It was already cultivated as a medicinal plant by the ancient Egyptians. Chicory roots are rich in fiber and bioactive compounds.
Inulin is the main storage carbohydrate consisting of fructose molecules whose linkage cannot be broken down by human intestinal enzymes and was classified as dietary fiber. Plants make inulin to store energy. It is also important in the plant’s defense against the cold. Inulin is usually found in the roots of plants. Fresh chicory roots contain, by dry weight, 68% of inulin, 14% sucrose, 5% cellulose, 6% protein, 4% ash, and 3% other compounds.
With ‘natural’ sweetness, inulin in the form of chicory root fiber reduces the amount of processed sugar and fat needed within food products, and can help improve blood sugar management.
In addition to being used as a tonic in the form of syrup, chicory roots are conventionally taken to relieve different digestive disorders.
As a medicinal plant, chicory was historically used mainly in 3 ways: 1) as a preparation of “food for the sick,” for consumption by ill or weakened individuals; 2) as a medicinal preparation for internal use to treat specific organs or diseases; and 3) as a medicinal preparation for external use.
Research links chicory root to many health benefits, including healthy digestion, relief for constipation, blood sugar control, cholesterol improvement and even weight loss.
Volatile oils are found in all parts of the plant but are more concentrated in the roots which have been found to be effective at eliminating intestinal worms.
In Afghanistan chicory is used as a remedy for malarial fevers, chicory has proven to be a promising antimalarial agent, due to its bitter compounds such as lactucin, lactucopicrin, 8-deoxylactucin and their derivatives. Due to its content in sesquiterpene lactones (STL), chicory presents also anthelmintic activity in animals.
Chicory root fiber
