Chicory is an ordinary type of root system. Medicinal plants. Transplant and reproduction
The Latin name is Cichorium intybus L.
The plant has been used by mankind for several millennia. The Egyptians used it mainly as a vegetable specifically to improve digestion. But the great doctors of antiquity Theophrastus and Dioscorides used it as a medicinal plant. Pliny the Elder used a tincture of chicory in vinegar with rose petals for migraines. In Western Europe, the plant appeared much later, but was already well known in the Middle Ages. The first information about the use of chicory in Russia dates back to the beginning of the 19th century.
Chicory is common. Teberdinsky Reserve. In the glades
Chicory ordinary Description
(Cichorium intybus L.) is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Aster family (Asteraceae), up to 1.5-2 m high.
Root fleshy, taproot, with basal leaves, thickened, similar to a radish.
Stem upright, branched, glabrous, rough.
Leaves sessile, stalk-bearing, lanceolate. basal leaves lanceolate, pinnately divided with notched margin. Stem leaves are sharp-toothed lanceolate, in their axils there are beautiful blue or lilac inflorescences.
The flowers are light blue, located in the axils of the leaves at the ends of the branches and collected in open baskets.
Blooms from July to late autumn.
The fruit is a seed.
Seeds ripen in August-September.
All parts of the plant contain milky sap.
Spreading
Distributed almost throughout Russia, with the exception of the northern regions. It grows along roads, in forest clearings, hills, borders, meadows, in settlements, on crops. It has been cultivated in our country since the 18th century.
Teberdinsky Reserve. In glades, forest edges, fallows and along roadsides, 1300-1500 m above sea level. Occasionally.
Growing on the site
Chicory is an unpretentious plant, but in order to get a good harvest of large roots, it is necessary to take into account some of its biological features.
The plant prefers sunny areas with fertile and light-textured soil with a neutral reaction of the environment. Seeds do not require pre-sowing preparation, and they are sown on a bed in early spring to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. The distance between rows is 50-60 cm. Seedlings appear in 7-10 days. If they are too thick, then in the phase of 3-4 leaves, the plants are thinned out, leaving 10-15 pieces per 1 m of the row. This contributes to the formation of large roots. Plant care includes loosening, weeding, and watering is necessary in dry summers. By the autumn of the first year, you can dig out raw materials. But you can do this in early spring before the plants begin to grow.
Mice love chicory, and therefore in winter the area with this plant must be trampled down.
During the first year of vegetation and in subsequent years, plants can be fed with complex fertilizers for any horticultural crops.
Advice. You can place chicory in a mixborder, but remember that in the first year it usually does not bloom, but only forms a rosette.
Medicinal raw materials
In folk medicine, almost the entire plant is used, but most often its roots. They are harvested in September-October: they are dug up after rain, when the soil is soft, they are cleaned from the earth, quickly washed in cold water and cut into pieces. It is better to dry in a dryer or in a not too hot oven at a temperature of 60 ... 70 ° C so that they do not burn.
The aerial part is harvested during flowering. The stems are cut into several pieces and dried in the sun. Stored in bags or closed wooden containers for 2 years.
For medical purposes, they prefer to use wild-growing chicory, which contains more bitter substances.
Chemical composition
Active ingredients
Chicory roots contain the polysaccharide inulin (50%), highly soluble in hot water. When roasted, it forms the substance hydroxymethylfurfural, which in aroma resembles coffee. Therefore, chicory is used to make a coffee drink - there is aroma, but no caffeine.
In addition to inulin, the roots contain bitterness, tannins, sugars, choline, sesquiterpene lactones. They contain vitamins C, Bi, E, choline, proteins, fats, pectin,
tannins, mineral salts and a large number of various trace elements.
Of the sugars, fructose predominates. Intibin glycosite gives the roots their characteristic bitter taste.
Chicory ordinary Application
Medicinal
Chicory preparations have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, sedative, diuretic, astringent and appetite-stimulating effects. They have a regulatory effect on metabolism, slightly increase cardiac activity and reduce sweating.
Chicory won the greatest recognition in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The decoction is prescribed for inflammatory diseases of the mucous membrane of the stomach, small and large intestines, liver, gallbladder and kidneys, as well as for cholelithiasis and kidney stones.
Chicory improves digestion, eliminates discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract, liver and spleen, increases appetite, reduces sugar in the urine, and reduces increased nervous excitability. Chicory preparations are used as a general tonic and for edema of cardiac origin.
Application in official and traditional medicine
In folk medicine, a decoction and infusion of the roots are taken to improve digestion, with metabolic disorders, skin diseases, diseases of the liver and kidneys, as a mild choleretic, diuretic and laxative. Chicory has a calming effect on the nervous system, enhances cardiac activity, slows down the rhythm of heart contractions. A decoction of seeds is used as an antipyretic, diaphoretic and analgesic.
