What is Chicory, and how is it connected to the coffee Industry?

What is chicory?

Chicory is a root vegetable of the Chicory Plant. The Leaves are used to make salads and the root is used for naturally coloring of bottled milkshakes, and for preparation of South Indian Coffee.

When the root is roasted, it develops a dark color and a distinctly fig like sweetness and toasty aroma.

In India, especially in the South, roasted chicory is commonly blended with coffee to create the classic filter coffee profile many people associate with “degree coffee.”

Unlike coffee, chicory contains No Caffeine. Its role in a blend is primarily to increase body, viscosity of the brew and a distinctive bitter aftertaste.

How chicory came to India

Chicory’s use as a coffee blend ingredient became popular in Europe during periods when coffee was expensive. Roasted chicory root was used to extend coffee supplies while still delivering a decent caffeine content and a dark beverage.

Over time, the coffee–chicory habit spread through trade and commercial coffee culture and found a strong home in South India, where filter coffee became a daily ritual. What began as a practical blending choice gradually turned into a preferred taste style— so much so that many consumers today expect that signature frothy beverage, heavier body, and deep aftertaste.

Nutritional information 

Chicory root is best known nutritionally for inulin, a soluble fiber that acts as a prebiotic (it can support beneficial gut bacteria). It also contains small amounts of naturally occurring plant compounds found in many roots and leafy plants.

A few important, practical notes for coffee drinkers:

• Caffeine: Chicory is caffeine-free.
• Calories: Low Calorie, 300Kcal/100g
• Digestive tolerance: Because inulin is a fermentable fiber, some people may experience gas/bloating ( A Classic Indicator if the % of chicory is high in a coffee chicory mixture, Reduce the intake of chicory% or switch to pure coffee mixture)
• Not a “health drink” claim: Chicory is acidic in nature, it sometimes marketed as "caffeine free coffee". Its best to avoid these products.

What chicory tastes like?

Roasted chicory has a unique flavor that overlaps with dark roast coffee, but it’s distinctly its own:

• Sweet, Fig like Aroma, Toasty Notes.
• Caramel, Buttery Sweetness.
• Roasted Nuts, Dark Coffee like Taste.
• Smoky, Oak, peaty mouthfeel
• A distinctive pleasant bitter very long aftertaste.

In a traditional metal filter brew—where a strong decoction is mixed with hot milk—chicory can enhance:

• Body and thickness: a heavier, richer mouthfeel that feels more “syrupy.”
• Perceived strength: the cup can taste bolder even at the same coffee dose.
• Darker color: a deeper-looking dark brown decoction and final cup.
• Classic filter coffee signature: that familiar roasted-caramel profile many customers expect.
• Better milk compatibility: it holds its character well with milk and sugar, often reading as more “chocolatey” and rounded.

Quick takeaway

Chicory isn’t just an extender—it’s a style choice. In the right percentage, it helps create the iconic South Indian filter coffee experience: bold, dark, aromatic, and satisfyingly full-bodied.