The healing properties of chicory have been known since the time of Avicenna. Until now, the plant is popular among the people as a medicinal and culinary remedy.
Chicory is a perennial plant of the family Asteraceae with a powerful root, high stem and blue flowers. The flowering period is June-September, the ripening of fruits is July-September. Chicory grows in central Russia, the Urals, Western Siberia, and the North Caucasus.
The healing properties of the roots, flowers, juice, fruits. The roots of chicory contain especially many elements useful to humans. This is a storehouse of glycosides, peptides, inulin, organic acids. In addition, it contains simple sugars, vitamin B, tannins, vegetable protein. The aerial part of the plant contains a large amount of inulin polysaccharide. Chicory, whose benefits have long been proven, is rich in many important micro and macro elements: iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium.
Chicory, whose benefits are due to its composition, has a calming, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic effect. It is a good anti-toxic, antipyretic, anti-allergic agent. It normalizes intestinal microflora and heart rate, improves appetite and digestion, and has astringent and antitumor effects.
The purpose of chicory is incredibly great. Today it is used in various fields of medicine. Decorations and infusions are prepared from chicory, which are taken internally and externally. Infusion or broth can be an independent drink, and can be added to coffee in order to neutralize its harmful qualities.
Chicory, whose properties are diverse, will help with diseases of the stomach, intestines, pancreas, diarrhea, changes in appetite, and dysbiosis.
Chicory is an excellent remedy for metabolic disorders, obesity, atherosclerosis, joint diseases, gout, a tendency to form stones.
The plant is used for diseases of the gallbladder, liver, and bile ducts. Chicory well helps the outflow of bile.
The plant helps to reduce blood sugar, therefore it is used as an adjuvant in the treatment of diabetes.
A great external remedy for skin diseases, insect and animal bites, stomatitis, conjunctivitis, arthritis, wounds.
Chicory is used for neurosis, irritability, stress, as an addition to therapeutic treatment for tumor diseases.
Soluble chicory is very popular nowadays. The benefit of this drink is that it replaces coffee to those to whom the latter is contraindicated. Soluble chicory is used in baby and diet food. Cream or milk is added to it. Soluble chicory has all the properties of this plant. It is useful for blood vessels, heart, nervous system. It normalizes sleep, improves mood, and soothes. He is advised to drink suffering from tachycardia, atherosclerosis, ischemia, anemia, and diabetes. It is also indispensable for those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, gastric ulcer, gall bladder disease, intestinal disorders.
Chicory, whose benefits are obvious for pregnant women, facilitates the work of many organs in this difficult period. It has a beneficial effect on the heart, liver, stomach, relieves constipation. Soothes nerves, improves blood composition, promotes the removal of toxins from the body of a pregnant woman.
Chicory, the use of which is undeniable, also has a number of contraindications: individual intolerance, cough, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer.
Chicory is able to dilate blood vessels, so it is not recommended to drink it for patients with varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Do not use it for people prone to allergies. Its abuse can lead to an excess of vitamin C, which can cause Quincke's edema.
You can not drink chicory during acute respiratory viral infections, since it can strengthen the cough existing at that time or negate all attempts at treatment.