To prepare a decoction, 2 tablespoons of a mixture of crushed roots and aerial parts of chicory, taken equally, are poured with 1 glass of hot water, boiled for 30 minutes, cooled for 10 minutes, filtered and squeezed. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals.
Stronger decoctions of chicory (4 tablespoons per 1 cup of boiling water) are used externally to treat skin rashes, acne, boils, purulent wounds, pustular skin diseases and eczema. Used for baths with diathesis in children, lotions and washings. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day. The bath is taken at night.
With anemia, fresh juice of the plant is prescribed. For its preparation, young shoots are collected at the budding stage, cutting off the tops 15-25 cm long, washed well, scalded with boiling water, passed through a meat grinder, squeezed through a dense cloth and boiled for 1-2 minutes. Take 1 teaspoon per "/g glass of milk 3-4 times a day. The course of treatment is 1-1.5 months
Chicory roots are included in the collection for the treatment of obesity, atherosclerosis, mineral metabolism disorders, kidney and gallstone diseases, gout, osteochondrosis, joint diseases. It is desirable to include chicory in the collection in the treatment of mild diabetes and asthenia.
Quite often, chicory is used as a general tonic. For example, in the Caucasus, a strong decoction or tincture of roots (sometimes stems or leaves) is regularly drunk before meals from general weakness. The people have long known the calming effect of chicory, and it is advised to take it with increased nervous excitability, hysteria, hypochondria. Confirmation of popular observations were the results of pharmacological experiments on animals. They showed, in particular, that an infusion of the inflorescences of a wild plant has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Nevertheless, as a sedative, chicory can hardly compete with valerian, motherwort, patrinia, and some other plants.
In German folk medicine, it is used for urinary incontinence, hemorrhoids, acne, rashes, boils associated with impaired metabolic processes in the body.
Use at home
To prepare a decoction, take 1 teaspoon of crushed roots, boil for several minutes in 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 1-2 hours, filter, add sugar to taste. Take 1/2 cup 2-3 times a day before meals.
An infusion of herbs is recommended for constipation and digestive disorders. A tablespoon of herbs should be brewed with a glass of boiling water and infused for about an hour. Take 1/3 (or "/2) cup 3 times a day. Stronger infusions or decoctions are used externally in the form of washings and lotions to treat chronic purulent wounds, ulcers, eczema. Sometimes eczema is treated with lotions from a strong decoction or infusion of grass ( 1:10);
A good diuretic effect is noted in the treatment with a strong decoction of the roots or herbs with roots of patients with edema of cardiac origin. In such cases, a decoction is prepared from 1 tbsp. tablespoons of crushed raw materials in a glass of water and take 3 times a day for 1/3 cup.
Other application
Widely used in the food industry in the production of sweets and cakes. Used in the production of natural coffee, coffee and tea drinks, giving them a specific taste, aroma and color. Due to the presence of easily digestible substances, chicory root is a valuable food product.
Chicory is specially grown for use in the food industry. It is used to make coffee drinks.
Chicory coffee was first introduced by the gardener Timme from Thuringia in the second half of the 18th century, and to this day it is considered the best coffee surrogate. For its preparation, the roots cut into pieces are fried and then ground into powder. When roasting, inulin and fructose are partially caramelized, which ensures the density of color of the “coffee” drink obtained from the powder.
At home, to prepare a “coffee” drink, dry roots are roasted in the oven and ground in a coffee grinder. Brewed in the same way as a purchased drink.
To obtain tender and tasty greens, lettuce varieties of chicory are specially grown, which, due to their mild hypoglycemic effect, are used in dietary nutrition for diabetes.
Chicory has found use as a coffee substitute. It is not only delicious, but also a healthy drink for the body. It normalizes blood pressure and sleep, promotes the outflow of bile and cleanses the liver. But it is important to consider that an overdose and non-compliance with the rules of administration can be harmful to health.
The blue dandelion is a member of the Asteraceae family and is native to Mediterranean countries. Currently, the culture is widespread in the temperate zone. It is grown mainly for industrial purposes.
Due to the frequent image of the plant on the packaging of chicory products (syrup, powder, granules), its appearance and description are familiar to many. The grass has a rigid vertical stem and taproot. The leaf plates are oblong in shape and have a rounded end. Large flowers on individual stems are painted in a color palette from blue to pinkish.
Chicory is a member of the Asteraceae family and is native to the Mediterranean countries.
Composition, medicinal and beneficial properties of chicory
The chemical composition of the plant is very rich and varied, giving bitterness to the taste. The root crop contains:
- polysaccharide, which is a natural stimulant for the development of intestinal microflora, is used as a sugar substitute;
- pectins that have antimicrobial effects;
- glycosides, which have anti-inflammatory and choleretic effects, as well as a calming effect;
- intibin glycoside, which copes with tachycardia, dilates blood vessels and normalizes the activity of the central nervous system;
- simple sugars, proteins, tannins that saturate the cells of the body with vitamin B;
- vitamins, micro and macro elements, carotene.
