Coffee substitute: the chicory evidence comes from supplements, not the cup

The strongest numbers near this drink come from supplements. In a meta-analysis of randomized trials with 1184 adults, isolated chicory root inulin lowered body weight by 2.1 lb (0.97 kg) against placebo (95% CI 1.3 to 3 lb (0.59 to 1.34 kg)), with high variation between trials, and none of those trials tested a roasted chicory drink. In 50 trials with 2525 people aged 0 to 83, 3 to 20 g a day of chicory inulin raised gut Bifidobacterium. How much inulin is left in a brewed cup after roasting is unknown, so these results do not transfer to your mug. For the drink itself we have one large observational result. In 69,532 French women followed for 11 years, drinking chicory was not linked to type 2 diabetes. One lab study describes chicory as the main ingredient of coffee substitutes and sometimes the only one. Others are roasted cereal such as rye. One US cup weighs 8.5 oz (240 g).

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• The same lab study notes chicory is the main and sometimes the only ingredient of coffee substitutes. — Roasted chicory and artichoke for coffee substitutes Evidence D source
  Chicory the main component
• In a 24 hour recall of 142 Australian adults, coffee and coffee substitutes supplied 5% of dietary potassium. — Australian adults aged 18-65, 24-h diet recall subsample (n = 142) Evidence C source
  Coffee/coffee substitutes 5% of potassium intake

What a real portion looks like

• US survey data weigh one 8 fl oz cup of coffee substitute at 240 g. — FNDDS portion records for Coffee substitute (n = 3 portions) Evidence E source
  1 cup (8 fl oz) 240 g, 1 fl oz 30 g, quantity not specified 360 g

What cooking and storage change

• Lab roasting of rye as a coffee substitute gave 640 ug/kg acrylamide at 120 C and 1700 ug/kg at 150 C. — Rye grain roasted in a drum roaster at five temperatures Evidence D source
  Acrylamide 640 +/- 15 ug/kg at 120 C, 1700 +/- 26 ug/kg at 150 C
• In the same lab study, acrylamide in roasted rye fell from 1400 to 490 ug/kg after 6 months of storage. — Roasted rye coffee substitute stored at room temperature for 6 months Evidence D source
  1400 +/- 11 to 1100 +/- 18 (3 months) to 490 +/- 7 ug/kg (6 months)

What it does to your health

• A meta-analysis of 32 RCTs found chicory root inulin supplements lowered body weight by 2.1 lb (0.97 kg) against placebo, though no trial tested roasted chicory drinks. — Adults in 32 RCTs of chicory inulin-type fructan supplements (n = 1184) Evidence A source
  Body weight MD -2.1 lb (95% CI -3 to -1.3; metric: -0.97 kg, -1.34 to -0.59), BMI MD -0.39 kg/m2 (-0.57 to -0.20), waist MD -0.41 in (-0.67 to -0.15; metric: -1.03 cm, -1.69 to -0.37)
• A meta-analysis of 50 RCTs found 3 to 20 g a day of chicory inulin raised gut Bifidobacterium in people aged 0 to 83. — 2525 participants aged 0-83 in 50 RCTs, at least 7 days of chicory inulin-type fructans (n = 2525) Evidence A source
  Bifidobacterium SMD 0.83 (95% CI 0.58 to 1.08)
• In a French cohort of 69,532 women followed for 11 years, drinking chicory was not linked to diabetes risk. — 69,532 French women aged 41-72 without diabetes, E3N/EPIC cohort, mean follow-up 11 years (n = 69532) Evidence C source
  No association of chicory intake with type 2 diabetes (1415 cases)

Safety, limits and interactions

• A case report describes a chicory inulin factory worker who developed asthma and rhinitis from inhaled dry chicory root dust. — one worker in a factory producing inulin from chicory (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma, IgE to a 17 kDa Bet v 1-like chicory protein

What people believe that the data does not support

• A lab study found roasted chicory alone stayed below the EU indicative acrylamide value of 4000 ug/kg for chicory coffee substitutes, while a 30% artichoke mix exceeded it. — Roasted chicory, roasted artichoke and three chicory-artichoke mixes (n = 5 samples) Evidence D source
  Chicory alone below 4000 ug/kg, 30% artichoke mix above
• Europe refused the claim that inulin from chicory helps regulate blood cholesterol. — — Evidence E source
  Claim non-authorized
• Europe also refused the claim that inulin from chicory keeps you fuller for longer. — — Evidence E source
  Claim non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 5 trials in 197 people with fatty liver found chicory supplements lowered ALT by 17.5 U/L without changing blood lipids. — 197 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in 5 randomized trials (n = 197) Evidence A source
  AST WMD -7.07 U/L (95% CI -13.82 to -0.32), ALT WMD -17.53 U/L (-32.64 to -2.42), lipids not changed
• In a study of 59 kidney transplant patients on calcineurin inhibitors, chicory coffee was suspected in one high dose case, but stopping it did not lower the dose. — 73 renal transplant recipients, 59 on calcineurin inhibitors, 7 interviewed (n = 73) Evidence C source
  Suspected chicory coffee interaction not confirmed on withdrawal
• A survey of 720 Polish preschools found milk coffee substitute served in 95% of them and sugar added to it in 86%. — 720 Polish preschools serving children aged 3-5 (n = 720) Evidence C source
  Served in 95% of preschools, sugar added in 86%

