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There are loads of chicory coffee benefits that might surprise you and make you feel better about cutting down on java!
Thinking of Ditching the Coffee (or Maybe Just Cutting Down)?
It’s hard to get away from coffee. Coffee is overtaking alcohol as our most sociable drink. There are options on every corner, whether you prefer Starbucks (not us) or a well-crafted brew from a local independent coffee shop (yes, please!). But there are harmful effects of coffee overconsumption. Excessive coffee has been linked with high blood pressure, heart attacks, incontinence, insomnia, indigestion, and other medical nasties.
As with most things, coffee is great in moderation. But if you’re thinking of cutting down, there are some great alternatives to replace like with like rather than without. One of the best is chicory coffee.
Chicory Coffee?
That’s right! Chicory is a herb related to dandelions, and its leaves are often cultivated for salads. It’s the roots we’re interested in. They have a woody starchy quality, which creates that irresistible robust mouthfeel when ground and brewed like coffee. The taste is like coffee too, and chicory has filled their void admirably in times of coffee shortages. Now it is a popular substitute that tastes like coffee but without caffeine. It’s also naturally gluten-free and suitable for vegans. In many parts of the world, including New Orleans, people regularly add chicory to coffee. Originally this was a cost-saving measure, but it has stuck. And that’s no surprise given the chicory coffee benefits that can improve your health.
Chicory Coffee Benefits
Many chicory coffee benefits are the benefits of cutting out caffeinated coffee and replacing it with this delicious herbal alternative. Reducing caffeine can:
- Reduce stress – stress increases cortisol levels, leading to stress. Add caffeine into the mix, and cortisol goes through the roof!
- Help you sleep – we all know that caffeine can help wake us up in the morning. However, too much caffeine can keep us awake at night when we should be focussing on a total of 8 hours of quality sleep. We wrote about the importance of sleep on the blog a few weeks ago.
Chicory coffee benefits also come from the chicory itself:
- Chicory reduces inflammation due to significant phenols (a useful plant-based chemical). Inflammation is the cause of loads of diseases, so anything we can do to help facilitate this, the better!
- Chicory also protects the liver due to its richness in antioxidants. So if you’ve been using coffee to help that hangover, you might want to switch to chicory to help your liver’s long-term health.
So, all in all, chicory is pretty fantastic stuff!
There are some excellent chicory coffee substitutes out there. Our favourites are from the good folks over at Teeccino, who dreamed a wonderful dream in which coffee could be replaced with something as rich and delicious as coffee.
Our favourites are from their organic range, especially the classic French Roast and the indulgent Mediterranean Mocha blend, all made from a unique blend of ingredients, including organic chicory. You can also get some great flavours in convenient tea bags.