Gallery: common chicory (25 photos)
When to collect common chicory (video)
The composition of the leaves includes:
- ascorbic acid;
- carotene;
- potassium salts.
Due to the low calorie content (21 kcal per 100 g), the product belongs to the dietary category. Anyone who fears for the harmony of their figure can use this vitamin and mineral product without any problems.
Since useful substances are found in all parts of the plant, both the root and green leaves are eaten. Dried raw materials are used as an alternative to natural coffee or are added to coffee in order to enhance the taste and aroma.
The beneficial effects of the plant are due to the presence of milky juice, which has antimicrobial properties. In addition, he:
- improves digestion;
- has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
Chicory is an indispensable product for people suffering from carbohydrate metabolism disorders.
Harvesting of chicory roots takes place in the autumn
Collection and preparation of raw materials
Harvesting of roots occurs in the autumn. Raw materials must be dug up and washed thoroughly. Then cut into small pieces and dry. Suitable for drying in well-ventilated areas, ovens or ovens. The product is odorless and bitter in taste. Before laying in storage, it is recommended to pollinate the roots with chalk or lime.
Growing common chicory
Chicory is a biennial plant. In the initial year, it forms a rosette of leaves and forms a powerful root, which has a length of 10–45 cm and a mass of 100–400 g. In the second year of life, seeds are formed on the plant.
Terms and rules of landing
Before planting, prepare the soil. To do this, the area for chicory needs to be dug up and leveled with a rake. To get even grooves, it is recommended to take a wooden lath and press it 1 cm, keeping a distance of 35 cm between rows. Then sow the prepared seeds into the recesses at a distance of 15 cm from each other and sprinkle with earth. If the soil is very loose, planting material will go deep when watering, which will make germination difficult.
Reproduction by root processes must also be done in the spring.. It is advisable to choose a well-lit area. The soil can be any, but except for the one where the root crops used to grow. Chicory grows well in fertilized and structured areas.
Under natural conditions, chicory grows in meadows, forest edges and places located along the road.
Features of care
Under natural conditions, chicory grows in meadows, edges and places located along the road. The plant is unpretentious in care and tolerates short frosts.
After the first leaves appear on the seedlings, it is recommended to thin them out. The soil must be fertilized with products containing superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. With a lack of potassium, shooting may begin, which negatively affects the rhizome and seed formation.
A problem in cultivation can be pests, rot and leaf spot. In order to prevent, it is necessary to remove weeds and rotten plants, as well as water moderately. Although the plant tolerates drought, regular watering ensures a rich harvest. The soil in places of decay must be shed with potassium permanganate.
The use of chicory in folk medicine
The blue dandelion won the greatest popularity in the fight against diseases of the liver and organs of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, chicory is used to normalize digestion, reduce urine sugar and fight many other ailments.
Medicinal properties of chicory (video)
Recipes with chicory root
- To make a drink, grind and roast the root. Then brew like coffee. The resulting composition must be taken by patients suffering from insomnia, diabetes, hypertension and depression. Since the drink removes cholesterol, it is indicated for patients with atherosclerosis.
- Root decoction. Mix 1 tablespoon of finely chopped raw materials with water (500 ml) and boil for half an hour, stand and strain. Consume 1 tablespoon before meals.
- Infusion. Pour 50 g of roots with 500 ml of vodka and place in a place protected from the sun for 15 days. Then filter and drink 30 - 40 drops per glass of water before each meal, no more than 3 once a day.
- Topical use in the treatment of skin diseases(children's diathesis, eczema, acne, purulent wounds). 4 tablespoons of chopped raw materials brew a glass of boiling water. Problem areas must be washed with a solution or compresses should be made.
Uses of chicory seeds and herbs
For medicinal purposes, not only the root of the plant is used, but also its aerial part. The leaves collected during flowering are used in the preparation of many recipes:
- To improve appetite 1 tablespoon of finely chopped herbs should be brewed with 2 cups of hot water and wrapped. Take a quarter cup before meals. With the same solution, you should wash the damaged areas on the skin, as well as make lotions.
- With anemia and stress prepare juice from the tops of the plant. The grass must be thoroughly washed, scalded with boiling water and ground. Then squeeze the juice from the porridge-like composition and bring to a boil. For storage, pour the juice into a glass container, cover and put in a cold place. Use a mixture of 1 teaspoon of juice and honey dissolved in 100 g of warm milk. The duration of treatment is 30 days.
- Infusion of flowers treats pain in the region of the heart and eliminates increased nervous excitability.
- The seeds, as well as the leaves, are rich in inulin. A decoction of seeds has analgesic, antipyretic and diaphoretic effects.
For the treatment of many ailments, chicory is often mixed with other medicinal herbs and is often used in cosmetology. Herbalists advise regularly making masks from the gruel of the plant, since the beneficial substances have an effective effect on the skin of the face, cleansing and toning it.
