Chicory

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Common chicory
Botanical illustration of chicory
1885 illustration[1]
Closeup photograph of blue chicory flower
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Cichorieae
Genus: Cichorium
Species:
C. intybus
Binomial name
Cichorium intybus
Synonyms[2][3]

Common chicory, Cichorium intybus,[4] is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the dandelion family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Many varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and food additive. In the 21st century, inulin, an extract from chicory root, has been used in food manufacturing as a sweetener and source of dietary fiber.[5]

Chicory is grown as a forage crop for livestock.[6] It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and is now common in North America, China, and Australia, where it has become widely naturalized.[7][8][9] "Chicory" is also the common name in the United States for curly endive (Cichorium endivia); these two closely related species are often confused.[10]

Names[edit]

Common chicory is also known as blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue sailors, blue weed, bunk, coffeeweed, cornflower, hendibeh, horseweed, ragged sailors, succory, wild bachelor's buttons, and wild endive.[11] (Note: "Cornflower" is commonly applied to Centaurea cyanus.) Common names for varieties of var. foliosum include endive, radicchio, radichetta, Belgian endive, French endive, red endive, sugarloaf, and witloof (or witlof).

Description[edit]

When flowering, chicory has a tough, grooved, and more or less hairy stem, from 30 to 100 cm (10 to 40 in) tall. The leaves are stalked, lanceolate and unlobed. The flower heads are 2 to 4 cm (​3⁄4 to ​1 1⁄2 inches) wide, and usually light purple or lavender (see picture) and it has been described as light blue, rarely white or pink. Of the two rows of involucral bracts, the inner is longer and erect, the outer is shorter and spreading. It flowers from July until October.

Culinary uses[edit]

Root chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) has been cultivated in Europe as a coffee substitute.[12] The roots are baked, roasted, ground, and used as an additive, especially in the Mediterranean region (where the plant is native). As a coffee additive, it is also mixed in Indian filter coffee, and in parts of Southeast Asia, South Africa, and the southern United States, particularly in New Orleans. In France a mixture of 60% chicory and 40% coffee is sold as Ricoré. It has been more widely used during economic crises such as the Great Depression in the 1930s and during World War II in Continental Europe. Chicory, with sugar beet and rye, was used as an ingredient of the East German Mischkaffee (mixed coffee), introduced during the "East German coffee crisis" of 1976–79. It is also added to coffee in Spanish, Greek, Turkish, Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian cuisines.[13]

Some beer brewers use roasted chicory to add flavor to stouts (commonly expected to have a coffee-like flavor). Others have added it to strong blond Belgian-style ales, to augment the hops, making a witlofbier, from the Dutch name for the plant.

Leaf chicory[edit]

Wild[edit]

Wild chicory leaves usually have a bitter taste. Their bitterness is appreciated in certain cuisines, such as in the Ligurian and Apulian regions of Italy and also in the southern part of India. In Ligurian cuisine, wild chicory leaves are an ingredient of preboggion and in Greek cuisine of horta; in the Apulian region, wild chicory leaves are combined with fava bean puree in the traditional local dish fave e cicorie selvatiche.[14] In Albania, the leaves are used as a spinach substitute, mainly served simmered and marinated in olive oil, or as ingredient for fillings of byrek.

By cooking and discarding the water, the bitterness is reduced, after which the chicory leaves may be sautéed with garlic, anchovies, and other ingredients. In this form, the resulting greens might be combined with pasta[15] or accompany meat dishes.[16]

Cultivated[edit]

Chicory may be cultivated for its leaves, usually eaten raw as salad leaves. Cultivated chicory is generally divided into three types, of which there are many varieties:[17]

