Chicory an all-natural alternative to chemically decaffeinated coffee, says homesteader

New Hampshire homesteader Michelle Visser champions chicory arsenic an all-natural alternate to chemically decaffeinated coffee.

"I marque a beverage from dried chicory basal that tastes conscionable similar coffee," the author, podcaster and influencer (soulyrested.com) told Fox News Digital soon aft her September harvest of the easy-to-grow leafy, flowering herb with thick, richly flavored roots. (See the video astatine the apical of this article.)

"It's people caffeine free. A batch of java manufacturers adhd it into their blends to support their prices down. But by itself, chicory [has] zero caffeine."

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She's grown chicory successful her workplace plot the past 4 years. The large wide leaves provender her pigs. The roots marque a robust cupful of faux joe – connected National Coffee Day (Sept. 29) oregon immoderate time of the year.

Chicory has agelong been touted for its medicinal benefits and, erstwhile steeped successful water similar tea – Visser calls it chicory beverage – the coffee-like sensation is unmistakable.

New Hampshire homesteader and integer influencer Michelle Visser of soulyrested.com touts homegrown chicory arsenic the all-natural alternate to java that is often decaffeinated by arguable concern processes.  (Michelle Visser/soulyrested.com)

The chicory java contented is astir apt champion known contiguous by culinary landmark Café du Monde successful New Orleans. 

Few tourists permission the Big Easy without enjoying deep-fried, sugar-powdered beignets astatine the riverside cafe, oregon instrumentality location without a distinctive agleam yellowish tin of its chicory coffee.

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"Though the basal has been cultivated since Ancient Egypt, chicory has been roasted, crushed and mixed with coffee successful France since the 19th century," Smithsonian Magazine wrote of the basal successful 2014. 

Chicory "traditionally was utilized connected its ain successful beverage oregon successful medicinal remedies to dainty jaundice, liver enlargement, gout and rheumatism."

Dried chicory from plants grown by New Hampshire influencer Michelle Visser. She uses chicory to marque all-natural caffeine-free coffee. (Michelle Visser/soulyrested.com)

The concern processes utilized to decaffeinate java person travel nether expanding scrutiny successful caller years, prompting Visser to amusement followers that determination is an all-natural, homegrown alternate to Big Decaf.

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"The main interest is that 1 of the superior methods companies usage to decaffeinate java involves methylene chloride, a solvent that has been linked to an accrued hazard of crab and different adverse wellness effects," the Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation reported successful August 2024. 

"There is nary grounds that drinking decaffeinated java causes wellness problems," National Coffee Association CEO William Murray countered successful the report. 

Chicory java is shown for merchantability successful the acquisition store of Cafe du Monde successful New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Visser eliminates immoderate contention by increasing chicory astatine her New Hampshire home. Her industrious farming and do-it-yourself manner fuels her "Simple Doesn't Mean Easy" podcast and her books. 

"It fundamentally grows similar a weed," she said, convinced that virtually anyone tin rise chicory astatine home.

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Fifty plants, harvested successful September aft a little New England summer, nutrient capable chicory basal to marque a year's worthy of coffee, she said. 

A handbasket afloat of chicory basal from homestead influencer Michelle Visser of soulyrested.com. She uses the basal to marque all-natural decaf coffee. (Michelle Visser/soulyrested.com)

The roots are chopped – "like chopping carrots" – past dried, roasted, finely chopped and steeped successful blistery h2o similar tea. 

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"All I person to bash is roast the chicory doubly arsenic agelong and past usage it overmuch similar espresso," said Visser.

She brews the double-strength chicory into a large city-cafe array of originative coffees: lattes, mocha cappuccinos and frothy, icy frappes. 

Michelle Visser makes coffee, lattes and mocha frappes from homegrown chicory, a accepted all-natural substitute for decaffeinated coffee. (Michelle Visser/soulyrested.com)