Common Chicory: Applications, Treatments, Health Benefits

Common chicory is a common wild plant with the botanical name Chicorium intybus. The blue flowering plant has been considered a medicinal plant since ancient times and is edible. A cultivated form is chicory.

Occurrence and cultivation of chicory

Botanically, chicory belongs to the composite plant family and is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Chicory has many vernacular names such as wayside light or chicory. The most common name reflects where it is most often found: along roadsides. It also grows on embankments, railroad tracks or abandoned industrial sites and thrives in dry nitrogen-rich soils. Botanically, chicory belongs to the composite plant family and is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. As a pioneer plant, it is hardy and is now also widespread in North and South America. In 2009, the Loki Schmidt Foundation selected chicory as its Flower of the Year. The foundation drew attention to the fact that this plant is endangered in some regions of Germany due to a lack of open areas. The wild plant is perennial, has a deep taproot and reaches a growth height of more than one meter. Its leaves are dark green and lance-shaped, and the stems, which branch upward, bear the typical ray-shaped blue flowers. These have a diameter of up to five centimeters and develop angular fruits. Very rare are white or pink flowers. Coffee chicory, chicory and radicchio are cultivated forms of the wild plant refined by man.

Effect and use

The Romans and Greeks already used chicory as a medicinal plant. They used it as a diaphoretic and for diseases of the internal organs. The bitter substances and inulin contained in the plant stimulate the flow of bile and promote digestion. Inulin is also suitable as a starch substitute for diabetics, as it does not affect blood sugar levels. For therapeutic purposes, all parts of the plant can be used and they are included in many finished medicines and in tea mixtures. A juice can be made from the roots, which has digestive effects. Naturopathy uses root powder, seeds and dried flowers and the leaves of the plant for strengthening the liver, bladder, stomach, intestines and gall bladder. Chicory is one of the ingredients of Swedish bitters, a well-known bitter spirit. A home remedy for aching limbs and rheumatism is chicory medicinal wine and chicory spirit, which are made from the root prepared with alcohol. The food industry uses coffee chicory to obtain inulin. Inulin is used as a probiotic dietary fiber in products such as yogurt or sausages to stimulate digestion, replace fat and improve taste. The plant contains bitter substances, vitamins and minerals and is an ideal ingredient for salads, soups and vegetable garnishes. The edible flowers are decorative in soups and salads. Larger buds serve steamed as a vegetable garnish. The wild plant can be established in the garden. It is not commercially available. The cultivated varieties such as chicory and radicchio are available everywhere and are used in cooking. The roasted roots of coffee chicory serve as a coffee drink. These coffee drinks are known under the term muckefuck. In the 19th century, coffee chicory was popular. In the meantime, coffee chicory has lost its importance, but it is still contained in Caro coffee. In China and the USA, coffee chicory also has the function of a fodder plant for farm animals. In cosmetics, the plant is a component of some creams especially for sensitive skin and skin prone to redness.

Importance for health, treatment and prevention.

Medically studied and proven are the health benefits of chicory in stimulating bile flow and appetite stimulation. The bitter substances it contains stimulate bile flow and lead to better digestion. Animal studies showed that blood lipid levels decreased. These results are not yet sufficiently proven. Naturopathy also uses tea and tinctures from the wild plant to stimulate the spleen and liver. The tea has a mild laxative effect and since it is well tolerated, it is also suitable for treating constipation in children. The bitter substances strengthen the metabolism and the immune system. In addition, naturopathy assumes that the tea has a detoxifying effect: The ingredients can bind heavy metals.Since this prevents them from entering the blood, the body excretes them naturally. Drinking the tea is considered a home remedy for rheumatic diseases. The Indian healing tradition uses drinks from the seed to treat insomnia. Chicory teas can be purchased in pharmacies or made yourself. The tannins in the leaves and root are said to help with blemished skin, redness or eczema. They can be found in some creams. The crushed roots can also be used as an overlay on the affected areas of the skin. In a mixture with rose oil and vinegar, the plant juice can help with headaches. An outdated method is the application of porridge or tea compresses for eye inflammation. In Bach Flower Therapy, Chicory is a plant essence that helps self-centered people find a way to selfless love. There are hardly any known side effects after taking it. The use is not recommended in case of allergies to composite plants. People with bilious diseases and gallstones, should consult with a doctor before using products with chicory. The products are not recommended in diseases that are aggravated by increased gastric juice production. As a general rule, pregnant women and nursing mothers are advised to consult with a physician before use.