Chicory Root: Beyond New Orleans
Best known as the key ingredient in New Orleans-style French coffee, chicory root is so much more than a smooth-flavored Great Depression coffee stunt-double.
We use roasted chicory root as one of the foundational ingredients in Cauxffee not only for its coffee-like flavor and color, but also its rich nutrient profile and prebiotic inulin which has provided benefits for thousands of years across civilizations.
🌿 Chicory's History
Chicory root (Cichorium intybus) use goes as far back as 2000 BCE in ancient Egypt for its medicinal properties, particularly to support liver and gallbladder health.
It was first used as a coffee in 19th century Napoleonic era France due to its low cost and wide availability when coffee supply was impacted by blockades.
But it was the Great Depression era that popularized its use in the US, particularly in the south in New Orleans.
Chicory root offers a range of health benefits, thanks to its high content of prebiotic fiber, antioxidants, and bitter compounds that support digestion, liver function, and more. Here’s a breakdown of its key health benefits:
⚡ Gut Health Support
- Chicory root is rich in inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber.
- Inulin feeds beneficial gut bacteria, promoting a healthy microbiome and improving digestion.
- May help relieve constipation and support regularity.
🍽️ Aids Digestion
- Chicory’s natural bitterness stimulates bile production, which aids in the breakdown of fats.
- Traditionally used to soothe digestive discomfort, including bloating and indigestion.
🍎 Promotes Liver Health
- Chicory has been used since ancient times to detoxify the liver.
- Contains compounds like esculetin and lactucin, which may support liver function and protect against oxidative stress.
🩸 Helps Regulate Blood Sugar
- Inulin may slow glucose absorption and help balance blood sugar levels.
- Studies have shown chicory root extract can improve insulin sensitivity in some individuals.
🛡️ Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects
- Contains polyphenols and other plant compounds with antioxidant properties, which help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
☕ Caffeine-Free Energy Support?
When ChatGPT (we call him Chad) fed me this line for this blog, I had to challenge it.
No, chicory doesn't have caffeine or any other stimulating effect.
But...if your digestion is improved, your blood sugar is stabilized, your body's ability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat is improved, and you're not as bloated... it makes sense that you'd be feeling more energized!
Ok, Chad. We'll buy it. Caffeine-free energy support it is.
🌍 Chicory's Role in Regenerative Agriculture
Native to Europe and surrounding regions, chicory is adaptable to a wide range of climates, and now widely grows across the US, especially in poor soils (read: it's considered a weed).
But is it?
Chicory is actually hugely beneficial to soil health, pollinators, and livestock
- Its long taproots break up and aerate the soil and bring up nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium to the surface (just like dandelion!)
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The roots exude prebiotic compounds (including inulin), which nourish beneficial soil microbes and improve microbial diversity in the rhizosphere (the zone surrounding plant roots).
- Plants need both nutrient availability and microbial diversity to enable those nutrients to be actually available for uptake, and chicory's delivering that one-two punch!
- When grown in pasture, chicory provides nutrient-rich forage for livestock and supports sustainable rotational grazing systems.
- Not to mention, its blue flowers attract bees and pollinators, increasing nearby crop yields while providing food for pollinators and increasing biodiversity.
In case you're wondering, we like to consult Chad, but all our blog posts and content are still written by us, real humans like you!