Chicory root syrup is the pressed and concentrated juice of the chicory root — and nothing else. It is mildly sweet, roughly the color of clear honey, and it carries a large amount of dietary fiber: 11g in a tablespoon, which is 39% of the Daily Value.
Our ingredient list reads: Chicory Root. That is the whole list.
The plant
Chicory is a common roadside weed across Europe and North America with a pale blue-violet flower — the same plant family as dandelion and daisy. It has been cultivated for centuries, and the root has been roasted and brewed as a coffee substitute since at least the 1800s. If you have ever had New Orleans-style coffee, you have had chicory.
The root is not sweet in the way sugarcane is. What it contains is inulin, a long-chain carbohydrate the plant uses to store energy over winter. That inulin is what makes the syrup both mildly sweet and very high in fiber, because of how the human body handles it — which we cover in what inulin actually is.
How it's made
Roots are harvested, washed and sliced, then steeped in hot water to draw out the soluble solids — much the way sugar beet is processed. The resulting liquid is filtered and gently evaporated until it thickens into a syrup.
No sweeteners are added. No preservatives, no flavorings, no added color. The concentration step is what makes it sweet enough to use, and it is also what concentrates the fiber.
What's actually in it
Per tablespoon (21g), and there are about 29 in a 600g bottle:
| Calories | 40 |
| Total carbohydrate | 16g |
| Dietary fiber | 11g — 39% DV |
| Total sugars | 4g |
| Added sugars | 0g |
| Fat · Sodium · Protein | 0 |
The 4g of sugars are naturally occurring in the root — the same way an apple contains sugars nobody added. Added sugars is 0g, which is an FDA-defined term with a specific meaning: nothing sweet was put in.
What it tastes like
Mild. Faintly of caramel and malt, a little like a very light molasses without the bitterness. There is no chemical aftertaste — the thing people most often complain about with high-intensity sweeteners — because there is no high-intensity sweetener in it.
It is also not as sweet as sugar. Roughly a third to a half, depending on what you compare it against and what else is in the recipe. That is the honest trade-off, and it is worth knowing before your first bottle: if you are expecting a drop-in replacement for the sweetness of sugar, you will find it gentle.
What it does have that sugar doesn't is body. It is viscous, which is why it works particularly well in drinks — it gives a mouthfeel that diet drinks are usually missing.
What people use it for
- Coffee and tea — the most common use, and the one most likely to become a daily habit
- Sparkling water — a tablespoon in a glass of soda water makes something close to a very mild cream soda
- Porridge, yogurt, granola — where the mild flavor suits the base
- Baking — with adjustments, since it is a liquid and less sweet than sugar
- Marinades and glazes — the caramel note works with soy, mustard and vinegar
Who it isn't for
If you follow a low-FODMAP diet or have IBS, inulin is a fructan and one of the more reliable triggers. This is probably not the product for you, and we would rather say that than sell you a bottle you cannot use.
If you are new to fiber, start at half a tablespoon a day. 11g is a large single addition if your current intake is near the US average of around 15g a day, and going too fast causes gas and bloating. There is more detail in side effects, which is worth two minutes before your first spoon.
What it isn't
It is a food. It is a source of dietary fiber and an unrefined alternative to cane sugar. It does not treat any condition, and it is not a substitute for eating vegetables — which give you fiber alongside a great deal else that a syrup does not contain.
If you have a medical condition or take medication, talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet.
No one is perfect. Just have good balance.