Chicory: composition and calorie content

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Soluble chicory, which can be found in any store, is a powder or liquid concentrate obtained by drying, grinding and extracting the dry root. This is a pretty tasty product that can replace black tea or coffee. Chicory contains a lot of useful substances necessary for human he alth.

Origin story

The idea to make a drink from chicory first appeared in Italy back in 1600. However, instant chicory gained extraordinary popularity in France after 180 years. In the time of Napoleon, it was called "Prussian coffee" and was highly valued for its extraordinary taste and aroma. Until now, a huge amount of chicory is grown annually in France. According to statistics, this country ranks first in Europe in the consumption of liquid chicory.

Features of the plant

It is a pretty tall shrub with a dense stiff stem and blue flowers. This attractive plant can be found almost throughout the European continent. It grows in meadows and forests,preferring to settle along rivers or roads. For industrial purposes, as a rule, the root of the plant is used. Due to the aroma identical to coffee, it is used in the food industry as a coffee flavoring. A well-prepared liquid extract of chicory contains all the beneficial substances inherent in this plant.

Unfortunately, unscrupulous manufacturers are trying to dilute precious raw materials with various additives. Thus, they not only reduce its medicinal and nutritional value, but also harm the he alth of the buyer.

Composition of chicory

This herbaceous plant is native to South and North America. There are two types: salad and regular, from which a liquid or dry extract is made. Salad chicory is used in cooking for salads. According to the composition of chicory on the package, the root of the plant contains the following beneficial substances:

• Quite a large amount of B vitamins, without which it is difficult to imagine a he althy digestive system.
• Vitamin C is also found in fairly decent amounts. It helps to strengthen the immune system in the cold season and has a beneficial effect on the vascular system.
• The plant has a lot of inulin, which improves metabolism.
• The trace element calcium helps strengthen bones, hair and teeth.
• Magnesium helps to restore the nervous system and helps to cope with mood swings.
• Iron is involved in the process of hematopoiesis.
• Potassium and vitamin PP strengthen blood vesselsand prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques.

And also in the chemical composition of chicory there is carotene, glycoside, pectin, tannic and organic acids, as well as fructose.

One hundred grams of instant chicory contains 268 kilocalories. It contains a fairly large amount of carbohydrates (60.5) and about ten grams of protein. The amount of fat is negligible and is 0.1 g. The calorie content of the composition of soluble chicory and its energy value are low.

Benefits of inulin

This substance has extremely useful properties, which are as follows:

• Improves metabolism, thereby restoring the work of all organs.
• It signals the brain to be full. Thus, inulin promotes weight loss.
• Scientists have proven the hepatoprotective properties of this substance. Thanks to him, damaged liver cells are restored. No wonder chicory is recommended for people with hepatitis B and C.
• Thanks to it, trace elements such as copper, iron and phosphorus are absorbed much better and faster.
• And also the property of inulin was noticed to significantly strengthen and increase bone mass. Therefore, chicory is useful for patients with bone fractures, as well as for the elderly.

Among the side effects are increased gas formation and a negative effect on the absorption of antibiotics.

To date, the record for the amount of inulin is chicory root. Dry powder for seventy percent consists of this substance. On the secondplace is the root of burdock, and in the third elecampane. Slightly less inulin is found in dandelion.

Useful properties

Thanks to its chem. The composition of chicory helps to cope with many diseases. It is recommended for use by people with bad blood vessels, diseases of the nervous system and organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Soluble chicory also helps to improve the microflora of the stomach. It inhibits the activity of pathogenic bacteria, which are the main cause of dysbacteriosis. This disease is accompanied by bloating, gas formation, diarrhea or, conversely, constipation. Due to the unhe althy microflora of the stomach, a person's immunity is noticeably reduced and a lot of diseases occur.

Instant chicory can be used in place of tea or coffee as it is completely caffeine free. As part of chicory, there are more benefits than harm. It can be safely drunk for people with high blood pressure or disorders in the cardiovascular system.

