Review Article

Chemical Composition and Nutritive Benefits of Chicory (Cichorium intybus) as an Ideal Complementary and/or Alternative Livestock Feed Supplement

Table 1

Macronutrient composition of chicory [1].

Chemical composition%RootsLeaves

Moisture content75.63 ± 0.3983.06 ± 1.55
Crude protein4.65 ± 0.2514.70 ± 1.03
Crude ether extract1.69 ± 0.713.68 ± 0.19
Ash4.25 ± 0.1110.91 ± 1.86
Total carbohydrates89.41 ± 1.0770.71 ± 3.08
Total soluble sugars11.06 ± 1.007.80 ± 1.45
Inulin44.69 ± 0.8810.95 ± 2.56
Crude fiber5.12 ± 1.5516.78 ± 2.20
Dietary fiber (DF)
Insoluble DF30.73 ± 0.33ND
Soluble DF0.42 ± 0.07ND
Total DF31.15ND

dry weight basis; mean ± 5.0 (each value represents the average of three determinations ± standard deviation); : not determined.