Endive is a healthy vegetable that looks a lot like lettuce, except for the characteristic "curl" and narrowness of the leaves. I'll be sure to include a recipe for salad chicory below.
In general, salads based on fresh vegetables and greens are an essential part of a healthy diet, especially in the summer when it's hot outside and the body gets dehydrated quickly. I really love these dishes for their variety. There's almost no limit to your imagination here. Use leaves as a base and add whatever you want: beans, grains, seafood, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Create, change ingredients, find interesting options and add variety. Try to eat at least 4-5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day. The body is sure to thank you for it.
And if you want a new flavor, I suggest adding salad chicory more often. And not just in salads. Because the health benefits of endive are truly impressive. And here's why.
Spicy and bitter (almost like arugula) taste of endive gives intibin. This substance has a positive effect on the digestive organs, stimulates the pancreas and gallbladder as well as the liver. Every day it has to process a huge amount of toxins that come to us with food additives, pesticides, alcohol, etc.
The liver is affected by many factors, including our diet. And strengthening it will help with these foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, green tea, garlic, turmeric, milk thistle, and of course endive.
In general, it is good for the circulatory system as well.
Endive (or salad chicory) is rich in trace minerals, especially copper. It also contains the macronutrients potassium and magnesium: both necessary for the health of our cardiovascular system.
As for vitamins, and here the benefits of salad chicory are obvious. For example, it contains vitamin A, which is essential for vision as well as collagen production. Or vitamin B, important in particular for the normal functioning of the nervous system, muscles and for many metabolic processes. And there's also a huge amount of vitamin K (phylloquinone) in endive.
Finally, the nearly 4 grams of dietary fiber you get with each serving of endive will help you keep your blood sugar under control, as well as promote healthy digestion.
Endive in Cooking
Again, endive can be used in more than just salads. The darker leaves are ideal for stewing or steaming.
Endive can be sliced into narrow strips and added to soup. It also makes a refreshing and very healthy juice.
Useful Endive Recipes
You'll find several endive recipes in my appendix. In the meantime, I found another recipe with this wonderful herb and want to share it with you:
Pear, Ginger & Endive Juice
Ingredients:
pear - 1 pc,
Endive one piece,
ginger - 1 piece 2,5 cm long,
cucumber - 1 piece,
lemon - 1/2 piece.
Preparation
Peel lemon and ginger.
Remove pips from the pear.
Cut all the ingredients into medium sized pieces.
Blend all ingredients in a blender or pass through a juicer.
Using endive in cooking is a fresh solution to bring a new flavor that will diversify your table and give a new experience.
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