Chicory is a fairly common, unpretentious plant. The inhabitants of Ancient Rus' already knew that a delicious drink could be prepared from it.
In Europe, chicory was especially popular a hundred years ago, when people tried and fell in love with coffee, but because of the high cost they could not drink it regularly.
Chicory came to the rescue: an inexpensive natural drink that tastes similar to coffee, and also has a lot of health benefits - we have already talked about this in a separate article.
Growing
This plant can be found wild or specially grown. Moreover, the second way is better, since the cultivated varieties of this plant are distinguished by a more powerful root, which means that significant amounts of valuable raw materials can be obtained from a small plot in the country or in the field.
Yaroslavsky is considered the most popular variety in Russia. In the region of the same name, it has been cultivated for two centuries.
In the old days, not a single local garden could do without this plant with blue flowers - chicory was grown for their own needs and for sale.
This is a biennial plant. A rosette of leaves and a root (whose weight reaches 400 g) are formed in the first year of the plant’s life. In the second year, chicory produces seeds.
How to grow chicory? Very simple. Sometimes this is done with the help of root shoots, sometimes with seeds (it is recommended to sow in early spring, but not before winter).
Grow in sunny areas on well-prepared, fertilized soil. Crop rotation is observed: chicory can be placed in the same place at intervals of 4-5 years.
You can read about growing Arabica coffee and caring for this houseplant here.
Preparation and collection at home
The benefits of chicory and how it is prepared at home are of interest to those who have a plot of land and are planning to grow it for their own needs. To get a rich harvest, it is advisable to choose a well-lit area . Any soil is suitable, except acidic and waterlogged. Caring for the plant does not require much effort. During the dry season, regular watering, weeding and thinning are required. Fruit ripening occurs six months after sowing.
Harvesting begins in the first months of autumn. After the grass has faded, the roots are dug up, cleared of soil, thoroughly washed with water and freed from leaves, stems and damaged areas. Store in a cool, ventilated area until completely dry.
If necessary, the remaining parts of the crop are dried in the same way. Only flowers and leaves are collected throughout the summer season. This should be done in the morning after the dew has evaporated . The dried grass is placed in rag or paper bags to allow oxygen to enter, and the roots are preserved in the same way.
The fried product must be placed in glass containers and tightly closed. To prevent the taste and properties of chicory from deteriorating, moisture ingress is unacceptable. Both wild and cultivated species are suitable for medicinal purposes. In cooking, it is used as a flavoring additive for baked goods and other dishes.
Features of the structure of the root system
Is chicory a monocot or a dicotyledon? This question is fundamentally important, since the type of root system depends on the class to which a particular crop belongs.
In dicotyledons (chicory is one of them), the root system is taprooted (in monocotyledons it is fibrous). The chicory root is very long, going into the ground to a depth of one and a half meters.
You need to dig up (or pull out) the plant after a good rain or generous watering - this makes it easier to get the entire root without tearing it off. Medicinal raw materials are collected in early spring or late autumn, when flowering ends.
They dry in different ways (naturally or in a drying cabinet), and the quality of the dried raw material is determined as follows: if the root breaks easily, with a loud crack, it means the plant has been dried with high quality.
Do you know the difference between espresso and Americano? We'll tell you! Find the answer to the question in this article.
Delicious and easy-to-prepare coffee recipes with marshmallows can be found in this publication.
Espresso coffee - what is it? More details here: https://chay-i-kofe.com/kofe/vidy-kf/chto-takoe-kofe-espresso-vidy-kofejnyh-napitkov-retsepty-v-domashnih-usloviyah/
Chicory recipes
The following recipe can be called “basic”. Chicory roots are fried, turned into powder using a coffee grinder, and then poured with boiling water and boiled for about five minutes.
One teaspoon of powder is consumed per glass of water.
In the store they buy a ready-made, soluble product, and even with additives (with stevia, rose hips, blueberries, even Jerusalem artichoke, which is useful for diabetics, is found as an addition to chicory), but if you wish, you can select additives to your taste and prepare a healthy drink from ground powder at home.
Here are some options.
With milk
This recipe for chicory with milk is called "New Orleans".
The drink is prepared from ground coffee (three tablespoons), chicory (one spoon), 200 ml of water and 100 ml of milk.
It (warmed) is added to cups of the ready-made drink.
With blueberries
The drink is recommended for diabetics . Several types of natural raw materials are used at once - chicory root, flax seeds, burdock and blueberry leaves.
The last component should be as much in volume as all the others combined.
After brewing this mixture with boiling water, infuse it for half a day, and then drink half a glass before meals twice a day.
With lemon
A cold drink with lemon and chicory is very pleasant to drink in hot weather.
You can use ready-made lemon syrup or make it from fresh fruit.
This is done like this: cut the lemon into small pieces, add three tablespoons of granulated sugar to it, pour in half a glass of water and boil. As a result, the finished product should decrease in volume by half.
Here's how to make the drink itself: pour chicory into a large mug, add honey, lemon syrup and boiling water. When the drink has cooled, add apple juice.
The quantity of products is measured according to your own taste - sweeter or sour. The drink is served well chilled.
You can also read our article about recipes for coffee with lemon, its benefits and harms by following the link.
With rose hips
It is recommended to brew the drink in a thermos (read this link for information on which thermos to choose) for 2-3 hours. In addition to chicory and rose hips, you need to take shepherd's purse, goose cinquefoil, mint and juniper fruits.
Regular consumption of this drink is beneficial for people suffering from diabetes.