Healing action

This plant has a number of medicinal properties, thanks to which a person can significantly improve their he alth:

• A decoction of chicory root can be used externally to treat wounds. The substances included in its composition are able to stop the inflammatory process occurring on the surface of the skin.
• Due to the chemical composition of soluble chicory, this drink is able to dilate blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure and relieves headaches. Regular use of instant powderor a liquid extract can prevent cerebrovascular spasms.
• In folk medicine, this plant has long been used to treat a diseased liver.
• If you replace morning coffee with chicory, then a person will not only receive an excellent charge of vivacity for the whole day, but also strengthen the immune system.
• Due to the composition of soluble chicory, this drink is excellent for reducing body temperature and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
• For women, it is of particular importance, as it can alleviate their condition during menstruation. Thanks to the ability of chicory to dilate blood vessels, menstruation is quick and painless.
• The composition of chicory powder helps the body absorb important elements such as calcium and magnesium.
• Scientists note the property of this product to fight obesity and help maintain a slim figure.
• He is also able to fight cellulite. Due to the normalization of lipid metabolism, the surface of the skin on the thighs and buttocks is smoothed.
• Scientists have revealed the property of this plant to influence the muscular system of the eyes. For this, a special mixture is prepared from the juice of carrots, celery and parsley. They are combined with chicory and drunk throughout the day.

In a word, the composition of chicory brings invaluable benefits to he alth. This product is indispensable during pregnancy. It regulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. In addition, unlike coffee or black tea, it can be consumed by pregnant women to maintain tone and vigor.

Chemicalcomposition

One cup of chicory contains one-third of the daily value of such an important vitamin as C, and 36 percent of the daily value of vitamin A. These are pretty good indicators to talk about the value of this product for human he alth. In addition, one cup of instant drink also contains half of the daily requirement of folic acid. Together with vitamin A and C, this substance noticeably rejuvenates the body, improves the condition of the skin and hair, and also has a beneficial effect on the reproductive system of both men and women. In a word, the composition of chicory and its properties indicate a fairly large benefit of this plant for human he alth.

Harm chicory

Despite the benefits and clear advantages over other drinks, instant chicory also has a number of contraindications for use and side effects. Soluble chicory contains quite a lot of vitamin C, which sometimes causes an allergic reaction. The thing is that an excess of vitamins is equally harmful as its deficiency. All useful substances necessary for the body should come gradually. A sharp increase in any component leads to a malfunction of the internal organs.

And also despite the benefits of chicory for the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, however, this product should not be used for gastric and duodenal ulcers. In addition, it has been observed that people allergic to ragweed also cannot tolerate chicory. Do not use this product for chronicor acute bronchitis, as well as asthma. People with poor blood vessels should be careful, as doctors strongly discourage this drink for patients with varicose veins.

Storage and selection

Today, the stores offer a wide selection of products from this plant. You can find chicory root, ground into powder, liquid extract, as well as dry raw materials for cooking at home. It is sold in supermarket departments along with tea and coffee. Store it in containers with a lid, subject to a minimum possibility of air penetration. Any liquid is extremely dangerous for chicory. Due to moisture, it hardens, changes its appearance and very often becomes absolutely unsuitable for further consumption. The shelf life of dry powder is six months. After the expiration of the period indicated by the manufacturers, the product should be disposed of, as its taste and aroma are noticeably reduced.

Chicory powder

Its color ranges from rich brown, even black, to caramel. The shade will depend on the degree of roasting of vegetable raw materials. A good product should not contain any lumps or foreign matter. Sometimes in the store you can find chicory with milk and sugar. Unfortunately, in order to reduce the price of their products, some manufacturers add starch to the powder and tint it with chemical dyes. Determining the presence of starch is quite simple. A few drops of iodine are added to a container with dissolved chicory powder. The starch should turn blue. If this is nothappened, it means that there are no additional impurities in the composition of the chicory drink.

How it is used

There is a whole category of people who prefer to drink only this drink from instant chicory. The natural composition of chicory has many advantages compared to tea or coffee. Fans perfect its taste by adding ingredients such as honey, jam, cream and even chocolate. Soluble chicory is prepared as follows: two teaspoons of dry chicory are dissolved in 200 milliliters of hot water. This is the optimal rate recommended by doctors. If desired, you can make the drink stronger and even add coffee to its composition.

