Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

OriginThe flower looking at the clock

Carl Linnaeus included it in his flower clock: Chicory opens its blossoms around five o'clock in the morning and closes them again around noon - reliably enough to tell the time from it.

Common chicory grows along roadsides, railway embankments, slopes, and rubble heaps throughout Europe and Western Asia – a tough, deep-rooted plant with stiff, almost leafless stems and bright sky-blue flower heads. Its name reveals its habitat: by the roadside, where it waits. German folklore has given rise to a legend about a woman who waited by the roadside for her lover and was eventually transformed into the plant – its blue flowers becoming her eyes.

Botanically, it is a single ancestral plant with numerous offspring. Over the centuries, three very different cultivated forms have been bred from it: the Chicory with its bleached shoots, which sprout from the root in the dark; the Radicchio with red, bitter leaves; and the Root chicory With thick, inulin-rich roots, it can be used as a coffee substitute and for inulin production. So, if you see chicory growing by the roadside, you're seeing the wild relative of your winter salad.

The most well-known use is the chicory coffee. It originated in the 18th century and became a mass-produced commodity when Napoleon's Continental System made coffee beans scarce. In Prussia, its cultivation was state-subsidized; brands such as "Kathreiner's Malt Coffee" and, in East Germany, "Muckefuck" – presumably derived from the French – were popular. mocca faux, "Fake mocha" – it shaped generations. In New Orleans, chicory is still an essential part of coffee. And in recent years, the root has become important again, but for something else: it is the main industrial source of... Inulin, the dietary fiber that is now found in yogurt, bars and baked goods.

To useWhat chicory does for you

Chicory is a classic bitter drug. The European Medicines Agency and Commission E list the root and herb in Loss of appetite and dyspeptic complaints - Bloating, pressure in the upper abdomen, sluggish digestion. The principle of action is the same as with gentian, wormwood, and dandelion: Bitter receptors on the tongue trigger a reflex via the vagus nerve, stimulating saliva, gastric juices, and bile flow. Therefore, the same rule applies here: twenty minutes before meals, unsweetened.

Compared to her relatives, she is the mild option. Its bitterness is significantly lower than that of gentian or wormwood, making it suitable for people who cannot tolerate or simply cannot stomach the stronger bitter herbs. Traditionally, it was also used as a liver stimulant and "blood purifier"; its effect on the liver is the same as that of dandelion – it stimulates bile flow, which is helpful after eating fatty foods, but it is not a "detoxifying" treatment.

The second, completely different benefit lies in Inulin. Depending on the harvest time, the root contains up to twenty percent of this – a fructan that the small intestine cannot break down and which therefore passes undigested into the large intestine, where it serves as food for bifidobacteria. For inulin as prebiotic fiber There are indeed studies showing that it measurably alters the composition of the gut flora and improves bowel movements in some people. The effects are moderate and vary from person to person.

However, there is a downside that one should be aware of: Inulin is a FODMAP. In people with irritable bowel syndrome or sensitive bowel syndrome, it reliably leads to bloating and abdominal pain – and because it is now added to many foods as "fiber," it is a common and often unrecognized cause of discomfort. Those who are sensitive to onions and garlic usually also react to inulin. This hardly matters for tea consumption; however, it does for inulin powder and fortified foods.

IngredientsThis is what's in chicory

The bitterness comes from Sesquiterpene lactones Lactucin, lactucopicrin, and related compounds are the same group of substances found in dandelion and wild lettuce. They are present in the root and leaves, with the highest concentration in the milky sap. Interestingly, these are the same substances that give garden lettuce its slight bitterness; breeding has largely eliminated them from cultivated varieties—but not intentionally in radicchio.

The largest component of the root by volume is the Inulin, Chicory is a polyfructan made up of fructose building blocks. Its concentration varies considerably with the seasons: low in spring, highest in autumn – which is why it is harvested in autumn. During roasting, it partially caramelizes, resulting in precisely the dark, malty-sweet flavor that characterizes chicory coffee.

Join in tannins, Coumarins such as cichoriin and aesculetin, flavonoids, phenolic acids, potassium, and silica are present. For tea preparation: The bitter substances are highly water-soluble; both a ten-minute infusion and a cold brew overnight work. For use as a coffee substitute, the root is harvested in autumn, washed, cut into small pieces, dried, and then dark-roasted – the degree of roasting determines the color and bitterness.

Enhanced combinationsWhat makes chicory stronger

A mild bitter drug with two faces - bitter substance for digestion, inulin for the intestines.

What contradicts itselfIt's best to avoid these combinations.

To which courtWhere she belongs

• chicory coffeeHarvest the root in autumn, dry it, roast it dark, grind it - caffeine-free and malty.
• bitter teaOne teaspoon of root with herb per 250 ml, unsweetened, before meals.
• Liver and gallbladder teaDandelion and artichoke for bloating.
• ChicoryThe bleached cultivated form - raw in salads or braised with cheese.
• RadicchioHerbaceous and red - grilled with balsamic vinegar or in risotto.
• Mixed coffeeOne part chicory to three parts ground coffee - New Orleans style.
• Flowers in saladThe blue flowers are edible and visually stunning.
• Young leavesIn spring, it can be used as a bitter salad ingredient.
• Inulin as dietary fiberPay attention to compatibility when using yogurt and bars.
• Bee pastureThe blossoms are a good summer nectar source for wild bees.

As a home remedyThe substitute coffee

Ayurveda & TCMWhat the old systems say

Warning noticesWhen you should be careful

This page provides information and does not replace medical advice. If symptoms persist, please consult a doctor.

Related to the topicRead on and cook along!

Shop links lead to our product pages; it is indicated there if a partner is involved.