What Is Chicory Coffee?
Chicory coffee has been used not only in the culinary world but also as a traditional substitute for regular coffee since the end of the 18th century. The brewed form of the healthy chicory root is a tasty coffee-like beverage that serves as a substitute for regular coffee drinkers. It can be easily used in addition to or as a replacement for coffee.
How Is the Chicory Coffee Prepared?
Nutrition experts have often recommended many coffee substitutes, the chicory root coffee being one of the majorly popular recipes deemed healthy for reducing or eliminating one’s daily caffeine intake. Aside from helping reduce caffeine intake, chicory root is considered a high-fiber-rich and fat-free vegetable, offering several health benefits that can make it a nutritious part of a regular diet. Chicory coffee is prepared from the chicory root or Cichorium intybus that is firstly ground and then it is roasted. If the Chicory root is infused in plain hot water, it tastes like traditional coffee. Chicory is the root vegetable that is a part of the dandelion family and has light blue flowers. Most commonly used traditionally through different parts of the world as a folk medicine, this vegetable is also an essential forage food for livestock in many parts of the world.
What Are the Types and Blends of Chicory Coffee?
There are two types of chicory coffee: caffeine-free chicory coffee prepared solely from chicory root and with zero-caffeine ingredients. The second variety is the commercially available chicory coffee bean blends with lower caffeine content than pure coffee. The second variety is also healthier than any caffeinated beverage. However, in the chicory coffee bean blends, the amount of caffeine a blend would contain depends on the individual ratio of components pertaining to the commercial brand. This is because this beverage prepared from chicory was a part of traditional folk medicine that gained popularity as a suitable replacement when the importation of coffee into Germany was banned temporarily in the 18th century giving rise to this healthier substitute.
What Are the Nutritional Contents of Chicory Coffee?
Chicory coffee comprises around 5.4 calories in a 6-fluid-ounce brewed cup. It yields only around 0.2 grams of protein and 1.3 grams of carbs and is free from fat (0 grams of fat). The chicory blend coffee usually comprises around 37.6 milligrams of caffeine in a brewed cup. According to the nutrition content enlisted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in a single brewed cup of 6 fluid ounces of chicory coffee, the Nutrition Facts are as follows:
- Fat: 0.004 grams.
- Fiber: 0.009 grams.
- Magnesium: 3.83 milligrams.
- Potassium: 61.2 milligrams
- Protein: 0.167 grams.
- Carbohydrates: 1.42 grams.
- Total Calories: 6.39 kilocalories.
The chicory root is a source of several essential micronutrients. As mentioned above, it is a source of magnesium, and potassium along with some amounts of calcium and iron, all four nutrients fundamentally important to body metabolism and functions. It comprises many essential phytonutrients as part of the chicory root composition, be it inulin, coumarins, tannins, flavonoids, or lactones, with their rich antioxidant potential that can boost systemic immunity.
Does Chicory Coffee Cause Allergies?
Allergies would be possible to chicory coffee in people who have other allergies associated with the consumption of ragweed, marigolds, daisies, or related plant family members. In case of any possible signs of allergies to the above-listed plant species, talk to a healthcare provider or registered nutritionist before consuming chicory coffee.
What Are the Adverse Effects of Chicory Coffee Overdose?
There are many adverse effects currently listed as per nutrition research of drinking coffee exceeding the limit of 400 mg daily. Some research indicates that even with the consumption of coffee within the recommended limit, there is an increased risk of being predisposed to bone fractures. Also, coffee intake is contraindicated in a few individuals, especially during the dynamic phase of pregnancy, as some medical literature evidence demonstrates the possible adverse effects on the fetus, the increased chances for pregnancy loss, the risk increase of having a preterm birth, and low birth weight infant amongst other undesirable effects. The overuse of caffeine can result in severe clinical symptoms, including the following:
- Moderate to severe headaches.
- Insomnia.
- Irregular heartbeat or arrhythmias.
- Anxiety.
- Diarrhea.
- Nausea.
How to Counteract Caffeine Dependence or Withdrawal?
The recommended level for consuming caffeine intake is always less than 400 milligrams or 4 cups of coffee daily. Upon exceeding this dosage, a person is considered caffeine dependent. Regular caffeine intake would often leads to a threefold physical, emotional, and psychological dependence in the individual, according to nutrition experts. A sudden cessation of the use of caffeine can thus easily lead to many withdrawal symptoms, as clinically listed below. Caffeine withdrawal would also result in the following symptoms:
- Behavior changes in mood.
- Impaired behavioral or cognitive performance changes.
- Changes in the normal blood pressure.
- Decreased motor activity.
- Increased heart rate.
- Possibly hand tremors.
- The increased need to urinate.
- Flushing of the skin.
- Flu-like symptoms.
- Constipation.
- Muscle stiffness.
- Joint pains.
- Abdominal pain is the other common symptom that would be noticeable in caffeine-dependent individuals.
Avoiding these symptoms is easier by incorporating chicory in a coffee blend. Chicory-coffee blend with reduced caffeine helps a person recover from caffeine dependence. One can start by adding chicory blends to their regular coffee. It can dilute the stronger coffee content in the cup this way, and over time, it can reduce the pure coffee amount one is actually consuming (from the blend). Nutrition experts thus recommend a slow switch to chicory blends or other healthy options like green tea, black coffee, or an entirely caffeine-free version of chicory coffee later on when individuals are used to the new routine.
Why the Chicory Coffee Is a Viable Alternative?
The inulin and phytonutrients are usually broken down into different compounds during the process of roasting. During instant coffee preparation, one may not avail of the full nutritional benefit of this beverage because fewer nutrients are provided per serving than consuming the chicory root in other forms, such as vegetable dishes or cooking flour. Even according to nutrition research, it is difficult to know the health benefits of chicory coffee. Enough nutritional evidence demonstrates the chicory root's immense health benefits.
Even if a person loses a little inulin present in chicory root during the processing, they can still expect to benefit from the trace micronutrients and phytonutrients (apart from the low fat and low calorific potential chicory root has) it provides a person in comparison to caffeinated beverages that are filled with fat and sugar content commonly. Nutritionists advocate that the best way to consume the high inulin content for which chicory is deemed so valuable to health is by consuming the vegetable itself. But the flavors of chicory root coffee cannot be ignored as well because it cannot give a person any behavioral dependence or withdrawal symptoms as it happens with normal coffee drinkers. This is the reason why the chicory root is favored and popularized globally as a functional food product in North America, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, although chicory coffee has a number of enticing attributes, like being caffeine-free, having a distinct flavour, and having cultural importance, people may prefer it to caffeinated drinks depending on their own preferences. While some people might love the particular flavour and digestive advantages of chicory coffee, others might prefer the more conventional caffeine boost that comes from drinking normal coffee. The decision between chicory coffee and caffeinated drinks ultimately boils down to personal tastes, dietary requirements, and morals.