If a person wants to switch from morning coffee to the consumption of chicory, then it is advisable for him to do this gradually. For example, in the first week you can dilute a drink with coffee in a ratio of one to three. Further, the amount of coffee is reduced, and after a week one part of chicory is consumed per coffee. After two weeks, coffee is no longer added and completely switched to chicory. Thus, the body gets used to the changes gradually and does not react with a sharp decline in strength or a decrease in blood pressure.

Powder preparation

The leaves and root of the plant are taken as raw materials. By itself, this flower is quite bitter. The weight of the middle spine is no more than one hundred grams. In the food industry, the root obtained in the second year of the plant's life is used. They usually dig it up only in autumn.

After the roots are cut intosmall parts, they are listened to at a temperature of about forty-five degrees. The hardened raw material is crushed. One of the advantages of chicory is that it initially has a sweetish aftertaste. Thanks to this property, you can not add sugar to an instant drink.

Liquid or dry

Despite the fact that the composition of liquid chicory and dry powder is almost the same, however, the liquid extract contains much more useful substances. It is more concentrated and requires half as much. In addition, chicory in a jar can be used in the preparation of sweet dishes: cookies, muffins or cakes. The taste and aroma are usually the same, so it is up to the buyers to decide which product is better.

Growing and harvesting

Growing it is quite easy. Even a small area with this plant allows you to collect enough raw materials to enjoy a tasty and he althy drink for a whole year. This plant is biennial. In the first year, it forms a rather powerful root, the weight of which sometimes reaches 400 grams. It is bred using root shoots or seeds. It should be noted that this plant produces seeds only in the second year of life.

Like any wild flower, chicory loves the warmth of the sun and lots of light. The site is selected as sunny as possible, in an open area. With proper care, which includes fertilizing and watering, the plant can bring a pretty good crop of strong and large roots. Experts do not recommend planting it annually in the same place. Intervalmust be at least four years.

The roots collected in autumn are washed and eavesdropped in the oven. After that, it is easily ground in a coffee grinder. Dig up roots after watering. They can also be easily pulled out of damp ground. It should be borne in mind that its root is quite long and sometimes reaches one and a half meters.

Cooking at home

Chicory powder can be made by yourself. To do this, the roots are dug up in the fall and washed under running water. Next, the roots are scrolled through a meat grinder or simply cut into small slices. After that, the raw materials are dried in the oven and fried a little in a dry frying pan. If the root released the juice after the meat grinder, then drying in the oven is indispensable. The roasted root will have a specific pleasant aroma and a golden brown hue.

Further, the raw materials are simply ground in a coffee grinder and poured into a pre-prepared sealed container. Prepare it, like a regular store-bought powder, with the calculation of two teaspoons per two hundred milliliters of liquid. Such a drink is absolutely natural and consists of only one component.

Cooking recipes

Soluble chicory can be used to make many delicious drinks. Powders with the addition of Jerusalem artichoke, blueberries and rose hips are sold in stores. The composition with chicory is quite simple to mix with milk, coffee or syrup, and also add citrus fruits. For example, in order to prepare a cold drink with lemon, fresh fruit syrup is used. You can buy it at the store or make your own. getting readylemon syrup is quite simple. One large fruit is cut into pieces, mixed with sugar and poured with boiling water. The composition is boiled for ten minutes, after which it is filtered and cooled. Water for one lemon is taken, as a rule, no more than 200 milliliters, and sugar - two tablespoons.

Put two teaspoons of powder into one cup, add sugar syrup and honey. After the mixture is thoroughly mixed, it is diluted with hot water. The number of components can be adjusted independently depending on taste and preferences.

Chicory with orange

This he althy and delicious drink is made from liquid extract, apple juice and orange syrup. You will need the following proportions of ingredients: one liter of hot water, one teaspoon of extract, half a liter of natural apple juice and two tablespoons of orange syrup. All ingredients are mixed together and consumed warm.

With wild rose or hawthorn

These plants not only improve the taste of the drink, but also have certain benefits. The composition of chicory contains many vitamins A, C, E, as well as trace elements and other substances necessary for the he alth of the body. Dried rosehip or hawthorn berries are ground to a powder. Then they are brewed in the usual way with chicory. It is recommended to strain the drink with the addition of rose hips. And also an extract or powder can be brewed with the addition of cream or condensed milk. Thus, they get rid of the specific bitterness inherent in chicory, and leave the chemical composition intact.chicory.