  • Radicchio usually has variegated red or red and green leaves. Some only refer to the white-veined red-leaved type as radicchio, also known as red endive and red chicory. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. It can also be used to add color and zest to salads. It is largely used in Italy in different varieties, the most famous being the ones from Treviso (known as radicchio rosso di Treviso),[18][19] from Verona (radicchio di Verona), and Chioggia (radicchio di Chioggia), which are classified as an IGP.[20] It is also common in Greece.[citation needed]
  • Sugarloaf looks rather like cos lettuce, with tightly packed leaves.[21]
Witloof, Belgian endive
  • Belgian endive is known in Dutch as witloof or witlof ("white leaf"), endive or (very rarely) witloof in the United States,[22] indivia in Italy, endivias in Spain, chicory in the UK, as witlof in Australia, endive in France, and chicon in parts of northern France, in Wallonia and (in French) in Luxembourg. It has a small head of cream-colored, bitter leaves. It is grown completely underground or indoors in the absence of sunlight to prevent the leaves from turning green and opening up (etiolation). The plant has to be kept just below the soil surface as it grows, only showing the very tip of the leaves. It is often sold wrapped in blue paper to protect it from light, so to preserve its pale color and delicate flavor. The smooth, creamy white leaves may be served stuffed, baked, boiled, cut and cooked in a milk sauce, or simply cut raw. The tender leaves are slightly bitter; the whiter the leaf, the less bitter the taste. The harder inner part of the stem at the bottom of the head can be cut out before cooking to prevent bitterness. Belgium exports chicon/witloof to over 40 different countries. The technique for growing blanched endives was accidentally discovered in the 1850s at the Botanical Garden of Brussels in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Belgium.[23] Today France is the largest producer of endive.[24]
  • Catalogna chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum), also known as puntarelle, includes a whole subfamily (some varieties from Belgian endive and some from radicchio)[25] of chicory and is used throughout Italy.
Leaves unlobed and pointed
Inflorescences of a blue-flowered form, showing the two rows of bracts

Although leaf chicory is often called "endive", true endive (Cichorium endivia) is a different species in the genus, distinct from Belgian endive.

Chicory root and inulin[edit]

Around 1970, it was found that the root contains up to 20% inulin, a polysaccharide similar to starch. Inulin is mainly found in the plant family Asteraceae as a storage carbohydrate (for example Jerusalem artichoke, dahlia, yacon, etc.). It is used as a sweetener in the food industry with a sweetening power 10% that of sucrose[26] and is sometimes added to yogurts as a prebiotic. Inulin is also gaining popularity as a source of soluble dietary fiber and functional food.[27]

Chicory root extract is a dietary supplement or food additive produced by mixing dried, ground chicory root with water, and removing the insoluble fraction by filtration and centrifugation. Other methods may be used to remove pigments and sugars. It is used as a source of soluble fiber. Fresh chicory root typically contains, by dry weight, 68% inulin, 14% sucrose, 5% cellulose, 6% protein, 4% ash, and 3% other compounds. Dried chicory root extract contains, by weight, about 98% inulin and 2% other compounds.[28] Fresh chicory root may contain between 13 and 23% inulin, by total weight.[29]

Agents responsible for bitterness[edit]

The bitter substances are primarily the two sesquiterpene lactones, lactucin and lactucopicrin. Other ingredients are aesculetin, aesculin, cichoriin, umbelliferone, scopoletin, 6,7-dihydrocoumarin, and further sesquiterpene lactones and their glycosides.[30]

Traditional medicine[edit]

Chicory greens, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy96 kJ (23 kcal)
4.7 g
Sugars0.7 g
Dietary fiber4 g
0.3 g
1.7 g
VitaminsQuantity %DV†
Vitamin A equiv.
36%
286 μg
32%
3430 μg
10300 μg
Thiamine (B1)
5%
0.06 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
8%
0.1 mg
Niacin (B3)
3%
0.5 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
23%
1.159 mg
Vitamin B6
8%
0.105 mg
Folate (B9)
28%
110 μg
Vitamin C
29%
24 mg
Vitamin E
15%
2.26 mg
Vitamin K
283%
297.6 μg
MineralsQuantity %DV†
Calcium
10%
100 mg
Iron
7%
0.9 mg
Magnesium
8%
30 mg
Manganese
20%
0.429 mg
Phosphorus
7%
47 mg
Potassium
9%
420 mg
Sodium
3%
45 mg
Zinc
4%
0.42 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
Belgian endive (witloof), raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy71 kJ (17 kcal)
4 g
Dietary fiber3.1 g
0.1 g
0.9 g
VitaminsQuantity %DV†
Thiamine (B1)
5%
0.062 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
2%
0.027 mg
Niacin (B3)
1%
0.16 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
3%
0.145 mg
Vitamin B6
3%
0.042 mg
Folate (B9)
9%
37 μg
Vitamin C
3%
2.8 mg
MineralsQuantity %DV†
Calcium
2%
19 mg
Iron
2%
0.24 mg
Magnesium
3%
10 mg
Manganese
5%
0.1 mg
Phosphorus
4%
26 mg
Potassium
4%
211 mg
Sodium
0%
2 mg
Zinc
2%
0.16 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Chicory root contains essential oils similar to those found in plants in the related genus Tanacetum.[31] In traditional medicine, chicory has been listed as one of the 38 plants used to prepare Bach flower remedies.[32]

Forage[edit]

Chicory is highly digestible for ruminants and has a low fiber concentration.[33] Chicory roots are an "excellent substitute for oats" for horses due to their protein and fat content.[34] Chicory contains a low quantity of reduced tannins[33] that may increase protein utilization efficiency in ruminants.

