Know2eat

Belgian endive

Cichorium intybus var. foliosum

What belgian endive has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
2 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About belgian endive

A pale, tightly furled chicory bud grown in darkness so that it never develops chlorophyll. The forcing process is what produces the ivory colour and the mild bitterness that distinguishes it from green chicory leaves.

Also known as Witloof chicory, Chicon, French endive, Witlof

Gut & Digestive Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Digestive comfort

Gut & Digestive Health
Insufficient evidence

Belgian endive is often described as a digestive vegetable on the strength of its bitterness and its fructan content. No human research has tested the whole vegetable against any digestive outcome, and for people with irritable bowel syndrome the fructans are more likely to provoke symptoms than settle them.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Belgian endive

Ask about Belgian endive

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

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Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories17 kcal1%
Protein0.9 g2%
Total fat0.1 g0%
Carbohydrate4 g1%
Fibre3.1 g11%
Water94.5 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.024 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.0020 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.044 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.037 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A1 µg0%
Vitamin C2.8 mg3%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.062 mg5%
Riboflavin (B2)0.027 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.16 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.145 mg3%
Vitamin B60.042 mg2%
Folate37 µg9%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium19 mg1%
Iron0.24 mg1%
Magnesium10 mg2%
Phosphorus26 mg2%
Potassium211 mg4%
Sodium2 mg0%
Zinc0.16 mg1%
Copper0.051 mg6%
Manganese0.1 mg4%
Selenium0.2 µg0%
Other measured compounds
Ash0.47 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Chicory, witloof, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170404).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Fructans and irritable bowel syndrome

    Chicory fructans are fermented rapidly in the colon. People with irritable bowel syndrome following a low-FODMAP approach commonly report wind and cramping from more than a small serving, and chicory is usually restricted during the elimination phase.

  • Allergy

    Asteraceae cross-reactivity

    Chicory belongs to the daisy family alongside ragweed, mugwort and lettuce. Contact dermatitis in handlers and oral symptoms in people sensitised to mugwort pollen have both been reported, though neither is common.