Why Chicory Can Heal Your Gut

Noted by ancient Greek and Roman medical texts for its effectiveness in treating disorders of the stomach and intestines, chicory is better known in modern times as a caffeine-free coffee alternative.

However, the truth is that if you’ve ever taken a probiotic or prebiotic supplement or eaten a probiotic yoghurt, you’ve almost certainly consumed inulin, which is usually extracted from chicory roots, as they are by far the richest natural source of this prebiotic compound.

Inulin is the grand-daddy of prebiotics. It was the first type of soluble fiber identified as having bifidogenic properties. What this means is that when inulin dissolves in your stomach, it becomes food for the bifidobacteria (also known as probiotics) that live in your gut. These organisms play a crucial role in creating a healthy gut microbiome.

The world within: Bifidobacteria constitute up to 25% of the microbes in a healthy adult’s colon

It was only in the 1980s that scientific reports on the effects of inulin began to emerge. The importance of bifidobacteria was discovered by researchers who were trying to understand why babies that were not breast-fed were more susceptible to disease. The researchers realised that these infants had weak intestinal colonies of bifidobacteria. Observing that human breast milk is rich in oligosaccharides, they proposed that oligosaccharides may play a role in supporting these bacterial colonies, and manufacturers began adding chicory-derived inulin (an oligosaccharide) to bottled milk formula. The results spoke for themselves.

Clinical studies have demonstrated that these prebiotic formulas have significant effects on flora composition, improve stool consistency, decrease intestinal permeability, and reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) and respiratory infections and atopic dermatitis. Oligofructose [another term applicable to inulin] in weaning foods consumed by toddlers increases fecal Bifidobacteria counts and decreases fecal Clostridia counts during consumption, leading to softer stools and fewer fever episodes and other GI symptoms.[1]

"The Chicory Fairy" by Cicely Mary Barker

Over time, inulin has been found to benefit other gut bacteria and to contribute to an overall diverse bacterial environment in the gut.[2] Diverse gut microbiota have been associated with both a longer lifespan and a longer healthspan, the period of life spent without chronic diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimers.[3]

Some of these effects have been attributed to the increased growth of bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which serve as a primary energy source for colonic cells and possess anti-inflammatory properties. SCFAs also beneficially influence other organ systems and body functions, including appetite, kidney health, and immunity, thereby promoting a healthy environment throughout the body.[4]

But the benefits of chicory root go far beyond a single compound. Chicory contains numerous other bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory effects, including flavonoids, sterols, glycosides, tannins, and terpenoids.[5, 6] Studies in animal models have shown that chicory root can reduce inflammatory markers, suggesting that it has potential applications in managing inflammation-related disorders.[7] It is also rich in polyphenols, which possess antioxidant properties, scavenging free radicals and protecting cells from oxidative damage.[8]

Taken as a whole, the current research makes a compelling case for consuming chicory root as part of a gut-health promoting diet. As chicory is a form of soluble fibre, the simplest way to do this is by drinking a brew of ground and roasted chicory, a drink that tastes so similar to coffee you might not notice the difference.

Try using Ancient Roots Chicory Drink to make a quick instant beverage, or get fancy with your mokapot to make a delicious caffeine-free version of your favourite espresso-based drink. You can also blend it with coffee to add rich, woody, nutty notes to your morning cuppa, as has been the tradition in New Orleans since the 1860s. You can purchase Chicory Drink from Faithful to Nature, Spar Sea Point (in the Wellness section), and Olive Branch Deli.