For medicinal purposes, not only the root of the plant is used, but also its aerial part.
Contraindications and side effects of chicory
In order to avoid harm from any products of consumption, contraindications must be taken into account in any treatment. Herbalists do not recommend taking chicory in the following cases:
- pathologies of the digestive organs (peptic ulcer, gallbladder disease);
- varicose veins and other cardiovascular disorders;
- chronic bronchitis and asthma;
- urolithiasis disease;
- allergic reactions to components contained in the plant, such as vitamin C;
- gout, rheumatoid arthritis;
- stones in the kidneys.
It is forbidden to drink chicory-based formulations for people taking antibiotics. Since the drink is invigorating and diuretic, it is recommended to use it in the morning or at another convenient time.
Since chicory is invigorating and diuretic, it is recommended to use it in the morning or at another convenient time.
About the benefits of an instant chicory drink for children, pregnant and lactating women
Instant drink based on crushed root benefits people of all ages. Children are recommended to give the product only when they reach 3 years of age. Since the younger generation should not consume caffeinated beverages until the age of 7, chicory serves as a wonderful alternative.
Miracle Herb is often consumed as a replacement for caffeine. During pregnancy, a woman is recommended to drink soluble chicory. Due to the many useful elements that make up the drink, it has a complex effect on the expectant mother and baby. As a result, a pregnant woman can solve the accompanying troubles associated with pregnancy:
- relaxation of the nervous system;
- maintaining the functioning of the intestine;
- removal of bile and urinary stagnation;
- normalization of the digestive system.
Chicory root properties (video)
Since the plant helps to eliminate unnecessary toxins, heartburn and constipation associated with childbearing disappear. An increase in red blood cells in the blood has a positive effect on those who suffer from anemia. It should be taken into account that it is advisable for expectant mothers to use only the horse part, as well as to visit a doctor first for a consultation.
After pregnancy and childbirth, the mother's body is exhausted, so taking a medicinal plant in the form of decoctions and infusions will provide it with the necessary substances. Hair and skin are restored. But do not forget that the abuse of medicinal herbs can lead to trouble. It is necessary to monitor the reaction of the baby. In the event of an allergy, you should reduce the dosage or stop using it.
Surely each of us, walking along a rural road, noticed bluish modest star-flowers on high gray-green twigs, but few people know that this herb is chicory, which is widely used both in alternative medicine and in cooking. The article is dedicated to those who want to get the most out of this extraordinary plant.
What does common chicory look like?
Chicory (Petrov's whip, blue flower, shcherbak) was given to man by the Astrov family: it is a wild perennial or, if cultivated on the site, a biennial plant, which many people know about as a weed. The grass is easily recognizable not only by its tall erect stems with a rough surface, sometimes reaching a height of one and a half meters, but also by small inflorescences-baskets (single or in a group), most often of a bluish-gray hue, revealing their petals exclusively in the cool morning hours and in cloudy weather. It should be noted that there are species with white and pink flowers. As for the description of the leaves, in chicory they are lanceolate-ovoid in shape and seem to “hug” the stems. The underground part also deserves attention - the shcherbak root is very fleshy and large, making an incision, you can see the bitter milky juice of the plant.
At the end of the growing season, roadside grass, as chicory is also called, produces fruits - three- or five-sided light brown oblong achenes.
Places of distribution of chicory
For a resident of Russia, chicory is an obligatory attribute of the countryside. Indeed, this herb is widespread throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia, in particular, in the Caucasus and Siberia, it grows in northern Africa, Australia and even New Zealand. A modest plant settles along roads and ditches, in fields, meadows and forest edges, sometimes forming impressive thickets. In some cases, Peter's whip can be seen in the mountains (up to the middle belt).
Active ingredients of chicory
Folk recipes use the stems, leaves, flowers and roots of the plant. The fact is that they contain a significant proportion of inulin, a polysaccharide that helps in the fight against diabetes and metabolic problems in the body. Other beneficial substances are proteins, choline, intibin, glycosides, tannins and B vitamins such as riboflavin and thiamine. In addition, the composition of the leaves includes ascorbic acid, potassium and carotene; juice extracted from the root contains bitter lactucin, lactucopicrin, taraxasterol, etc. Fatty oils can make up to 30% in blue flower seeds.
Photo gallery
When to collect common chicory (video)
Medicinal and beneficial properties of the root, herb and seeds of common chicory
Due to the chemical composition saturated with useful substances, roadside grass has a whole list of healing properties. The main ones are considered to be the stimulation of digestive processes, the slowing down of rapid heart rate and the calming effect on the central nervous system. Shcherbak will also have a beneficial effect on the excretion of urine and bile, stop diarrhea, increase appetite, reduce fever and relieve severe pain of a different nature. Due to such a wide spectrum of action, this herb has been valued by healers as a versatile medicine since ancient times, when herbalism occupied a prominent position in official medicine.
