Chicory - a plant with valuable properties and versatile uses

Chicory is a leafy vegetable that looks similar to lettuce and is known for its distinct, slightly bitter taste. This versatile plant can be eaten raw or cooked, while its root can serve as an excellent coffee substitute. Is chicory healthy? What benefits can it offer? What can you make with chicory?

What is chicory?

Chicory is a herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family, naturally growing in the Mediterranean region, but it can also be found in other parts of Europe, as well as in Western Asia, North and South America, and Africa.

In nature, there are several types of chicory, the most commonly used being:

• common chicory (Cichorium intybus), which includes white root chicory and red root chicory, also known as radicchio,
• endive (Cichorium endivia), which is divided into smooth-leaf escarole and curly endive with its distinctive frilly leaves.

The edible parts of chicory are mainly its leaves, which can be eaten raw or cooked. The root, on the other hand, is used to make a caffeine-free coffee-like drink.

What does chicory look like?

Common chicory and endive are varieties grown in spring and autumn and are widely available in stores. Chicory resembles lettuce, with a large taproot and lance-shaped leaves. Common chicory is also easy to recognize by its characteristic blue flowers.

Fresh white root chicory has a pale color, while red root chicory is deep red. The plant’s leaves are tightly packed because it is grown without light exposure, and the heads are often tied with string.

Its bitter flavor comes from the presence of inulin, and interestingly, this bitterness intensifies when the plant is exposed to light.

Chicory - nutritional value

Chicory is made up of almost 95% water, making it a low-calorie vegetable – 100 g provides only about 17 kcal. It also contains carbohydrates (around 4 g per 100 g) and small amounts of protein (around 1 g per 100 g), while being a good source of dietary fiber.

It is rich in valuable micronutrients. Chicory contains high levels of folic acid, thiamine, and other B vitamins. It is also a source of vitamin C and minerals such as potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium, along with iron, calcium, zinc, and selenium.

Additionally, its root is rich in inulin – a polysaccharide recognized as a natural prebiotic – as well as sesquiterpene lactones, which are secondary plant metabolites. It also contains caffeic acid and its derivatives, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, and terpenoids.

Chicory - health benefits

Thanks to its nutrient content, chicory may offer several health benefits. Studies suggest that it may help combat parasites and microbes, inhibiting the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The presence of compounds like caffeic acid and chicoric acid also indicates potential antiviral and antifungal properties.

Research also shows that chicory has antioxidant effects, helping neutralize free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and slow down aging processes. It may have immunomodulatory potential by lowering inflammation markers, supporting immune system function, and promoting gut health. Moreover, chicory may help regulate carbohydrate metabolism and lower blood glucose levels.

It can also support liver health – animal studies show that chicory extract can improve liver enzyme levels and positively influence cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as the LDL-to-HDL ratio.

Additionally, this Asteraceae plant may have choleretic and diuretic effects, aid digestion, and help regulate appetite. Animal studies also suggest sedative and analgesic properties, along with potential blood pressure-lowering effects.

Uses of chicory - how to eat it?

Chicory roots and leaves are widely used in the food industry. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, while the dried and roasted root is typically used to make coffee substitutes. Fresh young roots are eaten as vegetables, and powdered root can sometimes replace wheat flour.

Due to its ability to create creamy emulsions, chicory inulin is used in making ice cream and yogurt. It is also used as a beer coloring agent, an ingredient in confectionery, a low-calorie sweetener, and a fat substitute that improves the texture and flavor of foods.

Chicory leaves are most often used in salads, but they can also be served with meat dishes, added to soups, or stuffed to make creative appetizers.

To reduce its characteristic bitterness, the leaves can be soaked in boiling water before eating.

Chicory - recipes

Chicory appetizer

Ingredients: half a head of chicory, 100 g feta cheese, a handful of radish sprouts, a pinch of pepper, a pinch of sweet paprika.

Preparation: Cut off the base of the chicory and separate the leaves. Wash and arrange them on a plate. Place sliced feta on the leaves, sprinkle with radish sprouts, and season with pepper and sweet paprika.

Chicory salad

Ingredients: half a head of chicory, half a persimmon, 1 pomegranate, half an apple, a handful of arugula, balsamic vinegar, favorite spices.

Preparation: Cut off the base of the chicory, separate the leaves, wash, dry, and chop into smaller pieces. Place in a bowl. Peel and cube the persimmon, and add it to the chicory. Do the same with the apple. Remove seeds from the pomegranate and add them to the bowl. Add washed arugula, mix everything, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, season, and mix again.

Belgian chicory soup

Ingredients: 2 heads of chicory, 1 leek, 1 onion, 4 potatoes, 1 cup milk, 2 cups water, juice from half a lemon, a pinch of salt, pepper, turmeric, 1 tbsp rapeseed oil.

Preparation: Peel and chop the onion, sauté in a pot with rapeseed oil. Wash, dry, and chop the chicory, adding it to the onion. Peel and dice the potatoes, slice the leek, and add both to the pot. Pour in water, season, and mix. Cook for about 20 minutes. At the end, add the milk, remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and blend until smooth.

Chicory - contraindications

Chicory is considered an easily digestible vegetable and is generally safe.

However, people with intestinal diseases should be cautious – due to its high inulin content, it should not be consumed without medical advice. Those allergic to chicory should avoid it, as studies suggest that such allergies can cause severe symptoms and, in rare cases, trigger anaphylactic reactions.