With honey
This drink helps with anemia . Unlike other recipes, it does not use chicory root, but the juice from the stem, leaves and buds.
It can be obtained by running all these parts of the plant through a meat grinder. The squeezed juice is combined with milk and honey.
With cream
Boiling water is poured into soluble chicory and stevia powder.
Carefully pour cream into the drink (recommended fat content is 10 percent).
Chicory with cream is good for children - the bitterness inherent in this drink is less noticeable.
With hawthorn
First you need to prepare the hawthorn fruits. They are steamed for several minutes, then scalded with boiling water, immediately draining the water. Then the berries are dried (you can do this in the oven).
Dried berries are turned into powder using a coffee grinder for this purpose. The drink is prepared in the traditional way, but from two components - chicory powder and hawthorn.
Healing properties and composition
Chicory is divided into several varieties, which differ in appearance from each other, but are united by common medicinal qualities. Honey grass is grown on pastures for animal feed, and vegetable species are used for making salads and as seasonings. But the most common and popular is chicory.
All parts of the plant are useful, but the largest number of elements necessary for the body are found in the root part, which can reach one and a half meters in length , and under favorable conditions it can be much longer. The substances included in its composition are easily digestible and are used to treat various ailments:
- Ascorbic acid protects the body from the invasion of pathogenic bacteria, actively improves immunity, and strengthens the vascular system.
- Carotene is a powerful antioxidant that makes the skin elastic and firm.
- The presence of magnesium and B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous and reproductive systems.
- Inulin has a positive effect on metabolism and the digestive system, is involved in improving fat and carbohydrate metabolism, replaces glucose in diabetes, thins the blood, preventing the formation of blood clots.
- Iron increases hemoglobin in anemia.
In addition to vitamins and organic acids, chicory is rich in tannins that can kill pathogenic microbes and heal wounds after bites of poisonous insects and snakes. Bitter resins increase appetite and improve the general condition of the body in case of loss of strength.
Since ancient times it has been used as an anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory and sedative. Chicory has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland and helps with eye diseases, reduces cholesterol and high fever. Dissolves and removes small stones from the bile ducts and kidneys.
Treats dermatological ailments such as acne, acne, boils and eczema. Decoctions prepared from various parts of the herb have a beneficial effect on the condition of the hair, making it thick, silky and manageable for styling.
Is instant chicory useful during pregnancy and breastfeeding? Moderate consumption of chicory drink during pregnancy eliminates toxicosis, heartburn and constipation. It is important to remember that uncontrolled doses of the product can cause miscarriage or premature birth. Increases lactation while feeding the baby.
How to cook chicory for weight loss: with milk, ginger, cinnamon
Drinks with chicory are a good and gentle way to lose weight. This product helps regulate metabolic processes in the body , removes cholesterol, and prevents you from gaining extra pounds.
Doctors recommend that those who want to lose weight take the drink correctly - little by little, but at least three times a day. A decoction of chicory roots is infused for two hours and drunk before meals.
Here's how to make tea for weight loss: 40 g of dried chicory root is poured with a liter of boiling water. Add this infusion to regular tea (black or green) in a 1:1 ratio.
For the same purpose (to lose extra pounds) a drink is prepared with chicory and ginger. First, brew a piece of ginger, lemon and honey with boiling water.
Leave to infuse in a sealed container for about ten hours. Then add instant chicory. Drink before meals.
Another option for a weight loss drink. For it, they take soluble chicory, and not ordinary, but with additives (for example, barley). Pour boiling water and hot milk in equal proportions.
Cinnamon has the ability to burn excess fat. If you combine it with chicory (1:2 ratio) and pour boiling water over it, you can end up with a very healthy aromatic (thanks to the spice) drink for those who are worried about their figure.
We also suggest that you read the article about the benefits and harms of coffee with cinnamon and various recipes based on them.
You can learn what a French press is and how to make tea or coffee with it in our next publication.
Iced coffee recipes are presented in this article. Cook and drink with pleasure!
Contraindications to the use of chicory drinks
The main argument of those who advise giving up coffee in favor of chicory is the possible harm of caffeine. However, despite the benefits of chicory, in some cases it must be treated with caution:
- chicory is a choleretic agent. Therefore, drinks with it are contraindicated if the gallbladder has been removed. Caffeine after such an operation is also harmful, so it is better to drink decaffeinated coffee;
- with gastritis, hyperacidity or stomach ulcers, urolithiasis, exacerbation of pancreatitis and cholecystitis, chicory can cause constipation;
- chicory thins the blood, and with prolonged use it works as a weak vasodilator. It is recommended to limit the consumption of chicory drinks during menstruation, with varicose veins and with exacerbation of hemorrhoids.
Reviews
Ilya K.: “I always drank tea exclusively, but one day in the store I was interested in something about a package of chicory. I bought it and was pleased. I've been drinking chicory for two years now. It seems to me that thanks to him I got rid of my digestive problems.”
Alla E.: “Thanks to chicory for the fact that I now sleep normally. “I used to wake up at least three times during the night and rarely felt truly rested in the morning.”
Stanislav M.: “I have had diabetes for more than 20 years, I have been on a diet for a long time. And so doctors advise drinking chicory instead of coffee and tea. At first I was upset: well, now this! However, the word of doctors is law for me. I tried it and got hooked. I'm glad that my blood pressure doesn't fluctuate like before. For those who do not drink chicory yet, I advise you to use some additives (it will be tastier). I drink it with cinnamon, ginger and sometimes lemon.”