According to the effects produced by chicory extract on the body, the herb can be used to combat diseases such as diabetes, hepatitis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, gastritis, enterocolitis, stomatitis, conjunctivitis, gout, sciatica and many others. In addition, decoctions from the root of the roadside grass are recommended for patients bitten by snakes, scorpions and lizards during the recovery period after a critical condition and the introduction of an antidote.
Folk medicine recipes often include Peter's whip in the composition of fees that help with loss of strength, incontinence, nephritis, and even some skin diseases (boils, carbuncles, eczema, acne). Today this plant is recognized even in the circles of professional physicians. y: drugs with chicory are prescribed as wound healing and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Growing common chicory
Having learned about the benefits that unpretentious chicory can bring to health, not a single site owner will refuse to plant it in his flower bed. Despite the fact that this is a semi-weed plant that does not require special conditions, in order to obtain a large and high-quality crop of healing herbs, you need to remember a few simple rules.
Planting chicory on the site
Planting technology for common chicory involves several stages. Firstly, rotten manure is applied to loamy, loose and neutral soil in the fall, which after 14 days is dug up to a depth of about 0.3 m. Secondly, a complex of mineral fertilizers and ash is applied in the spring (and again dug up to 25-30 cm. ). Thirdly, in March-April, acquire seedlings, which are then planted in open ground in May. As an alternative, you can try to sow chicory with seeds, but in this case you need to remember about 3-4 months - the time required for the formation of a good one. Seeds are sown in rows(row spacing - 20 cm), two-line tapes or thickened planting 20x20 cm. Seedlings should be planted to a depth of no more than 2 cm. At the end of sowing, the plot is rolled.
Medicinal features of chicory (video)
chicory care
The main procedures for caring for chicory are regular, but moderate watering with warm water, deep loosening of row-spacings after watering and rainfall, frequent weeding (especially beware of thistle and goutweed) and top dressing with a mineral complex if necessary.
Collection and harvesting of chicory
The root is used for decoctions and tinctures. It needs to be harvested in the fall: dig, rinse with cold water, dry, cut into pieces and clean to dry. The root can be dried both in the open air and in a drying chamber. Harvested raw materials are stored for no more than two years.
The tops are collected in the summer, during the flowering of roadside grass. The upper 30 cm of the stem, together with the inflorescences, are cut and dried in the same way as the roots; it should be remembered that their shelf life is much less - only 1 year.
Scope of chicory
For most people, chicory is a coffee substitute, but its properties have made it possible to use the herb both in traditional medicine and in modern cosmetology.
Chicory in folk medicine
- Root decoction. In ½ liter of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of raw materials is brewed, and then boiled for 30 minutes. The cooled broth is filtered and taken in a spoon three times a day before meals. The tool is extremely effective for improving appetite and the condition of the gastrointestinal tract as a whole.
- Infusion from the rhizome. 1 tbsp pour 500 ml of boiling water, insist under the lid for 3-4 hours and filter, squeezing out the remnants of the root. Dosage - half a glass, use before each meal. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, bladder and skin diseases.
- Fresh chicory juice with skin diseases and anemia. Young shoots are cut off during the period of bud formation, scalded and passed through a meat grinder. The resulting mixture is squeezed through gauze, and the squeezed juice is boiled for 2-3 minutes. Use with honey 1 teaspoon 4 times a day.
- Lotions from the root crop. We need equal parts of the root and the aerial part: 4 tbsp. spoons of raw materials are boiled for half an hour in a glass of water, squeezed out and cooled. The remedy is taken in the form of baths or douches for three or more days.
Chicory in cosmetology
Due to its beneficial properties, blue flower extract is a common component in many hair care products (rinses, shampoos, balms). This herb heals not only hair, but also the skin, fighting inflammation, acne, eczema and furunculosis, so it is also included in masks and washing gels.
Preparation and benefits of a drink from chicory powder
Today, chicory powder can be found in stores, and
In almost every supermarket, you can also find chicory on the shelves next to coffee and tea. It is sold in powder or syrup, pure or with all sorts of valuable additives such as ginseng, sea buckthorn, rose hip , blueberries and others.
Do you know what the chicory plant is from which this drink, useful for adults and even for small children, is made? In this article we will tell you what chicory looks like, where it grows, how it is useful, how it is used in cooking and in traditional medicine.
General information
Some consider the chicory plant to be weeds and do not pay attention to it. The modest blue flower loves to grow along roads (photo below), which is why in some regions it is called plantain or roadway.
And it is also called Peter's batog, because, according to mythology, once the apostle Peter drove insects from wheat ears with twigs, and when he finished, he threw these twigs onto the road. From them, chicory grew, which since ancient times has been predominantly near roads and lives.
You can meet him in meadows, and in forest clearings, and in wastelands - wherever it is sunny and dry, because he always avoids swampy shady places. The habitat of chicory is very wide. It grows on almost every continent except Antarctica. In Russia, it is common in the temperate climate zone, in the Caucasus, in Siberia.
