Discover the advantages and benefits of chicory coffee, the healthy alternative to coffee that purifies the body and strengthens the immune system
We usually consume chicory boiled, sautéed or in savory recipes. Few experience the chicory coffee, an alternative drink that offers several benefits as well benefits for health.
Many of us drink coffee in the morning and throughout the day and it is also easy to overdo it, for taste or the need to "get up", with the use of this drink that contains caffeine, an exciting substance that can lead to the appearance of a series of side effects including colitis, nervousness and insomnia.
Those who want to avoid the use of coffee are often looking for alternative drinks such as barley coffee and chicory coffee which is obtained from the roots of Cichorium Intybus. After being cleaned and dried, these are roasted. At that point they can be used to prepare this alternative coffee.
It is a drink with very ancient traditions, it seems that the use of chicory roots for the preparation of a coffee substitute dates back to 1600. At that time, obviously coffee was not easy to find and the farmers had found this system for make sure you have a hot drink for breaks from work. Even later, especially during the war when resources were scarce, people sipped chicory coffee, a poor but equally satisfying drink.
But let's now discover the numerous benefits of this drink.
Index
Chicory coffee, advantages over coffee
Chicory coffee offers some advantages:
- It is caffeine free: no exciting substance is present in this drink and therefore you can easily sip several times a day and even in the evening without risking nervousness or insomnia.
- Even children can drink it: while for the little ones the classic coffee is not recommended, you can alternatively use the barley drink or this one based on chicory, perhaps sweetened to their liking or added to milk.
- It tastes pleasant: although drinking chicory may initially scare, in reality the coffee that is obtained from this plant has a pleasant flavor and does not recall that of the roots or the vegetables as it is.
Benefits of chicory coffee
Chicory coffee is also an excellent drink in terms of benefits. Obviously the properties of this particular coffee are due precisely to the fact that chicory is used to prepare it, a bitter herb rich in potential for health.
- Mineral salts, fibers and antioxidants: chicory coffee is a concentrate of essential substances for the well-being of our body.
- Helps digestion: chicory promotes digestion, taking this drink after a meal, especially if it is high in fat, can help make the stomach work easier.
- Helps the liver work: Since it is a bitter herb, chicory also supports the liver in its detoxification process.
- Promotes intestinal well-being: chicory coffee acts positively both on bacterial flora and, thanks to the presence of fibers, on intestinal regularity.
- Strengthens the Immune System: thanks to all the previous actions, this drink also helps the immune system to stay strong.
- Helps keep blood sugar at bay: given the presence of fiber, this drink can also help keep the sugars in the blood at the right levels.
How to prepare chicory coffee
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There are various types of chicory coffee on the market soluble and the version suitable for mocha. In the first case, just dip the powder in hot water (or in milk or vegetable drinks) and dissolve it by turning slowly, in the second case, instead, you need to fill the mocha with the preparation but not to the top as you would for normal coffee , only a little more than half of the special filter.
Another alternative is to prepare chicory coffee as if it were one tisane, boiling the roots for a few minutes in a saucepan of water. Obviously in this case it is necessary to filter before drinking.
Once your coffee is ready you can drink it as it is or make it sweeter by adding a little brown sugar, honey, coconut sugar or other natural sweeteners.
Which one to choose? Much depends on you. If your intent is to take it to the office, you should probably choose the most practical soluble variant to use and also available already portioned in sachets. At home, however, you may not have lost the habit of preparing your old coffee, in this case you can choose the mocha every time you want to taste the chicory drink.
However, we always suggest that you prefer chicory coffee from organic farming.
Contraindications of chicory coffee
There are very few contraindications to the consumption of this drink. Not recommended only in pregnancy (it can generate uterine contractions). Be careful even if you suffer from ulcers or gastritis. If in doubt, always ask your doctor for advice.
Where to find chicory coffee
Chicory coffee can be found in organic food stores, online and more rarely in traditional well-stocked supermarkets.
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