Some tannins reduce intestinal parasites.[35][36] Dietary chicory may be toxic to internal parasites, with studies of ingesting chicory by farm animals having lower worm burdens, leading to its use as a forage supplement.[37][38][39] Although chicory might have originated in France, Italy, and India,[40] much development of chicory for use with livestock has taken place in New Zealand.[41]

Forage chicory varieties[edit]

  • Puna (Grasslands Puna)
Developed in New Zealand, Grasslands Puna is well adapted to different climates, being grown from Alberta, Canada, to New Mexico and Florida. It is resistant to bolting, which leads to high nutrient levels in the leaves in spring. It also has high resistance to grazing.
  • Forage Feast
A variety from France used for human consumption and also for wildlife plots, where animals such as deer might graze. It is very cold-hardy, and being lower in tannins than other forage varieties, is suitable for human consumption.
  • Choice
Choice has been bred for high winter and early-spring growth activity, and lower amounts of lactucin and lactone, which are believed to taint milk. It is also use for seeding deer wildlife plots.
  • Oasis
Oasis was bred for increased lactone rates for the forage industry, and for higher resistance to fungal diseases such as Sclerotinia.[clarification needed]
  • Puna II
This variety is more winter-active than most others, which leads to greater persistence and longevity.
  • Grouse
A New Zealand variety, it is used as a planting companion for forage brassicas. More prone to early flowering than other varieties, it has higher crowns more susceptible to overbrowsing.
  • Six Point
A United States variety, it is very similar to Puna.

History[edit]

The chicory plant is one of the earliest cited in recorded literature. Horace mentions it in reference to his own diet, which he describes as very simple: "Me pascunt olivae, me cichorea, me malvae" ("As for me, olives, endives, and mallows provide sustenance").[42] In 1766, Frederick the Great banned the importation of coffee into Prussia, leading to the development of a coffee substitute by Brunswick innkeeper Christian Gottlieb Förster (died 1801), who gained a concession in 1769/70 to manufacture it in Brunswick and Berlin. By 1795, 22 to 24 factories of this type were in Brunswick.[43][44] Lord Monboddo describes the plant in 1779[45] as the "chicoree", which the French cultivated as a pot herb. In Napoleonic Era France, chicory frequently appeared as an adulterant in coffee, or as a coffee substitute.[46] Chicory was also adopted as a coffee substitute by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War, and has become common in the United States. It was also used in the United Kingdom during the Second World War, where Camp Coffee, a coffee and chicory essence, has been on sale since 1885.

The cultivated chicory plant has a history reaching back to ancient Egyptian time.[citation needed] Medieval monks raised the plants and when coffee was introduced to Europe, the Dutch thought that chicory made a lively addition to the bean drink.

In the United States, chicory root has long been used as a substitute for coffee in prisons.[47] By the 1840s, the port of New Orleans was the second-largest importer of coffee (after New York).[46] Louisianans began to add chicory root to their coffee when Union naval blockades during the American Civil War cut off the port of New Orleans, thereby creating a long-standing tradition.[46]

A common meal in Rome, puntarelle, is made with chicory sprouts.[48] The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that chicory is a native plant of western Asia, North Africa, and Europe.[4]

Chicory is also mentioned in certain silk-growing texts. The primary caretaker of the silkworms, the "silkworm mother", should not eat or even touch it.[citation needed]

The chicory flower is often seen as inspiration for the Romantic concept of the Blue Flower (e.g. in German language Blauwarte ≈ blue lookout by the wayside). It could open locked doors, according to European folklore.[49]

Gallery[edit]

