Chicory is a plant that most ordinary people perceive as an annoying weed that has nothing in common with medicinal herbs. This misconception is fundamentally wrong, since the useful properties of chicory have been claimed by mankind for many centuries.
What is useful about chicory?
The most useful component of the plant is its underground part, namely the root. In its composition, the natural polysaccharide, inulin, is the natural analogue of starch and sugar. Also, the therapeutic properties of chicory can be fully explained by the presence in it of the glycoside intibin, a substance that has a vasodilating and soothing effect on the body.
The plant contains in its composition pectin, carotene, tannins, organic acids, resins and other micro- and macro elements. This explains the fact that the medicinal properties of chicory are very widely used in the production of food and medicines.
Scope of the plant
In fact, the range of application of medicinal properties of chicory grass is extremely wide. Consider the most basic directions in which the whole potency of the potions from this plant is revealed:
- Potassium, which is abundant in chicory, normalizes heart activity, dilates blood vessels, removes excess cholesterol from the body.
- Due to the increased level of iron, the plant helps to fight heart and vascular diseases, anemia, ischemia and other pathologies in the work of the heart muscle.
- B group vitamins calm the nervous system, elevate the mood, contribute to the influx of strength and energy.
- Medicinal properties of chicory are useful in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, relieve inflammation and normalize the microflora of the stomach.
- Decoction of herbs, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, has long been used to heal cuts and wounds.
- To all of the above, diuretics, anthelmintic, astringent, antipyretic and choleretic characteristics of the potions containing this plant should be added.
- The healing properties of chicory root are in demand by people who suffer from diabetes and obesity , metabolic disorders and other malfunctions in the body.
Harmful properties of chicory
Most people take this plant for a panacea and try to consume as much as possible potions, hoping for a speedy recovery and obtaining the desired effect. Such tactics are fundamentally untrue, and it is not worth replacing the usual products with analogs containing or entirely consisting of chicory. After all, a large accumulation in the body, even if very useful substances, contributes to the appearance of an imbalance and a completely opposite effect. Especially careful use of the useful properties of chicory herbs is necessary for people who suffer from hemorrhoids and serious vascular diseases.
Extracts and tinctures of this plant are widely used not only in medicines. For example, chicory is an excellent analogue of coffee, which will enrich the body with useful substances and give an incomparable feeling of vivacity. About the same effect and the fresh from chicory, parsley, carrot and celery, which, in addition, contribute to improving the eyesight. In cosmetology, the products containing the extract of this plant are used for hair care, speeding up their growth and improving the overall condition.
The use of chicory for an organism is simply invaluable, but only a person who is fully familiar with all the properties of this plant will be able to apply it.