Chicory

Chicory — a perennial herbaceous plant up to 1 m high. Existence of a powerful, fleshy root to 15 meters in length is characteristic of this plant. A straight line chicory stalk, on it korotkochereshkovy leaves are located. Chicory from July to September large bright blue flowers blossoms. A fruit at chicory – a mericarp. Chicory can be wild and cultural. Cultivars grow up for use of a root of chicory in food.

Chicory grows in the European part of Russia, in Belarus, the Crimea, in the Caucasus. Loves slopes, the pine woods and sandy soils.

The advantage of chicory was known to the person since ancient times. In the Ancient Egyptian papyrus of Ebers (an era of the Pharaoh Amenhotep) it was mentioned that from chicory prepared drugs against deadly stings of snakes and poisonous insects.

The advantage of chicory in the works was described by doctors and scientists of antiquity (Teofrast, Pliny, Dioskorid). Famous Avicenna applied advantage of chicory to production of drugs in treatment of joints, eyes and a stomach.
Structure and advantage of chicory

The chicory root is of the greatest value. It contains a set of digestible substances which use as a valuable food stuff and for treatment of many diseases. The most important substance in structure providing the main advantage of chicory is insulin. It the root of chicory contains 60%. This polysaccharide – an irreplaceable component of dietary food, is also especially necessary for people with a diabetes mellitus as it replaces starch and sugar.

Besides, the root of chicory contains such substances as:

• Intybine (bitter glycoside);
• Saccharites;
• Organic acids;
• Sincaline;
• Proteins;
• Fats;
• Salts;
• Pectin;
• Essential oil;
• Vitamins.

The chicory root with such important elements as is extremely rich:

• Bitter substances;
• Resinous substances;
• Tannins.

As for vitamins B structure of a root of chicory, in it there is also a lot of them:

• Vitamin A;
• Vitamin C;
• B1 vitamin;
• B2 vitamin;
• RR vitamin;
• Vitamin E.

It is a lot of in chicory of the microelements useful to an organism:

• Manganese;
• Iron;
• Potassium;
• Sodium;
• Phosphorus.

The advantage of chicory is presented not only in its root. So, leaves of a plant contain the substance which is seldom met in the nature inulin. It is the natural polysaccharide almost completely consisting of fructose. Inulin helps an organism to acquire better mineral substances from food including calcium (and it, as we know, is acquired worst of all).

The main property of chicory to reduce sugar level in blood actively is applied to treatment of a diabetes mellitus. Many do not know that not only the root of chicory, but also its leaves has such property. The rich structure of a green part of a plant causes its use in food of the person.

Thus, the advantage of chicory is presented in those actions which its use makes on a human body:

-       Knitting;

-       Antihyperglycemic;

-       Soothing (sedative);

-       Diuretic;

-       Cholagogue;

-       Antiinflammatory (antiseptic);

-       Wound healing;

-       Stimulating (work of digestive tract);

-       Immunostimulating.

Use chicory

Meeting this product on sale, many of us ask a question: the advantage of chicory or harm will be brought to us by its regular use, for example, as drink. The answer is obvious: the root of chicory has surprising taste and curative properties. Therefore, it is possible to drink such drink without restrictions, reasonably, of course.

It is difficult to revaluate advantage of chicory. The range of medical actions of a root of chicory is very wide. Let's designate the wide list of those properties which at the regular use chicory has:

• Brings toxins out of a liver;
• Stimulates function of a liver;
• Calms a nervous system;
• Improves cardiac performance;
• Improves composition of blood;
• Normalizes digestion;
• Strengthens an organism.

Thus, the advantage of chicory is used for treatment of the following diseases and prevention of various disturbances of health:

-       Neurosis;

-       Sleeplessness;

-       Hypertensia;

-       Cystitis;

-       Cholelithiasis;

-       Hyperacid gastritis;

-       Nephrite;

-       Anemia;

-       Scurvy;

-       Spleen diseases;

-       Cirrhosis;

-       Hepatitis;

-       Enteritis;

-       Dysbacteriosis;

-       Arthritis;

-       Colitis;

-       Cholecystitis;

-       Chronic lock;

-       Breakdown;

-       The increased sweating.

In these cases chicory is accepted inside in the form of tincture, broth, drink. Chicory has big advantage at its use in the form of juice from roots and leaves.

But the advantage of chicory is very notable for health and at external use. So, broth of roots of chicory and its grass in traditional medicine apply to treatment of such diseases as:

• Eczema;
• Eels;
• Furunculosis;
• Purulent wounds, ulcers;
• Diathesis at children (food allergy);
• Inflammation of lymphatic glands.

For these purposes from chicory prepare bathtubs, lotions, poultices, bandages.

Thanks to such wide list of medicinal properties, chicory adjusts work of all organism, putting heart, kidneys, a liver and blood in order.

Along with such rich properties and advantage of chicory, it also has fine saturated taste. Chicory will bring exclusive benefit to you if every morning you begin to have not coffee, but curative drink. Such habit will provide you excellent mood and excellent health. Besides, chicory will help to get rid of an intestinal dysbiosis and will be a preventive measure against this disease. Harm from chicory will not be, at the regular use it helps to reduce sugar level in blood, so – to adjust a metabolism in an organism. Thanks to this property, it is possible to cope with excess weight. Besides, the root of chicory has the caloric content of only 21 kcal.

Chicory is used not only in food. So, the well-known Indian toothpastes practically always contain chicory root extract. Thanks to it, such toothpaste interferes with formation of a plaque on teeth and has antiinflammatory property.

The chicory root is often applied by production of confectionery. Such candies and cakes have unusual taste and a smell.

Contraindications and harm of chicory

Chicory cannot cause harm to the person practically. But if to abuse it, however, as well as any other product, it can result in deplorable result, and then harm from chicory will be obvious.

In case of existence of chronic diseases, it is necessary to consult regarding the use of this product with the doctor. Not to allow harming by chicory for health, it is necessary to be careful at such diseases:

-       Neurosis;

-       Hemorrhoids;

-       Gastritis;

-       Varicosity;

-       Bronchial asthma;

-       Bronchitis.

Chicory will do harm to the person in case it has an individual intolerance to this product.

Chicory can do obvious harm to health to a children's organism up to 3 years. Careful allergic persons as the considerable content of vitamin C in harm chicory for an organism can not bring need to be, but will serve as allergen.