Chicory is a perennial plant with a powerful root. It grows to a height of 120 cm. The bright blue flowers of the plant are rather large, blossom from July to September.
Most people think of grass, which grows in meadows and roadside roads as a common weed. Often, chicory can be found in the Altai and Western Siberia. It also sprouts in Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus, Indonesia and Western Europe. Currently, the salad and common species of chicory are cultivated.
Amazing forms of chicory root, reaching up to 15 meters in length, are actively used in the production of sweets and coffee. Chicory is added to coffee drinks, it is also an excellent substitute for coffee. Leaves of this herb are used as a salad.
For their stunning healing properties and great opportunities for using chicory, they are called "king-root".In the root of the plant there is a considerable amount of useful components, more than 60% is inulin and glycoside intibin.
The first component is a polysaccharide, a natural natural sugar substitute. The second is an effective remedy relaxing the nervous system, dilating the blood vessels, removing the increased palpitations.
The of soluble chicory contains pectins, B vitamins, vitamin A, ascorbic acid. Iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sodium make the plant indispensable in daily nutrition. Tannins, sugars, bitter, resinous acids, choline and chicoryin are also found in the root.
Since chicory contains a significant amount of useful components, it is widely used in traditional and alternative medicine, as well as in cooking. We will talk about its benefits and contraindications in this article.
Than useful chicory, how to take?
Inulin contained in the zikorne root, normalizes the activity of the whole gastrointestinal tract. Thanks to it, the metabolism improves, the level of sugar in diabetics stabilizes. Inulin, which has a sweet aftertaste, also helps to fight with extra pounds.
Inulin feed on bifidumbacterium, living in the intestine, so the plant stabilizes the intestinal microflora. In addition, this component improves the condition of the pancreas, liver, gall bladder. The risk of developing inflammation in the stomach and intestines is reduced. Also, this substance helps fight intestinal infections.
We note that neither in tea, nor in coffee, inulin. Since the time of the doctor Avicenna tincture and decoction of the exclusive healer chicory was prescribed for enteritis, hyperacid gastritis, cholecystitis, colitis.
Chicory has astringent, antipyretic, antimicrobial effect. He perfectly heals wounds, stimulates the renewal of cells in the body, reduces the inflammatory process. Soluble chicory is useful in pregnancy. It supports the work of all organs and systems, helps to purify the blood from toxins. Thanks to the regulation of microflora, a pregnant woman will not have constipation. In addition, the therapeutic properties of zirconium help to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy..
A soluble drink with chicory helps to calm down, when taking it in the morning, a person experiences an unprecedented vivacity. It also perfectly strengthens the body as a whole. Unlike coffee, which can cause a rise in pressure, chicory on the contrary, is able to lower the pressure a little.
Doctors advise mixing the juice of this plant with the juice of parsley and carrots, so you can perfectly strengthen the eyes, nourish the eye muscle. Medicinal preparations with chicory have antimicrobial properties, with its help appetite improves, it is possible to get rid of worms.
Many coffee lovers appreciate this pot for coffee taste, but lack of caffeine. Indeed: a few cups of coffee a day will harm the body, but replacing coffee with chicory is the true path to health and longevity! The high content of iron in the plant allows it to be used effectively in anemia, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease.
Tincture with chicory is also applied externally. Thanks to it, you can get rid of eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, boils. External influence possesses drying properties, inflammatory process, thus, it is possible to eliminate in the shortest terms.
The plant is also used in the production of cosmetic products. Special shampoos and masks with chicory can restore normal hair growth, improve their volume and structure( see masks for hair growth).In Indian industry, the hero of our article is often used to make toothpastes. They effectively prevent the occurrence of plaque.
The curative form of chicory is diverse: in medicine and cooking, grass, flowers and leaves are used. Young stems and shoots of the plant can be used as a dietary supplement.
What is the harm of chicory?
This delicious and useful product is not useful to everyone. It is not recommended for people who have problems with bronchial tubes and lungs. From chicory, it is also worth abandoning all suffering varicose veins, as well as hemorrhoids.
It is necessary to consult a doctor and with certain cardiovascular diseases, taking chicory in some cases may be contraindicated. Do not abuse this useful plant. In large quantities, vitamins and trace elements may not always behave in the right way.
Hypervitaminosis, for example, when an excessive amount of vitamin C is consumed, can trigger an allergic reaction. Only the minimum doses of chicory guarantee your safety and health benefits!
How to cook chicory?
Chicory is easy to prepare in the form of coffee. In shops, pharmacies, in departments with coffee and tea, you can buy a soluble chicory root, as well as a plant in the form of a powder. Take care that the powder is dry, shredded, has no lumps.
In the form of salads. You can use the following recipes to enrich the diet with nutrients:
1) Grate a green apple, 100 gr.chicory salad and 200 gr.celery. Salad should be seasoned with lemon juice and vegetable oil.
2) Cut 300 gr.chicory salad, as much leaf lettuce and fresh cucumber. Salad season with vegetable oil and blueberry juice.
Inflorescences increase appetite, it should be taken into account. If you want to lose weight, use only the root of chicory.
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