* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
The green leaves and not the white leaves of Chicory are usually used in medicine. Cichorium intybusor, Chicory Succory, has roots which, when dried, roasted and ground, yield a powder which is far fromhaving the taste and stimulating properties of coffee but from which a bitter infusion is made and used in milk in a large part of Europe, a practice which originated with chicory coffee in Holland.
Chicory, also known as succory, grows in Egypt, Asia, and the Americas, and is mentioned in ancient texts. Its blanched leaves are a popular addition to salads in our own day. Ground chicory also serves as a coffee substitute or is mixed with coffee to make a strong, pleasantly bitter brew. Healers use both the root and the above-ground parts of the plant.
Potential Health Benefits
Commission E finds chicory effective for stimulating appetite and alleviating dyspepsia (upset stomach).
Scientific Evidence
Chicory contains inulin, bitter principles, and pentosans and stimulates the liver to increase the production of bile, which in turn helps the body digest fat. As with other herbs that aren't studied extensively by scientists, Commission E draws its recommendations from empirical use. Additionally, a 1995 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that a liquid extract of chicory root shows promise as a helpful antioxidant.
Common names are succory, wild chicory, and wild succory. Cultivated in Egypt, chicory was irrigated by the flooding of the Nile 5,000 years ago. It was mentioned by first-century herbalist Dioscorides, and Thomas Jefferson planted chicory at Monticello in 1774. It is noted as a digestive, diuretic, tonic herb recommended for jaundice, spleen problems, to promote the production of bile and the release of gallstones. It is also useful for elimination of excessive mucus, and in treating gastritis and other digestive problems. Chicory contains choline, which is important in regulating cholesterol metabolism.
Plant: A perennial herb cultivated or found wild in the United States and Europe. The long taproot is yellow outside and white within and contains a bitter, milky juice. Light blue to violet-blue flowers from July to September or even October. Chicory grows throughout Europe in fields, hedgerows, and along roadsides.
Height: 3 to 5 feet.
Soil: Average to poor, well-drained, lime-rich soil.
Exposure: Full sun.
Propagation: Sow seed in early spring and thin seedlings to 1 foot apart.
Care: Mix compost into soil before seeding.
Parts Used for Tea: Root, gathered from March to May, or flowering herb.
Taste: Pungent, bitter.
How to Brew
By Infusion: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon herb and steep 5 minutes, or to taste.
By Decoction: Simmer 1 teaspoon root in 2 cups water for about 15 minutes. Take one cup per day.
Alternate Tea Method: An infusion is made by adding about 40 g of dried herb to one litre of boiling water. About half a cup or less is taken three times a day for three days.
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Directions
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 tea bag for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the pot, cover and let steep for 2-4 minutes. Pour into your cup; add milk and sugar to taste.
Iced tea brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 5 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea itself. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into the serving pitcher straining the tea bags. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
Cautions
Not recommended if you are pregnant or lactating.
People with gallstones should always consult a physician before using chicory. In rare cases, touching the herb triggers allergic skin reactions.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
