The benefits and harms of chicory with milk
People who often drink coffee are harmful to their health, but giving up the habit is not so easy. There is an alternative in the form of chicory root: it helps to improve mood and cheer up. There are many opinions as to whether such a drink is healthy or unhealthy, especially if consumed with cream or milk.
Calorie content and composition
Some are mistaken in believing that a plant that grows like a weed is absolutely useless. Few people know that at its root are real treasures for the body, and these are not only vitamins. A useful sweetener, inulin polysaccharide, is also found inside this plant. For those who have diabetes, this drink is just perfect.
Cheerfulness and good mood come after drinking a drink due to the content of a huge number of proteins in the plant. Athletes and travelers who have to expend a lot of energy should definitely use chicory root.
The plant contains B vitamins, which are so necessary for the body, macro- and microelements, resins and organic acids, which add value to the product. In addition, it is rich in protein and tannins.
Soluble powder normalizes the flora in the intestines, which other drinks that are familiar to us cannot boast of.
The number of calories depends on the amount of added cream as well as sugar.On average, 100 ml contains 65 kcal, while 100 grams of the product contains only 19 kcal. The easiest option is to use instant chicory with milk.
The root of the plant has sweetness, it can increase glucose in the blood.
Beneficial features
The benefits of drinking a drink from the root of a plant are mainly associated with the presence of catalysts in its composition that can activate metabolic processes. This is one of the ways to lose a few pounds without harming your health. After drinking the drink, pectins remove the feeling of hunger - that's why the calorie content is quite small.
Milk goes well with the product, but it is advised to use it after meals. A drink with chicory root will help increase hemoglobin, which is important for people with iron deficiency anemia.
Pancreatitis is a disease in which drinking coffee is strictly prohibited, but this rule does not apply to chicory. It can be used even when there is a remission of the disease in a chronic form, but not during an exacerbation.
Prepared coffee from the root of the plant is able to activate the immune system, maintain muscle tone and even strengthen blood vessels. It also contains carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps women look younger. The juice of this plant has a positive effect on the eye muscles, but it is not easy to get it, so it is mixed with others, for example, carrots. A small portion of cream or milk added to a mug helps to assimilate the drink.
Who has a poor appetite, it is recommended to use chicory regularly, this applies especially to people with a lack of body weight. Often, pregnant and lactating mothers are advised to drink coffee from the root, which helps restore strength and improves lactation.
In addition, it contains thiamine. Thanks to him, the heart works better, the nervous system is more resistant to stress, and there are no problems with digestion. Vitamin B, or, as it is also known, riboflavin, is the main assistant to the reproductive system. It has a positive effect on:
- nails;
- hair;
- skin;
- thyroid gland.
The plant is used not only as an excellent coffee substitute, but also as part of medicines with the following properties:
- antimicrobial;
- choleretic;
- anti-inflammatory.
During periods when infectious diseases are especially activated, the plant will help maintain immunity and cope with an increase in body temperature.
Tinctures can be used to apply to wounds, eczema, and other skin conditions. They have a drying effect, quickly relieve inflammation. Actively learned how to use chicory in the cosmetic industry as part of shampoos and rinses that promote hair growth.
Drinking a drink is useful for women in position, but requires consultation with a specialist. The active components of chicory help the body quickly remove toxins from the body, fight constipation. This is one of the natural remedies that copes with an attack of heartburn.
The benefits and harms of this plant for the human body border on each other, so it is important to know not only about the beneficial properties, but also about contraindications.
Contraindications
Chicory root is not useful for everyone - there are categories of chronic diseases in which the use of this drink is strictly prohibited: it should not be introduced into the diet of patients with asthma and bronchitis, it is also contraindicated in varicose veins, disruption of the heart muscle.Problems with the gallbladder will also become an obstacle to drinking the drink.
The first sign that this coffee substitute is not for you is a rapid heartbeat, nausea and dizziness after a small amount. Although there are no cases of an extremely negative effect on the human body of the root, you can worsen your condition, so it is better to abandon the drink altogether.
Harm depends on the individual characteristics of the organism as a whole and specifically the gastrointestinal tract. If drinking milk causes discomfort, it can be replaced with a vegetable analogue. It is forbidden to drink the root with milk for people who:
- ulcer;
- haemorrhoids;
- allergy to vitamin C;
- persistent cough.
Usage Tips
For the convenience of the buyer, soluble plant root powders were invented that can be brewed like regular coffee. They are easy to use and are commercially available with additives. The principle of brewing such a drink is the same as that of instant coffee, which is used in almost every home today.
The degree of concentration is regulated by the consumer independently: you can dilute a spoon with 200 ml of water, or you can make the solution stronger. It is advised to slightly overdo it with sugar, since the powder already has its own sweetness. Such a drink differs slightly from real coffee, but it has its own exceptional aroma, for which it is so loved.
You can prepare the powder for brewing yourself. To do this, you will need to purchase several plant roots (6 pieces are enough), which must be thoroughly cleaned and dried. An oven preheated to a temperature of 100 degrees is ideal for this. After 6 hours, with the door open, the root of the plant becomes ready for grinding.
You can also dry it in the sun, after laying parchment, but this process takes a long time - about a week. Already in the dried state, the roots are cut into plates and fried in a pan until they acquire a brownish tint.
To grind them into dust, it is enough to use a coffee grinder or, if available, a hand mill. The resulting powder must be poured into a jar, which must have an airtight lid. Such coffee is stored after grinding for no more than six months.
The plant grows in large numbers in the south of Russia. The ready-made root is sold for sale not only on the shelves of supermarkets, but also in pharmacies. Try to purchase the product in a glass container, because this way it is perfectly visible. In iron cans, some manufacturers supply diluted powder that does not provide the desired benefit.
The product must have a homogeneous, uniform structure and must be dry. Lumps are unacceptable, and if they are inside, then the manufacturer has violated the storage rules, and the product is damaged. High humidity is harmful and negatively affects the beneficial qualities of purchased chicory.
The most convenient method of storage are portioned sticks. You can take them with you on the road, to work, there is no need to expose the drink powder to negative environmental factors every time.
Summing up all of the above, chicory root has unsurpassed properties that have a positive effect on a person and his body, but only if it is used correctly, without diseases that are on the list of contraindications.
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