Systematics
Chicory is a member of the Asteraceae family. It has only 10 species. Of these, 2 are cultivated, grown for the sake of green mass, which is used to prepare salads, and 8 are wild.
Of the cultivated chicories, it is our chicory - common chicory (Cichorium intybus) - a plant with an unremarkable appearance and a very large set of useful properties that has found the widest use. It is usually called by the common name of the genus - chicory, without specifying the species "ordinary". We will adhere to this rule.
Photo: Common root chicory, cultivars (Cichorium intybus var. Sativum)
The chemical composition of plant parts
The unique useful properties of chicory, due to which it is used not only by folk healers, but also by official medicine, are based on its chemical composition.
The substances necessary for the human body are found in almost all parts of the plant, but most of them are found in the root. It contains inulin polysaccharide, moreover, as much as 11%, and at the peak of the season the percentage rises to 75%. Pharmacists use it as a prebiotic - a substance that has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora.
In addition, in the roots and leaves, the chicory plant contains:
- protein substances (polypeptides, proteins);
- intibin (a very useful glycoside);
- organic acids;
- thiamine;
- carotene;
- riboflavin;
- vitamin C;
- niacin;
- pantothenic acid;
- pyridoxine;
- folic acid;
- trace elements (iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, sodium).
Chicory flowers contain coumarin glycosides.
In young leaves - carotene, potassium salts, inulin.
Milky juice contains lactucopicrin and lactucin.
Photo: common chicory (Cichorium intybus)
The benefits of chicory
The properties of chicory are very diverse. It has found application as:
- anti-inflammatory;
- antibacterial;
- antipyretic;
- immunostimulating;
- choleretic;
- diuretic;
- wound healing;
- a sedative.
The unique properties of chicory are used by folk healers to get rid of heartburn, to remove toxins, to increase appetite and improve bowel function, to purify the blood and reduce blood glucose.
What diseases can a simple blue flower help with?
The use of chicory in official medicine can be said to be modest. It is used mainly as a prebiotic and also as an appetite enhancer. Due to the high content of inulin, chicory root is valuable for the industrial production of fructose.
In folk medicine, chicory is more in demand. It is used for such ailments:
- diabetes;
- heart and kidney failure;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- cold;
- nervous disorders;
- weakening of the body and decreased immunity after operations, many viral and infectious diseases;
- migraine;
- anemia;
- insomnia;
- skin diseases (wounds, eczema, tumors, insect bites).
Photo: chicory flowers
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In order to preserve the unique properties of chicory as much as possible, its roots should be harvested from July (according to other sources - only in September-October and March). They must be dug out of the ground, washed thoroughly, divided into small fragments and dried in a special oven (you can try in a conventional oven) or in the open air in a place where sunlight does not fall. To prepare the drink, the roots are roasted and ground into a powder. Roasting removes bitterness from the roots and achieves the coffee color of the drink, as well as a pleasant aroma. To use as a medicine, dry roots do not need to be fried.
In addition, flowers and green mass of chicory are harvested. These raw materials are used only for medicinal purposes, they are not suitable for a drink. Harvesting is done all summer. The cut parts of the plant are dried according to the general rules (in the shade in a place well ventilated and out of direct sunlight). Easily broken stems will tell you that the drying process is over. After that, the raw materials must be stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Dried chicory roots are stored in a cool ventilated place. If they are processed into powder, it is important to remember that chicory root powder is very hygroscopic, so it cannot be stored in open containers and in containers made of paper and cloth.
Growing chicory
A useful plant can be grown in your garden by giving it a bright place. Now on the seed market for gardeners there are common root chicory "Coffee", "Witch Doctor", a leaf variety of "Cupid's Arrow" with red veins on green leaves - the latter is grown as an annual. A number of varieties of root chicory are included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Plant Varieties and are recommended for all areas of cultivation, including mechanized harvesting. These are root chicory "Alexandrite", "Rostovsky", "Gogolevsky", "Krizolit", "RTs 4", "Nikolsky", "Petrovsky", "Fluor". Varieties of chicory compare favorably with a wild plant, as they have a double set of chromosomes responsible for the beneficial properties of chicory. Such plants have a larger root, higher yield and content of dry matter and inulin, and leafy varieties have a good rosette of leaves with a reduced content of bitterness. The highest yields are demonstrated by the varieties "Alexandrite" (550-600 c/ha), "Krizolit" (450 c/ha), RTs 4 (461 c/ha). Fluor (20.5-21.5%), RC 4 (24.3%), Krizolit (20-21%) are distinguished by a high content of inulin.
Seeds should be sown in early spring, as soon as the soil allows, it should warm up to 8 degrees. They are buried no more than 2 cm and not less than 1 cm in loose earth. The groove or hole is pre-compacted a little so that the seeds do not fall deeper. Plants are located no closer than 20 cm from each other. Shoots will appear in a week or a little more, and in early summer it will be possible to use fresh chicory leaves.
