Rating of the best brands of instant chicory for 2022

One of the most popular beverages, chicory is considered by many to be a healthy alternative to coffee. You can buy it in a jar, in the form of a soluble powder or paste. It has long been proven its positive effect on the central nervous system, lowering blood sugar levels, normalizing the body's metabolic processes and, accordingly, reducing body weight. Many companies are engaged in the production of chicory. To date, there has even been a certain rating of the best brands of instant chicory for 2022. So what is this plant, and what is its great benefit to the body?

Beneficial effect on the digestive system

As in any other case, all the healing properties of a particular plant directly depend on the substances, vitamins, minerals and trace elements that have a beneficial effect on the body in its composition. The plant can be seen in two versions:

• Root;
• Salad (leaf).

The root part contains the main part of vitamins, tannins and fiber. As for the salad version, it differs more in the fleshy root part and stems.

The main active substance of chicory - inulin - fiber, the use of which has a positive effect on the intestinal microflora. About the so-called bifidobacteria of the intestine, only the lazy have not heard. But far from everyone knows that it is these microorganisms that feed inulin.

Product preparation

To prepare a soluble concentrate, chicory extraction is used. It is prepared in three stages:

1. The dry root is roasted;
2. A strong “tincture” is brewed from the root;
3. "Tincture" is dried in a sublimator oven.

As a result of this sequence of processes, a powder is obtained, which is offered to consumers in pharmacies and grocery stores.

Properties of a drink made from chicory

With the help of scientific research, it has long been proven that chicory is especially useful for those who have semi-finished products, concentrates and semi-finished flour products at the heart of their diet (this is especially true for products made from white flour).It is in such cases that a cup will be especially useful - the second chicory drink. According to the leading nutritionists of the world, it is with its help that you can successfully deal with dysbacteriosis and constipation.

It will be useful to include chicory in the diet even if a vegetable or fruit diet is planned. This will provide the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract with additional nutrition and ensure its full functioning. That is, a session of "emergency weight loss" will not cause either bloating or diarrhea.

Also, do not forget about one interesting feature of the root. It strongly resembles the taste of coffee. That is why this somewhat tart drink is enjoyed by all connoisseurs of natural coffee.

Benefits during pregnancy

For all women who are in an "interesting" position, doctors recommend changing their usual coffee to a chicory drink. This castling will help get rid of:

• Gestosis;
• heartburn;
• constipation;
• Feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

Doctors also recommend including it in the diet of people suffering from hypertension.

Treatment of diabetes and obesity

Drinking a chicory drink is useful for both diabetes mellitus and the second type of obesity. It is inulin that has the property of lowering the glycemic index of many foods. This, accordingly, greatly facilitates the well-being of patients and reduces their almost irresistible desire to eat something sweet. To achieve the maximum effect, twenty minutes before a meal, you need to drink 150 ml of decoction.

However, like all other medicinal plants, chicory should be used with caution. As they say, everything is good in moderation. For example, too frequent use of the product can lead to aggravation of vein diseases.

Beauty and weight loss

A huge amount of vitamins and nutrients included in the vitamin-mineral complex contained in chicory (A, E, B 1, B2, B3, C, PP) in combination with the calcium, potassium and magnesium in it help to maintain not only your health but also beauty.

The purpose of most of the above substances is to maintain excellent skin tone and speedy restoration of the body's collagen cells. For the same reason, the product is successfully used for weight loss.

Contraindications

Despite the presence of numerous useful substances in the substance and its obvious benefits, there is also a list of contraindications indicating that not everyone can use the soluble product. The thing is that in some cases, instead of being beneficial, it can do quite a lot of harm.

True, it should be noted that there are few contraindications to the use of chicory and its beneficial properties predominate significantly. So, for example, you should not combine it with antibiotics. This combination can disrupt the absorption of medications.

It is undesirable to use it for those who suffer from varicose veins or hemorrhoids. With regular use, chicory promotes vasodilation and, accordingly, exacerbates health problems.

Another category of people who are not recommended drinks based on chicory are people with various types of allergies to ascorbic acid. That is, if a person cannot eat citrus fruits without negative consequences for the body, when eating currants, he begins to develop a rash, then a decoction of chicory should not be consumed either.Exceptions, of course, are possible, but it is recommended to visit an allergist and undergo appropriate tests.

Medical studies have confirmed the fact that this wild plant is not useful for bronchial asthma. But, in any case, when buying chicory-based drinks to the table, it is necessary to carefully study their composition. Here, the main secret lies in the fact that many varieties of this plant, which are artificially cultivated by humans, are enriched with additional substances piece by piece. That is why, the exact composition of a particular powder can only be found out by carefully reading the product label.

Here we are talking, first of all, about the quantity and quality of the inulin contained in it. So, 75% of this useful substance is found exclusively in the fully ripened roots of the plant. If the manufacturer is not distinguished by responsibility and scrupulousness, it is possible to add block pectin instead of inulin. This makes production cheaper and, accordingly, provides additional benefits to dishonest producers.

So, in order for the decoction to be not only tasty, but also healthy, it is necessary to purchase soluble chicory powder, on the label of which it is indicated - a natural extract. In this case, you should avoid products on the labels of which it is indicated:

• artificially enriched;
• Tinted;
• Sweetened.

These versions of the product can do much more harm than good.

Best instant chicory for 2022

So, we offer the best brands of instant chicory for 2022.