The bottom line

Europe has refused two claims for inulin from chicory, that it helps regulate blood cholesterol and that it keeps you fuller for longer. A refusal means the evidence was not enough at assessment. In 5 small trials in 197 people with fatty liver, chicory preparations lowered the liver enzyme ALT by 17.5 U/L (95% CI 2.4 to 32.6) without changing blood lipids, and the authors ask for larger studies. Roasting makes acrylamide. In a lab study, rye roasted as a coffee substitute had 640 ug/kg of acrylamide at 120 C and 1700 ug/kg at 150 C. The level fell from 1400 to 490 ug/kg over 6 months of storage, and only those 6 month samples met the EU level of under 500 ug/kg for cereal substitutes. In another single lab with 5 samples, roasted chicory alone stayed below the EU indicative value of 4000 ug/kg, while a chicory mix with a high share of artichoke went above it. Who should be careful. In a study of 73 kidney transplant patients, chicory coffee was suspected of raising the needed dose of a calcineurin inhibitor in one patient, and stopping it did not lower the dose, so no interaction was shown. A factory worker making chicory inulin developed asthma and rhinitis from breathing chicory root dust, a single case about inhaled powder, not the drink. For children, a survey of 720 Polish preschools found milk coffee substitute on the menu in 95% of them, with sugar added in 86%, which makes the sugar the thing to watch. We have no card on pregnancy. In 142 Australian adults, coffee and coffee substitutes together supplied 5% of potassium, a figure that does not separate the two.

Sources

1. csub-r1-09 · laboratory study
   It worth to note chicory is the main component of coffee substitute and sometime used as only one.
   PLoS One, 2018 · checked 2026-09-30
2. csub-r1-11 · cross-sectional
   Foods contributing most to potassium were potatoes (8%), dairy milk (6%), dishes where cereal is the main ingredient (6%) and coffee/coffee substitutes (5%).
   Nutrients, 2019 · checked 2026-09-30
3. csub-r1-12 · USDA FNDDS, dataset
   Coffee substitute (FNDDS 92201010, FDC 2710486): 1 cup (8 fl oz) = 240 g; 1 fl oz = 30 g; Quantity not specified = 360 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food code 92201010, FDC 2710486 · checked 2026-09-30
4. csub-r1-06 · laboratory study
   The results depicted in Figure 4 indicate the lowest acrylamide content in samples roasted at 120 °C (640 ± 15 µg kg−1). The highest acrylamide content (1700 ± 26 µg kg−1) was observed for samples roasted at 150 °C.
   Foods, 2020 · checked 2026-09-30
5. csub-r1-07 · laboratory study
   Degradation of acrylamide (Figure 6) proved to be highly significant (**** p < 0.0001) after 3 (1100 ± 18 µg kg−1) and 6 months (490 ± 7 µg kg−1) of storage compared to that acrylamide content in the fresh samples (1400 ± 11 µg kg−1).
   Foods, 2020 · checked 2026-09-30
6. csub-r1-01 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Chicory ITF significantly reduced body weight [mean difference (MD): -0.97 kg; 95% CI: -1.34, -0.59); n = 1184] compared with placebo.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-30
7. csub-r1-02 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Chicory-derived inulin-type fructans at a dose of 3-20 g/day significantly increased Bifidobacterium abundance in participants with an age range from 0 to 83 years (standardized mean difference: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.58-1.08; p < 0.01; 50 studies; 2525 participants).
   Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023 · checked 2026-09-30
8. csub-r1-04 · prospective cohort
   Neither tea nor chicory consumption was associated with diabetes risk.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2010 · checked 2026-09-30
9. csub-r1-15 · case report
   This case documents occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma due to IgE sensitization to inhaled chicory allergens, including one identified for the first time as a 17-kD Bet v 1 homologous protein, with secondary oral allergy syndrome to related foods.
   J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol, 2009 · checked 2026-09-30
10. csub-r1-08 · laboratory study
    In the 2018 European Commission recommendations [45], the indicative value for acrylamide in coffee substitutes made from chicory is 4000 μg/kg: in our study, chicory alone and Mixes I and II fall below this threshold but Mix III highly overcome it.
    PLoS One, 2018 · checked 2026-09-30
11. csub-r1-13 · regulatory register entry
    POL-HC-7290 Inulin/ oligofructose from chicory inulin/ oligofructose from chicory : - helps to regulate cholesterol level; - contributes to healthy blood cholesterol level; - helps to manage cholesterol level; - helps to maintain healthy blood cholesterol level. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7290, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-30
12. csub-r1-14 · regulatory register entry
    POL-HC-7293 Inulin/oligofructose from chicory Inulin/oligofructose help you to feel fuller for longer; Foods with inulin/oligofructose curb your hunger feeling; Foods with inulin/oligofructose make you feel satisfied Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7293, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-30
13. csub-r1-03 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    The study showed that chicory significantly decreased the levels of both aspartate transaminase (WMD: -7.07 U/L, 95%CI: -13.82 to -0.32) and alanine transaminase (WMD: -17.53 U/L, 95%CI: -32.64 to -2.42).
    Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2023 · checked 2026-09-30
14. csub-r1-05 · cross-sectional
    In one patient chicory-coffee and bitter chocolate had been suspected as contributing to high CNI dose requirement, but the dose could not be lowered after discontinuation of these foods.
    J Med Food, 2011 · checked 2026-09-30
15. csub-r1-10 · cross-sectional
    Cocoa and milk coffee substitute were served in 95% of preschools, followed by compote (92%), tea (84%), fruit/herbal tea (73%) and water (69%).
    Nutrients, 2017 · checked 2026-09-30