Sometimes they use the experience of foreign gardeners. A developed rosette of leaves is covered with a dark breathable material, for example, matting, for about three weeks. Without access to light, bitterness leaves the leaves, after which they can be eaten raw without prior preparation. The root of this perennial ripens by the end of the second season, then it can be dug up for culinary or medicinal purposes, harvested for future use.
Drinking a drink
The most common and simplest use of chicory is simply to make a drink out of it. To do this, you can buy it in the store, or you can make it yourself. The drink tastes a bit like coffee , but does not have an invigorating effect, as it does not contain caffeine. It can be used by children and adults, including pregnant women. Nursing mothers can take a drink only if the baby is not allergic to it, and if this drink does not worsen lactation.
The process of preparing a store-bought drink is extremely simple - add one (one and a half, two) teaspoon of powder to a cup, sugar to taste, mix, pour boiling water over it. Milk can be added if desired.
If a drink is being prepared from a product made by oneself, it is advisable to boil it for a minute, since at home not everyone will be able to make a soluble powder from the root of the plant.
The use of chicory in dermatology and cosmetology
For the treatment of skin ailments, a thicker decoction of chicory is prepared. To do this, take 2-3 tablespoons with a mountain of dry raw materials, pour water and boil for 7 minutes. Allow to cool. Filter. Added to water when taking baths (it promotes skin regeneration, toning, cleansing, treatment of small cracks and rashes). In order to strengthen the hair roots, the resulting decoction is diluted with water 1: 1 and rubbed into the scalp. Also, this decoction is suitable for rinsing the mouth, and in some countries they even add chicory to toothpastes to strengthen the gums and mucous membranes.
Chicory in cooking
Not only doctors, but also culinary specialists widely use the chicory plant (as well as the closely related dandelion
).
The leaves of wild chicory have long been used. For example, in Albania it successfully replaces spinach, in Greece it is an integral ingredient of one of the cuisines, in India, Italy, Turkey, Palestine they are added to coffee. Chicory root is a commonly used coffee substitute. In some countries, its salad variety is actively cultivated. But our ordinary chicory also comes into play. The content of bitterness in its milky juice gives the food a special piquancy. And to reduce it, the leaves are first doused with boiling water. After that, they are fried with onions or other products.
Here are some recipes:
Addition to garnish
In the spring, young chicory leaves and small flower shoots are cut. All this is washed, cut into pieces and stewed in oil. Salt and spices are added to taste. The resulting product can be added to boiled and sliced \u200b\u200bpotatoes.
Salad
The youngest leaves of chicory are cut, washed, lettuce, onion, cucumber are added to them, seasoned with oil. Salt to taste.
soup
The wild chicory plant (ordinary) can also be used for cooking first courses. To do this, you need bacon, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, parmesan cheese. Chicory leaves (they will need about 1 kg) are washed very well in several waters, boiled in salted water and put in a colander, but do not throw away the water, but leave it in a separate saucepan. In a frying pan in olive oil, fry the chopped clove of garlic and pieces of bacon, then add to this the water where the chicory leaves were boiled, and simmer until the meat is cooked. At the very end of the process, add the chopped tomatoes. Next, put the mass from the pan, boiled chicory, salt, pepper, pour water (quite a bit), put on fire, add grated parmesan and chopped parsley into the pan.
There are even more dishes from lettuce chicory, which also pleases with spicy bitterness. It is consumed raw, without heat treatment. All these dishes are extremely useful for the prevention of dozens of ailments.
Use for slimming and I
There is no consensus on how appropriate the use of chicory to get rid of excess weight. On the one hand, this herb removes toxins and toxins, and with them excess fluid, normalizes metabolic processes, which to some extent helps to lose weight. But on the other hand, it increases appetite, which is why some doctors do not recommend the use of chicory for obese people. At the same time, thanks to inulin, chicory can be useful for malnutrition and weight loss.
Contraindications
No matter how useful the properties of chicory are, not everyone can use it. Oxalates were found in its parts, so doctors do not advise using chicory for those who suffer from hypotension, anemia, stomach ulcers, and kidney ailments. There is an opinion that it should be used very carefully by those who have hemorrhoids, varicose veins, bronchial asthma, gout and kidney stones.
The chicory plant is known to most of mankind as a useful substitute for coffee, but its aromatic and taste properties are much inferior to the real one. In the field of traditional medicine, the flower is famous for its unique healing attribute.
The homeland of healing chicory is the Mediterranean region. Garden culture is well distributed in temperate climates and tropical zones. The culture can be found in North Africa, Eurasia, South America, New Zealand and Australia. Wild-growing representatives of the genus are found on the edges of forests, fields, wasteland areas and near village areas, sometimes forming dense areas. A cultivated plant is grown by agronomists in specially designated areas. Chicory, photograph of a plant from field zones.
