Puhlmann Marie-Luise, de Vos Willem M
Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Adv Nutr. 2020 Jul 1;11(4):878-889. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmaa025.
Fibers are increasingly recognized as an indispensable part of our diet and vital for maintaining health. Notably, complex mixtures of fibers have been found to improve metabolic health. Following an analysis of the fiber content of plant-based products, we found the taproot of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybusL.) to be 1 of the vegetables with the highest fiber content, comprising nearly 90% of its dry weight. Chicory roots consist of a mixture of inulin, pectin, and (hemi-)cellulose and also contain complex phytochemicals, such as sesquiterpene lactones that have been characterized in detail. Nowaday, chicory roots are mainly applied as a source for the extraction of inulin, which is used as prebiotic fiber and food ingredient. Chicory roots, however, have long been consumed as a vegetable by humans. The whole root has been used for thousands of years for nutritional, medicinal, and other purposes, and it is still used in traditional dishes in various parts of the world. Here, we summarize the composition of chicory roots to explain their historic success in the human diet. We revisit the intake of chicory roots by humans and describe the different types of use along with their various methods of preparation. Hereby, we focus on the whole root in its complex, natural form, as well as in relation to its constituents, and discuss aspects regarding legal regulation and the safety of chicory root extracts for human consumption. Finally, we provide an overview of the current and future applications of chicory roots and their contribution to a fiber-rich diet.
膳食纤维日益被视为我们饮食中不可或缺的一部分，对维持健康至关重要。值得注意的是，已发现复杂的纤维混合物可改善代谢健康。在分析了植物性产品的纤维含量后，我们发现菊苣植物（菊苣）的主根是纤维含量最高的蔬菜之一，其干重的近90%为纤维。菊苣根由菊粉、果胶和（半）纤维素混合而成，还含有复杂的植物化学物质，如已被详细表征的倍半萜内酯。如今，菊苣根主要用作提取菊粉的原料，菊粉用作益生元纤维和食品成分。然而，菊苣根长期以来一直被人类作为蔬菜食用。整个根部数千年来一直用于营养、药用和其他用途，并且仍在世界不同地区的传统菜肴中使用。在此，我们总结菊苣根的成分，以解释它们在人类饮食中取得历史性成功的原因。我们回顾人类对菊苣根的摄入量，并描述其不同的使用类型及其各种制备方法。因此，我们关注的是复杂天然形式的整个根部及其成分，并讨论菊苣根提取物用于人类消费的法律法规和安全性方面。最后，我们概述了菊苣根的当前和未来应用及其对富含纤维饮食的贡献。
