Chicory root (菊苣根) is not so commonly heard or seen in the market but in recent years, it is seeing an increase in demand due to its benefits to relieve gout symptoms.
Gout (Chinese name: 痛风) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes pain and swelling in the joints.
Chicory root is good for people with gout as it has the property of reducing uric acid in the blood.
Strictly speaking, chicory root is not a Chinese medicine. It is a type of vegetable and we use its root for its medicinal properties.
The thermal nature of chicory root is cooling and hence it is ideal for inflammatory diseases like gout.
Other Benefits of Chicory Root
Besides reducing uric acid in the blood, other properties of chicory root include:
Reduce inflammation – It can help to reduce inflammation in other parts of the body too.
Improve digestion – It can also help to improve digestion if you experience indigestion issues when you eat certain foods.
Strengthen stomach – Besides improving digestion, it can also help strengthen the stomach and build up resistance against the foods you eat.
Where To Buy Chicory Root?
It is rare to see fresh chicory root in the market so the best way is to purchase dried chicory root so you can just add warm water and drink it when there’s a need.
If you live in Singapore, you can try to search for “菊苣根” and you should be able to find a few sellers selling tea bags containing chicory root.
If you are living overseas, you can try to search for “chicory root” in Amazon or your local popular ecommerce stores.
The following are two chicory root products I found on Shopee (Singapore).
Hope the information in this post helps to relieve your gout symptoms but most importantly do take care of your diet to reduce your intake of meat and foods that can cause inflammation like dairy products (milk, cheese etc), and increase your intake of anti-inflammatory foods like matcha tea, healthy oils like omega 3.