Name
Chicory (lat. Cichórium) is a biennial and perennial plant of the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. The pedigree includes a couple of cultivated species and about eight wild ones.
Description
The root system is spindle-shaped, large in size. When the integrity of the root is violated, milky juice is released.
Stem with a ribbed surface, erect, reaching a height of up to 150 cm, forming branches.
Bisexual flowers bloom in baskets, while being in the axillary space of the leaves or singly at the top of the plant. Inflorescences are blue, sometimes there are snow-white and pink color. The petals are shaped like a tongue with five teeth. The moment of abundant flowering falls in the middle of the summer season. At the end of flowering, chicory forms a brown achene, where the seed fruits are located.
The deciduous part is reduced to rosettes; at the base of the horticultural crop, the leaves have a pitted, pinnately divided shape, narrowed towards the base. The leaves are sessile, lanceolate with a serrated margin and a voluminous base, and on the upper part the leaves have a continuous structure.
Healing chicory is a frequently visited plant by bees to collect nectar. Opened inflorescences can only be found during the day, as chicory reacts positively to the sun.
Care
Lighting
The plant lives comfortably in lighted areas, can overpower the shady zone. Fragrances in direct sunlight.
Temperature regime
Since chicory is a cold-resistant species, withstands frost down to (-10) degrees. Chicory prefers warm climates. It survives high temperatures well, it is during this period that it needs abundant watering.
Watering
Garden crops must be watered thoroughly and sprayed on the deciduous part during the solstice. But we must remember that an excess of salts in the water negatively affects the fetus. Chicory germinates well in a humid environment, dry air significantly slows down growth and affects the nutrition of the root system.
The norm of soil moisture is 70%, air 80%.
Heat-dehydrated chicory fruits have a bitter taste.
top dressing
It is best to fertilize a healing culture with mineral fertilizers. It is necessary to add the composition of compost, humus and wood ash to the soil, as well as add some superphosphates and potassium salt. With the onset of the spring period, it is recommended to fertilize with urea.
Transplant and reproduction
When choosing a zone for plantings, it must be remembered that it is not recommended to sow chicory in the same place. Permanent sowing of chicory leads to the development of diseases. To return to the previous zone, more than 2 years must pass.
In autumn, the landing site must be dug up. Apply fertilizer under the dug up soil. In the spring season, at the end of April, a chicory seed is sown, the distance between which is not less than 5 cm. Having planted vegetation, the site must be rolled. The ground temperature should be at least 10 degrees.
Useful properties and use of chicory
In alternative medicine, healing culture is intended for a considerable range of applications. For the purposes of the therapeutic technique, the root is used, sometimes ground shoots. The root system is dug up in the fall, and the stems are harvested from the moment of flowering. Spread out in a single tier, air dry under a covered area. The material is stored in paper containers, in a warm place.
In the people, the plant is used in large volumes, as it has a positive effect on the entire body. The plant is used as an antipyretic, choleretic, vasodilating drug that improves metabolic stages.
The decoction is an active diuretic, effectively fights swelling of muscle tissue, kidney disease. Therapeutic infusion pacifies the central nervous system, restores the metabolism in the body, is prescribed to combat diabetes, atherosclerosis, and obesity.
Infusion with bee honey is drunk as an antipyretic, diaphoretic drug for acute respiratory infections, inflammation of the lung tissue. Composition, juice have a spicy bitterness, while improving appetite, digestion and gastrointestinal activity. The natural juice of the culture is used for dermatitis. Joint disease, osteochondrosis, gout are treated with lotions from freshly squeezed juice. Healing infusion rinse the mouth with a visible inflammatory process of tissues.
Snake bite is treated with the milky juice of a plant culture, and the area around the wound is smeared with a homogeneous slurry of the culture (can be combined with dandelion) and wrapped. The patient needs to take a freshly prepared composition.
Decoction of roots or herbs:
- 2 tbsp. l. horses or 4 tbsp. l. herbs per 400 ml of water,
- boil 1 minute
- leave for about 2 hours.
- Strain and drink 0.25 cup 3 times a day before meals.
coffee drink
A coffee drink made from chicory is made from dried brown roots. The slices must be roasted, during the process bitterness is lost, and the aromas of real coffee beans are acquired.
To prepare a coffee drink, you need 200 g of ground raw materials per 250 ml of water. The finished mixture must be brought to a boil and kept on fire for 5 minutes. Before use, strain through a fine strainer and pour into a cup. For an amateur, milk, sugar, honey are added to the prepared drink.
Coarsely ground chicory can be poured with boiling water and insisted for 10 minutes. In terms of taste, the drink is not inferior to natural coffee, but it has useful properties and does not contain caffeine. To make the shade of real coffee brighter, chicory added to it will help. The amount of natural coffee will be halved, and the benefits will increase.
Healing chicory is not tolerated by the body - this is individual, and often applies to allergy sufferers. It is recommended to use chicory only after consulting a doctor.
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