CHICORY ROOTS WERE POPULAR EVEN BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE EARLY GREEKS AND EGYPTIANS!

The Rosetta Stone was not the first document to mention chicory! In fact, Cichorium intybus traces were found on the  Papyrus Ebers, which dates back to 4,000 years ago. Chicory roots were initially recommended for medicinal purposes, but were rapidly transformed for use as a light drink. Thanks to the very nature of the crop, chicory is a 100% plant-based drink with its own unique flavour.   Our grandmothers were not the only ones to enjoy the benefits of chicory. Chicory was popular in Egypt thanks to its healthy digestive properties and great taste for an aperitif. Whatever actually ran down, here at Chicorée Leroux, we can just see Cleopatra sitting back with a cup of chicory.     Let's take a look back at Ancient Greece. Back in those times, Chicory was considered to have regenerative properties. Galien, a doctor at the time, advised chicory to help with liver problems. And while you may not have heard of Galien, just think, Pliny the Elder himself loved chicory. He used to praise chicory for use with bladder and kidney problems and to help fight headaches. Chicory was even used as a health remedy by the Roman army.  Pedanius Dioscorides, the famous Greek physician, came up with a miraculous recipe. Let’s fast forward a few years to Charlemagne, yet another chicory lover! During his era, chicory was used to treat liver problems and eye inflammations. Almost the entire plant was used for medicinal purposes in the form of syrups, pills and liquids. 400 years later, in 1809, Napoleon I decreed a blockage to prevent British imports such as sugar and coffee. Chicory then became the most popular drink in France, standing proud in French homes. So what happened next? The Leroux family fell in love with this plant with its many benefits and spread its reputation around the world!