There are many uses of Chicory, and I decided to conclude my "series" on it with this Ezine article.
Chicory is a perennial with thick and fleshy root. Bitter milk of the plant is responsible for its bitter taste. Chicory has a stem growing to a height of 1-1.5 meters. The top of the stem is branched. Blossoms usually are blue. However, you might also find white or rosy blossoms. The blossoms are arranged in composite inflorescence with a diameter of 3-4 centimeters. The plant blooms starting from July till September or October.
The plant can be found in glade, weedy area, near roadside, railway and riverside. The plant is cultivated to get its root and leaves. Chicory root is used for medical purposes in both traditional and alternative medicine. Roots should be collected in autumn at the end of the vegetation of the herb (September and October). Dig out the root, wash it under running water, reduce it to smaller pieces and either sun dry it or air dry at a room temperature. You can oven dry the root at a temperature up to 50 degrees Celsius. The root is dried when it releases no milk. Moreover, it should break into pieces if you break it.
In addition, alternative medicine uses the blossoms and over ground part of the plant collected during the florescence. You should collect composite inflorescence only if all blossoms are opened. When drying the blossoms, do not expose them to direct sunlight. Air dry them at a room temperature or oven dry the herbs at a temperature up to 50 degrees Celsius. The tops of the plant are prepared in the same way.
(Image provided via Creative Commons License from PicDome)
Chicory is a perennial with thick and fleshy root. Bitter milk of the plant is responsible for its bitter taste. Chicory has a stem growing to a height of 1-1.5 meters. The top of the stem is branched. Blossoms usually are blue. However, you might also find white or rosy blossoms. The blossoms are arranged in composite inflorescence with a diameter of 3-4 centimeters. The plant blooms starting from July till September or October.
The plant can be found in glade, weedy area, near roadside, railway and riverside. The plant is cultivated to get its root and leaves. Chicory root is used for medical purposes in both traditional and alternative medicine. Roots should be collected in autumn at the end of the vegetation of the herb (September and October). Dig out the root, wash it under running water, reduce it to smaller pieces and either sun dry it or air dry at a room temperature. You can oven dry the root at a temperature up to 50 degrees Celsius. The root is dried when it releases no milk. Moreover, it should break into pieces if you break it.
In addition, alternative medicine uses the blossoms and over ground part of the plant collected during the florescence. You should collect composite inflorescence only if all blossoms are opened. When drying the blossoms, do not expose them to direct sunlight. Air dry them at a room temperature or oven dry the herbs at a temperature up to 50 degrees Celsius. The tops of the plant are prepared in the same way.
- Chicory root contains bitter substances, bitter glycoside intibin, sugars (up to 15 percent), inulin (up to 11 percent), ascorbic acid, metoxycoumarin chichorin, organic acids, phenyl carbolic acid, sesquiterpene lactone, proteins, resinous substances and other biologically active substances. Blossoms, in their turn, contain flavonoids, chichorin, ascorbic acid and other biologically active substances, but leaves are rich in bitter substances, various vitamins and mineral substances, including iron and silicon.
- The plant has anti-inflammatory, sedative, antiseptic, anti-sclerotic, diuretic and anodyne properties. In addition, it is proven to regulate metabolism. The bitter substances the herb contains improve digestion and reduce blood sugar level.
- Chicory remedies are intended for external use, as well. The decoction made of the root can be added to bath water to treat skin irritation, rashes and gout, but fresh leaves and juice are proven to be of great help when dealing with furunculosis.
Again: Women with uterine issues and pregnant women should tread lightly and consult their gynecologist or obstetrician.
