Wholesale Chicory

climate
Chicory lives as a wild plant on roadsides, it’s a cool weather crop and tolerates only moderate summer temperatures. It requires well-distributed rainfall, with good drainage, or some irrigation in drier areas.

soil
Chicory grows on any type of soil, but, when cultivated grows best on mellow, deeply tilled, fertile soil or sandy loam.

growing
A moist, firm seedbed is required for Chicory. Spring seedings of Chicory are usually successful. Summer seedings have been successful in some areas with proper irrigation. You do not want to sow Chicory flower seed after the middle of August as cooling temperatures and shortening day lengths in the fall impede Chicory stand development. You may either drill or broadcast Chicory flower seed when planting although drilling is preferred because it provides a more uniform depth of planting. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep.

harvesting
Chicory harvesting should take place as late in the season as possible as there is usually a marked increase in size and weight of roots during cool weather. Care should be taken to remove all remaining pieces of roots as they become established as weeds.

Roots are washed, sliced into cubes about 2.5 cm square, and dried over fire. Final process consists of roasting the dried chicory, grinding it to a fineness suitable for blending with ground coffee.

preserving
Dried chicory root may be stored indefinitely. Ground chicory is usually packed in bulk in waterproof barrels or sacks, or in smaller packages for household use. Store in a cool, dry place.

chicory—not just for coffee
If you’re a coffee enthusiast, you’re probably familiar with chicory. It’s often added to coffee mixtures in order to add flavor and it actually somewhat counteracts the effect of caffeine. But chicory is a good addition to your regimen for even more reasons than its ability to produce a nice cup of coffee.

Chicory is a plant that grows throughout North America and Europe. It’s attractive and actually makes a good plant for landscaping. It’s also a culinary treat when added to salads and other recipes.

There are several herbal remedies that chicory can provide. For example, it’s a tonic that when used regularly can improve overall health. If you’re having problems with your digestive tract, using chicory daily can help to relive them. For this purpose you’ll want to use chickory as a tea or a juice.

When it comes to gallbladder disease or gallstones, you’ll find that chicory is a great remedy. Many people have gallbladder problems when they suddenly change their diet. Removing too much fat from your diet at once can cause the production of gallstones. These are very painful. Chicory can be used as a tea or juice to help loosen these gallstones so that you can possibly avoid having to have surgery.

The gallbladder function is closely related to the way that the liver functions. When the liver isn’t doing its job well, you can turn a yellow color. This is called jaundice. Chicory is also a remedy for jaundice and can help the liver to begin doing its job properly again. In addition to helping your liver, chicory can also be good for treating problems with the spleen.

In addition, chicory can relieve constipation. This is a natural way to relieve your bowels without having painful gas or cramping. It also increases your urine output and can help to relieve bloating. Chicory is also a good remedy for inflammations of the skin.

If you’ve never tried chicory except as part of your coffee, you’ll want to get some and see how well it can work for you. Chicory is a good all-purpose herb that can help your digestive system and liver work well.

You can use decoction of chicory or you can make a juice. The juice is made from mixing a tablespoon of chicory with water or milk. To make a decoction, you’ll want to use 1 teaspoon of chicory for every ½ cup of water.

Formulas & recipes
Uses for chicory root
Roasted chicory root is the most common form of the plant, used as a coffee substitute because of the similar flavor profile. The benefits of chicory root as a coffee substitute are its lack of caffeine. Like coffee, the benefits of chicory root include the promotion of regular bowel movements and gut health. Chicory granules can be brewed in the same manner as coffee and have a similar, earthy flavor as coffee without caffeine, which is a benefit to a variety of people with caffeine sensitivities or other health issues.

Bulk chicory root can be found in a variety of health food stores and online carriers–just be sure to keep the root in an airtight container to keep the robust flavor for longer.