roots of chicory reduced inflammation levels in piglets.
Most of these studies conducted animals rather than humans. Future studies might show the effects of chicory roots on humans.
Naturally Caffeine Free
Want to reduce caffeine intake? Chicory coffee might be the key for you.
Usual coffee is a result of coffee beans. Which are roasted, then grounded, and then brewed for coffee.
A regular cup of brew can contain 95 mg of caffeine. But these numbers are based on various other factors. Factors like the type of beans, how they are roasted, and the quantity of consumption.
High coffee (caffeine) consumption can lead to conditions like relentlessness, insomnia, nausea, heart palpitation, and anxiety.
While chicory has no sign of caffeine and tastes similar to coffee makes it a better substitute for coffee than any other drink.
Some might drink chicory with hot water to stay away from caffeine, and some might enjoy it with a bit of a mix of regular brew to lower the caffeine intake.
It’s Not for Everyone
We read the benefits but, there are some downsides to this drink. That is why it cannot be consumed by everybody.
Chicory could have an allergic reaction on some people. The symptoms are swelling, pain, or tingling feeling in the mouth.
If you are allergic to birch pollen or ragweed, try to stay away from chicory to control the side effects.
If you see any of these symptoms or if you get an unusual feeling after drinking chicory coffee, consult your doctor and immediately stop the consumption of chicory coffee.
Also, pregnant women should avoid drinking chicory coffee as it can cause menstrual bleeding or trigger miscarriage.
And studies regarding the effects of chicory on breastfeeding women are limited, so make sure to visit your doctor before any casualties arrive.
Should You Give It a Try?
Chicory coffee is a good substitute for coffee as it can help you lower the amount of caffeine intake. It also provides other health benefits.
But the research is limited, and nothing to prove that it is better than our regular brew. The effects of chicory on the human body are still unclear.
But if you like the flavor and your body can take it comfortably, give it a go and introduce it to your daily diet.
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