Does chicory help with weight loss and how to take it?

Chicory is a drink made from the roots of the plant of the same name. It is an excellent alternative to coffee and is widely popular all over the world.

Many useful properties of chicory are scientifically proven, and one of them is weight loss. We will talk about how to drink chicory for weight loss in this article.

Why does it help to lose weight?

A number of studies have shown that chicory really helps to reduce body weight. The effect is achieved through several mechanisms. The most studied ones are considered below:

1. Reducing hunger. According to the data Scientists of Imperial College London (UK), inulin contained in chicory is actively fermented by microorganisms living in the intestinal lumen. During the interaction, special fatty acids with a short chain are formed. They inhibit chronic inflammation and are involved in regulating the production of satiety hormones. As a result, there is a decrease in hunger for several hours, and the amount of food consumed is reduced. The most important biologically active substances involved in this process,  are : Peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1.
2. Reduction of body fat. Proven that chicory increases the activity of energy metabolism in the human body. As a result, there is a more efficient expenditure of fat reserves. The product is also able to influence the metabolism of triacoglycerides in the liver, which also take part in the formation of fat depots.
3. Prevention of metabolic syndrome. Research indicates that soluble chicory is an effective means of preventing metabolic syndrome, an extremely common pathology in our time. This term generalizes diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, atherosclerosis, gout, etc. The plant product has a complex effect on all links of the metabolic syndrome.

How to take it correctly?

The maximum recommended daily dose of chicory is 3-5 cups per day. To prepare 1 cup of a drink based on ground chicory, 1.5 tablespoons of dry powder are required, on the basis of freeze–dried (soluble) - 2 tablespoons .

In order for chicory to show its biological effects in relation to body weight, at least 10 grams of pure inulin per day is required, which corresponds to 100 grams of chicory powder. Considering that 1 tablespoon contains 15 grams, it will take about 7 tablespoons, which is 3-4 cups of the drink.

The duration of regular intake should be at least 2-3 months. This time is quite enough to record the first results.

The minimum interval between drinks is 1 &8212; 2 hours. It does not matter at what time the product is consumed. Chicory does not contain caffeine and, therefore, has virtually no effect on the feeling of cheerfulness, does not lengthen the time to fall asleep and does not disrupt the sleep phase. Therefore, it can be drunk even at night.

More about that, how to take chicory correctly , see in a separate article.

What additives should I use?

There are several additives (especially herbal ones) that can not only improve the taste and aroma of the chicory drink, but also enhance the effectiveness of weight loss:

1. Milk.  It helps to soften the bitter woody-nutty taste. According to scientific data , the systematic addition of milk to the diet is an effective way to prevent obesity.
2. Cinnamon. Spice accelerates metabolism in the human body, increases the activity of lipolytic processes.
3. Lemon. Also transfers energy metabolism to a higher level, reduces the biological value of fats coming from food, and activates the consumption of its own lipocytes from the depot.
4. Ginger. Can be added in any form (fresh or dried and crushed). It is valued for its ability to suppress hunger and slightly accelerate metabolism (by 1-3%).
5. Cardamom. Has a complex effect on various components of the metabolic syndrome: normalizes the lipid profile (reduces the concentration in blood plasma total cholesterol and its atherogenic fractions), increases the sensitivity of peripheral tissue cells to glucose, relaxes the walls of peripheral arteries and slightly reduces blood pressure. The combination of the described properties has a positive effect on body weight.
6. Garlic. Is capable of providing reliable prevention of atherosclerosis by correcting dyslipidemia, as well as increasing the utilization of adipose tissue cells (mainly due to visceral fat).
7. Linden flowers. Linden Tree possesses pronounced hypolipidemic effect. It changes metabolism at the liver level, inhibiting the synthesis of fats and their subsequent deposition in various parts of the human body.

It is not recommended to combine chicory with sugar and honey. These substances stimulate appetite and are high-calorie foods. With systematic consumption, they contribute to the development of not only obesity, but also diabetes mellitus (including impaired glucose tolerance and fasting hyperglycemia), atherosclerosis.

5 main contraindications

Chicory, like any natural product, can bring both benefits and harm to the body. It is not recommended to take it in the following conditions.

1. Pregnancy and breastfeeding. The active substances of the plant are able to penetrate the fetoplacental barrier and cause a large complex of disorders in the fetus. The drink can also provoke such urgent conditions: premature birth, detachment of the normally located placenta, uterine bleeding.
2. Age less than 3 years. Chicory is toxic to children.
3. Sensitization of the body. If you have a history of chicory allergy, it is strictly forbidden to take it. You should also refrain from drinking the drink in the presence of an inadequate reaction of the body to ragweed and representatives of the Aster family (cases of cross-allergy have been recorded).
4. Acute inflammatory diseases of the digestive system. The group includes: gastritis, duodenitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, GERD.
5. Cholelithiasis. The plant stimulates the secretion of bile into the lumen of the gallbladder, several times increases the risk of formation of bile stones.

Chicory or coffee: which is better?

Chicory is a relatively little–studied plant product. There are only a few dozen studies on weight loss at the moment. If we rely solely on the evidence base, then the drink has a fairly low number of mechanisms of influence on weight, as well as an insignificant level of their knowledge.

Coffee is a more studied means of "burning" fat. Currently, there is convincing evidence that coffee reliably helps to lose weight and is more effective for the prevention of obesity. It is based on the following positive mechanisms:

1. Increased mobilization of fat from the depot.  Proven that caffeine increases the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine into the blood, which accelerate metabolism in the body, promote faster oxidation of fats and free fatty acids.
2. Acceleration of the general metabolism. Foreign specialists proved that when drinking 1 cup of natural coffee, metabolism accelerates by 3.5%, 2 – by 11%. Also scientists claim , which also increases the rate of fat breakdown: in obese people – by 10%, in people with initially normal or low weight – by almost 30%.
3. Slowing down the absorption of fats in the lumen of the digestive tract. According to the data Norwegian experts, chlorogenic acid, which is found in large amounts in coffee, slows down the absorption of fats. This property normalizes not only body weight, but also the lipid and glycemic profile.
4. Appetite suppression. Proven that taking 200 ml of a drink in the morning causes the consumption of less food during the day.

Conclusion

Thus, chicory is a useful and effective tool for reducing body weight and maintaining weight in the future. Although the drink is less effective than coffee, it has several mechanisms of action on the metabolism of adipose tissue.

In order to enhance the lipolytic effect, it is recommended to observe the daily dose of the drink and use additional ingredients (lemon, turmeric, milk, etc.). If there are contraindications, drinking the drink can be dangerous to health.