Chicory drink "Health"

The indicators of this zirconium powder and the already prepared drink fully comply with all regulatory requirements.It has a pronounced aroma and taste inherent in chicory. Also, "Health" is fully appropriate:

• Moisture content;
• PH;
• Complete solubility in both cold and hot water.

At the same time, it completely lacks third-party additives, including metallomagnetic particles. Not found in "Health" and caffeine, which, by the way, should not be contained in a powder made from a natural root.

According to the results of the examination, the percentage of inulin, a polysaccharide useful for the human body, fully corresponds to the declared indicators (over 30%). In this drink it is 54.5%. The combination of the results of all the above tests and examinations suggests that the Zdorovye drink is indeed a natural chicory extract.

• The obvious benefits of the product, due to the high content of inulin;
• Sealed packaging and ZIP fastener.

• Not seen.

"Russian chicory"

Produced in the city of Yaroslavl, "Russian Chicory" is a natural instant drink produced in full compliance with all the requirements of GOST.

According to the results of a series of laboratory studies, no violations in the production of the drink were found. It does not contain pathogenic microorganisms, E. coli bacteria, yeast and mold.

The content of heavy metals is also within the normal range. We are talking about such metals as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury, and aflatoxin was not detected.

Not noted in the drink and caffeine. Its main indicators - appearance, color, taste and aromatic properties also fully comply with GOST standards.

The drink contains 30.1% inulin (at a rate of 30%).

• Optimal content of inulin;
• Sealed package with ZIP closure.

• Not marked

Instant Classic GreatLife

The classic instant drink GreatLife, which is produced in the Leningrad region (the village of Novy Svet), is no longer so ideal compared to its predecessors. First of all, he received such reviews from experts and buyers due to the low content of inulin (its percentage is lower than the norms established for the optimal content of this substance). Also, organoleptic indicators and solubility are not characteristic of a drink from chicory.

At the same time, aflotoxin was not found in the drink, and the indicators of toxic elements are within the normal range. But, unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the content of mold in the drink. True, it does not exceed the permissible values, but the indicator is close to the upper limit of the norm. Genetically modified elements were not found by examination. Not found in GreatLife and traces of metal impurities and caffeine.

Within the permissible limits, all physical and chemical indicators of the drink:

• Mass fraction of moisture;
• pH;
• Absolute solubility in both hot and cold water.

At the same time, the organoleptic characteristics of the drink leave much to be desired:

• Watery slightly sweet taste;
• Aroma with hints of caramel;
• In the powder, impurities of light tones are noticeable.

The last remark definitely indicates the presence of impurities in the drink. It is believed that all violations in the quality of the finished product are due to violations:

• In the modes of heat treatment;
• Selection of low quality raw materials.

Here the whole point is that if the temperature during the processing of raw materials (extraction and drying) is too high, the process of destruction of inulin will inevitably begin.This leads to its low content in the drink.

This is also facilitated by raw materials of low quality, and even high-quality, which was not properly stored. And finally, one cannot fail to mention the possible falsification of products, when chicory, which is more expensive in terms of cost, is replaced by cheaper grain analogues, which, accordingly, do not contain the required amount of inulin.

• Low cost of the product.

• The actual content of inulin is 3 times less than the norm - only 9.6%;
• Inconsistency in organoleptic indicators.

Chicory Dr. Dias

Classic instant chicory drink Dr. Dias is produced in Yaroslavl. The content of inulin in it is much less than the expected norm. In addition, many note a somewhat sour taste of the drink.

It contains absolutely no genetically modified organisms, caffeine and metal-magnetic impurities. The organoleptic characteristics of the drink, with the exception of a slightly sour taste, correspond to the norm.

As for the content of inulin, it is almost 2.5 times lower than the minimum values. This in itself indicates both the quality of the chicory used in the production, and violations in the process of thermal processing of the product. A possible reason for the rather low quality of the drink is considered by many to be falsification - the replacement of an expensive product with cheaper, but lower quality crops.

• Low cost;

• Insufficient content of inulin;
• Sour taste of the product.

Chicory "Tselebnik" natural soluble

Chicory "Tselebnik" is produced in one of the Moscow city districts.No toxic elements were found in it, but, unfortunately, the direct content of inulin leaves much to be desired.

At the same time, laboratory studies did not find traces of genetically modified organisms. Not found in the product and caffeine. The experts have no special comments on the indicators of color, appearance and aroma. The only thing they pay attention to is the low content of the main active ingredient in the drink - inulin (this figure is almost 3.5 times less than the norm). Moreover, it is even less than the numbers indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. As in other cases, low inulin content may be due to:

• Falsification - replacing chicory with cheaper grain analogues;
• Violations in the heat treatment of the product - too high a temperature;
• Low quality of raw materials;
• Improper storage.

• 

Accordingly, at the moment there are comments on the product that do not allow experts to put it in the top three drinks with chicory.

• Low cost.

• Low content of inulin.

Summing up

Given that a high-quality chicory drink is made exclusively from natural products and does not contain caffeine at all, its benefits to the human body are obvious.

In addition, chicory has the ability to remove toxins from the body (we are talking about the liver, kidneys, gallbladder). Unfortunately, almost 80% of the chicory on the shelves of our stores are fake.What should you pay attention to when buying a powder so that it really benefits the body and does not harm in any way? First of all it is:

• Homogeneous structure and color of soluble powder;
• In water, chicory dissolves completely without residue (for verification, you can filter the drink using ordinary gauze).

If violations are noticed on one of the points, this indicates the addition of maltadextrin (corn flour, molasses, and in fact sugar) to the drink. It is especially dangerous to purchase such a drink for people with diabetes.