What is Endive Good For?
Endive is a vegetable belonging to the genus Cichorium, which includes several similar bitter leafed vegetables. Endive is rich in many vitamins and minerals, especially in folate and vitamins A and K, and is high in fiber. Endive is a green leafy-vegetable with a hint of bitter flavor. The inner leaves are sweeter, but the more mature outer leaves deliver a bit of kick to the taste buds in a good way., this is a well-known salad plant is much more than just a leafy green; packed with numerous health benefiting plant nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A, etc.
There are two main varieties of cultivated endive, the Curly endive, that has narrow, green, curly outer leaves also the Escarole, or broad-leaved endive has broad, pale green leaves and is less bitter than the other varieties.
Health Benefits of Endive
Makes Skin Smooth and Moist: Being a good source of Vitamin E, endives can help you maintain the natural moisture of your skin. So, if your skin is dry, you must include it in your daily diet to hydrate your skin for a softer and younger looking skin.
For good and healthy hair: The Vitamin A content of endives plays a key role in making the hair thick and strong. Being an antioxidant, it promotes the oil balance of the scalp and keeps it moisturized. As a result, the hair follicles do not get dried out and you get thick and strong hair strands.This green leafy vegetable can also give you long tresses with a beautiful shine. The Vitamin E present in endives helps in hair growth by boosting blood circulation to the scalp to make it healthy.
Maintains Digestive Health: Endives are filled with dietary fibers, which make them an excellent laxative. It is a good choice for dealing with various gastric issues successfully. Munching on endives right before a meal can stimulate your appetite too.
Treats Scleroderma Successfully: Scleroderma is a skin condition in which the tissues of different parts of the skin become hard. However, the Vitamin A present in the endives can treat the disorder and restore the natural texture of the skin.
Heals Anemic Conditions: If you are suffering from anemia, you should include endives in your daily diet. The disease is basically caused due to the deficiency of iron in our body. This green leafy vegetable is rich in mineral. Either drink it alone or prepare a juice by mixing parsley juice and celery juice with freshly prepared endive juice. It acts as a blood tonic that helps the blood creation process in our body and keeps us away from anemia.
Keeps Heart Healthy: When it comes to uplifting your cardiac health, endives play a significant role. This veggie is low in saturated fat, which is good for the heart. It contains potassium, which helps in keeping blood pressure level under control. Furthermore, it holds natural polysaccharide insulin, which helps in lowering the low density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol in our body effectively. All these contribute to the well being of our heart.
Makes Teeth and Bones Stronger: Endives are also high in calcium, which is the most vital component of our teeth and bones. Inclusion of this vegetable in your diet can help you counterbalance the loss of calcium in your body. As a result, your bones and teeth get stronger and you can stay away from severe diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis, dental cavity, etc.
Takes Care of Liver and Gall Bladder: Fresh endive juice can work as an amazing detox for your body. It can stimulate the gall bladder to secret the right amount of bile, which eliminates the toxic materials from the liver. Consequently, the normal functionalities of the organ are promoted to maintain the overall health.
Fights Against Alzheimer’s Disease: Loaded with Vitamin E, endives, according to several medical studies, can combat the atypical degenerative neurological disorder called ‘Alzhemier’s disease’. In other words, frequent consumption of raw fresh endive can help you maintain a healthy neural system.
Keeps Cancer at Bay: Vitamin E is one of the most effective remedies for prostate cancer. Apart from Vitamin E, endives are also enriched with Vitamin A, which can prevent oral cavity cancer and lung cancer. The calcium content of the veggie provides protection from ovary and breast cancer. The dietary fibers present in endives are also good for fighting against colon cancer.
Ensures Good Health of Eyes: Nothing can be better than endives for keeping your eyes healthy and beautiful. Rich in all essential nutrients, this green vegetable wards off serious eye complications like cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and so on. There is no need to live on strong powerful medications or go through expensive surgeries. Just drink endive juice every day and it is all.
Helps Lose Extra Pounds: Considerably low in calories, endives are beneficial for people with excessive body weight. So, make sure that you include raw endives in your weight loss diet to make the most of your workout efforts. Drinking endive juice can also help you in your weight loss journey and take you there fast.
Uses of Endive
- It is used for salad
- Roots are used dysoeria
- Used as Endive Chips and Dip: Use raw endive leaves to substitute for a crunchy tortilla chip. Make a tasty dip by blending avocado, lime juice, salt, pepper, jalapeño, and cilantro. Try using your endive leaves as a scoop!
- Grilled Endive: Grilling endive brings out the tangy flavor. Cook them until they are tender and place on a plate. Create a vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Drizzle over the top of the hot endive and serve.
Nutritional Value of Endive
A quick look at the endive nutrition profile can reveal exactly why this superstar ingredient is so great for your health. Not only is it low in calories, but it’s also rich in fiber, vitamin K, vitamin A and folate.
A 1/2-cup serving of chopped, raw endive (about 25 grams) contains approximately:
- 0.8 grams dietary fiber
- 542 international units vitamin A (11 percent of the DV)
- 35.5 micrograms folate (9 percent of the DV)
- 57.7 micrograms vitamin K (72 percent of the DV)
- 4 calories
- 0.8 grams carbohydrate
- 0.1 milligrams manganese (5 percent of the DV)
- 0.3 grams protein
In addition to the nutrients listed above, it also contains a small amount of vitamin C, pantothenic acid and potassium.