Chicory, coffee substitute and digestive stimulant

Chicory is a medicinal plant used as a substitute for coffee and digestive stimulant, although it is also an excellent tonic and mild laxative. 

Its botanical name is Cichorium intybus and is a plant native to the Mediterranean area, although it has naturalized later in different parts of Europe, North America and Australia. It is grown as a vegetable - usually producing buds in absolute darkness - and also as a substitute for coffee. The plant is extremely bitter, so it is an excellent tonic and digestive stimulant, as well as a mild laxative.

• Used parts: root, leaves and flowers
• Main components: inulin, sesquiterpene lactones, oligosaccharides, glycosides, vitamins and minerals.
• Actions: laxative, diuretic, mild sedative, liver and digestive tonic. 

How to use it

• Infusion . Mix leaves and flowers in a standard infusion and take 1 cup 3 times a day to improve digestion.
• Tincture. Take 1-2ml (20-40 drops) of root tincture 3 times a day as an appetite stimulant.
• Decoction. Take 1 / 2-1 cup of standard infusion of chicory root 3 times daily as a stimulant tonic of the liver and digestive system. Use 1 / 2-1 cup of a mild decoction at 1/2 1-2 times daily for constipation. Chicory also contains oligosaccharides, which are prebiotic and help maintain a healthy intestinal flora. 
• Fluid extract. The extract has been used successfully against infections by intestinal parasites in sheep and cattle, although its effects on human parasites have not been investigated.

If you want to grow it at home ...

Cultivation: Prefers fertile soils, humid, but well drained and in full sun. Plant the seeds in a seedbed in autumn or spring and when they have taken root and transplants them to their final positions in rows of a minimum of 60cm away. Discard or cut the tip of the buds from time to time, as it can grow uncontrollably. 

Location: Sometimes it is found in hedges and the boundaries of the fields, especially in southern Europe. The leaves can be collected during the summer. They have a bitter taste and can be boiled to reduce it. 

Collection: Start the root in early spring of the second year.