  • Dried chicory root

  • Korean chicory tea made from dried chicory root

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ illustration from Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany
  2. ^ "Cichorium intybus L. synonyms". Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Cichorium intybus L." The Plant List. 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Cichorium intybus". FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  5. ^ Raninen, K; Lappi, J; Mykkänen, H; Poutanen, K (2011). "Dietary fiber type reflects physiological functionality: Comparison of grain fiber, inulin, and polydextrose". Nutrition Reviews. 69 (1): 9–21. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00358.x. PMID 21198631.
  6. ^ Blair, Robert (2011-04-30). Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Cattle. ISBN 978-1-84593-758-4.
  7. ^ "Cichorium intybus". Flora of North America. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  8. ^ Flora of China, Cichorium intybus Linnaeus, 1753. 菊苣 ju ju Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Atlas of Living Australia Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Endive, Chicory and Witloof". Aggie Horticulture. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  11. ^ John Cardina; Cathy Herms; Tim Koch; Ted Webster. "Chickory Cichorium intybus". Ohio Perennial & Biennial Weed Guide. Ohio State University OARDC Extension. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
  12. ^ Laurie Neverman. "Chicory - The "Coffee Root" Plant".
  13. ^ Tijen İnaltong. "Wild Herbs of Turkey". Turkish Cultural Foundation. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  14. ^ Kyle Phillips. "Fava Bean Puree with Wild Chicory Recipe - Fave e Cicorie Selvatiche". About.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-15. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  15. ^ "Wild Chicory Spaghetti". Dolce Vita Diaries. Nudo Italia. 2009-05-19. Archived from the original on 2011-01-13. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  16. ^ Jaume Fàbrega, El gust d'un poble: els plats més famosos de la cuina catalana. Llomillo fregit amb xicoires
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  24. ^ "About". Frenchvegetables.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16.
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  26. ^ Joseph O'Neill (2008-06-01). "Using inulin and oligofructose with high-intensity sweeteners". New Hope 360. Penton. Archived from the original on 2012-07-31. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  27. ^ Madrigal L. Sangronis E. "Inulin and derivates as key ingredients in functional foods. [Review]" [Spanish] Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutricion. 57(4):387-96, 2007 Dec.
  28. ^ Kim, Meehye; Shin, HK (1996). "The Water-Soluble Extract of Chicory Reduces Glucose uptake from the Perfused Jejunum in Rats". J. Nutr. 126 (9): 2236–2242. doi:10.1093/jn/126.9.2236. PMID 8814212.
  29. ^ Wilson, Robert; S; Y (2004). "Chicory Root Yield and Carbohydrate Composition is Influenced by Cultivar Selection, Planting, and Harvest Date". Crop Sci. 44 (3): 748–752. doi:10.2135/cropsci2004.0748. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
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  31. ^ Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1
  32. ^ D. S. Vohra (1 June 2004). Bach Flower Remedies: A Comprehensive Study. B. Jain Publishers. p. 3. ISBN 978-81-7021-271-3. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
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  37. ^ Heckendorn, F; Häring, DA; Maurer, V; Senn, M; Hertzberg, H (2007-05-15). "Individual administration of three tanniferous forage plants to lambs artificially infected with Haemonchus contortus and Cooperia curticei" (PDF). Vet. Parasitol. 146 (1–2): 123–34. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.01.009. PMID 17336459.
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  42. ^ Horace, Odes 31, ver 15, ca 30 BC
  43. ^ Thomas Hengartner; Christoph Maria Merki, eds. (1999). Genußmittel. Frankfurt a. M. New York: Campus Verlag. ISBN 978-3-593-36337-0.
  44. ^ Carl Philipp Ribbentrop (1796). Vollständige Geschichte und Beschreibung der Stadt Braunschweig (in German). 2. Braunschweig. pp. 146–148.
  45. ^ Letter from Monboddo to John Hope, 29 April 1779; reprinted by William Knight 1900 ISBN 1-85506-207-0
  46. ^ a b c Guas, David; Raquel Pelzel (2009). DamGood Sweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style. Newtown, Connecticut: Taunton Press. pp. 60–64. ISBN 978-1-60085-118-6.
  47. ^ (a) Delaney, John H. "New York (State). Dept. of Efficiency and Economy Annual Report". Albany New York, 1915, p. 673. Accessed via Google Books.
    (b) "Prison Talk" website; Kentucky section: "Current Food Service Vendor Contract for another 4 yrs. UPDATED". Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2008-03-18..
  48. ^ "Rome food and cuisine". Rome.info. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  49. ^ Howard, Michael. Traditional Folk Remedies (Century, 1987), p.120.

External links[edit]

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