A Delicious and Refreshing Dandelion Root Drink
Hello there, fellow reader!
Recently, I decided to check out the prices for liquid dandelion root on Ozon Market and was surprised to find a few options to try out.
The prices for liquid dandelion root have skyrocketed over the past year, with some products now costing up to 450 rubles for a 300-gram bottle. To be honest, the prices are ridiculous for the product, and it's clear that the manufacturers are taking advantage of the market demand.
As a result, I've been looking for alternative options that offer better value for money. One option that caught my eye was the liquid dandelion root from the Green Line series at Periskop, which I had tried the day before.
At 270 rubles for 300 grams, I thought it was a good deal, especially considering that I got a third more product than the previous bottle.
The packaging looks neat and tidy. It comes in a glass bottle with a reusable lid. Given that the capacity is 300g/ml, which is 100g more than the previous size and shape of the liquid dandelion bottle I bought recently, the bottle is functional and my household has already taken a shine to it for future use.
I grabbed my scales to check the weight of one bottle.
The weight is honest! 300 grams is a fair weight. Kudos to the manufacturer for that.
Two bottles already weigh 1kg plus, by weight.
The product arrives with a paper seal which we break when opening the bottle.
The series name is "Энергия Ци", under which they sell dandelion root as is, or with a filler. You may also come across extracts of other plants in this series.
The packaging has all the necessary information without any frills.
I was happy to see the list of additional ingredients in the syrup. When I bought this particular brand of dandelion root with hawthorn, the label design was a bit different, but still pretty chill.
To me, the packaging looks neat and accurate.
The label fits perfectly on the bottle, no defects whatsoever. It's divided into three informative sections.
The front and main part tells you about the product, with some nice graphics to help you out. I love how simple and clean it looks.
On the other side, it's got all the essential info, like 300 grams of syrup content and an approximate usage guide.
Now, let's talk about the benefits:
It's got over 50% inulin content.Helps regulate blood sugar levels.Boosts your immune system.Supports weight loss.Has a calming effect.In terms of benefits, if you're looking at the dry version or the sublingual one, forget about it. But in this syrup form, you still get all the vitamins.
The shelf life is "24 months" and the storage format is ".
The ingredients comply with "TU 10.83.12-001-89037680-2018".
And that's not all, there's another part of the label.
Composition and energy value
I was impressed by the ingredients list, which includes a decent amount of cicoria extract, along with some echinacea and peppermint.
They've got a solid 70% of cicoria extract in there, which is great.There's also 4% echinacea, which is a nice touch.And 1% peppermint, but to be honest, I couldn't really taste it.On the back, you'll find the nutrition facts for 100g of the product.
The energy value is 1197 kJ / 286 kcal
There are 8.9g of protein in there.And a whopping 70g of carbs.Unfortunately, they don't list the fat content, so I'm assuming it's negligible.
I have to say, the carb count is pretty high, so people with diabetes should be careful when consuming this drink. There's no added sugar or sweeteners, which is a plus, but you do need to blow off a third of the bottle to get rid of the syrupy residue.
When you open the bottle, you'll notice a familiar, slightly burnt aroma that's a mix of roasted coffee, caramel, and herbs. It's not overpowering, and some people might find it off-putting, but I think it's kind of nice.
I couldn't really pick up on the echinacea, and the peppermint was barely noticeable.
One thing that's worth noting is that the previous review mentioned storing the opened bottle in the fridge at 4(±2) °C. However, this manufacturer doesn't provide any specific storage instructions beyond the usual recommendations.
When I'm not using it daily, I store the open jar in the fridge to keep it fresh.
≦ PREPARATION
I followed the instructions on the packaging, and I'll share them with you.
Recommended preparation:
Mix 0.3–1 teaspoon of the root in 200 ml of hot, but not boiling, water. You can add sugar and milk to taste if you like.I used a 250-300 ml cup and poured in water from my thermos at 90 degrees Celsius.
Next, I opened the jar of cicoria syrup.
Two teaspoons in that amount can be quite overpowering, even a bit bitter. For my taste, one and a half teaspoons are just right.
The syrup flows slowly, so it's a good idea to let it drip for a bit before mixing it well.
I love drawing all sorts of shapes in the water.
The syrup dissolves really easily and gives the water a great color. If you sniff the solution, the smell is actually pretty pleasant.
The color fills the entire volume of water instantly.
I mix it really well.
The color is really even.
We're trying it out without adding anything else.
The flavor is rich. Unlike most flavorless powders, this syrup doesn't have that problem.
If you let the solution sit for 7-10 minutes, the flavor intensifies.
I noticed that it's just water and syrup, nothing else.
To enhance the flavor, you can add 10% cream.
The flavor is already different with a more pronounced note with a caramel aftertaste.
But I didn't notice any mint flavor. The echinacea flavor masks the taste of the dandelion root. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. So, the more intense phase of saturation, which some people say is just bitter dandelion root, the echinacea takes away. Moreover, the mint softens the echinacea itself, as mint is capable of absorbing all the flavor. That's why it's only 1% extract in the composition.
The aroma in this syrup is herbal and mixed. So, if someone doesn't like the classic taste of dandelion root in its pure form, they can take this variant of the blend.
If you add a little sugar, one sugar cube or half a teaspoon, the flavor opens up even better.
Or you can use a sugar substitute to your taste.
You can easily adjust the volume to your taste. It's best to start with 1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon.
≦ COST AND VALUE
It all depends on the concentration of the drink and how often it's consumed throughout the day.
For the same cup, the powdered type of dandelion root, to have any flavor at all, requires 3-4 teaspoons with a bit extra. Usually, we sell packs of 85g - 100g.
At this rate, a pack will last me around 4-5 days if I use it 4-6 times a day. The taste will be pretty neutral. A pack like this costs anywhere from 75 to 450 rubles.
Actually, I found a better value for money in a 200g pack of the same cicoria I mentioned earlier, BigBio cicoria. This pack will last me 10-14 days if I use it at the same rate. The taste is pretty similar to the cicoria in this review. A pack of this dry cicoria currently costs 89 rubles. I bought it from Chizhik, but I haven't seen it anywhere else.
When I consider the taste
I've been looking at the cicoria from Elza that's sold in dry or dehydrated form. It costs anywhere from 280 to 450 rubles, depending on the seller's markup. A pack will last me 10-14 days. You can definitely taste the difference.
The cicoria in syrup form, Энергия Ци, is a 300g pack that will last me 10-12 days if I use it 4-7 times a day. That's around 150 servings, assuming I use 0.5 teaspoons per 150ml serving. The taste is pretty obvious. A pack costs 270 rubles.
Try experimenting with your own usage rate and make your own calculations!
≦ THE VERDICT
I've switched back to the liquid cicoria I've been familiar with for decades. Honestly, I'm really enjoying the taste. I'm using the dry stuff from my previous purchases sparingly. The syrup form has seen a significant price hike in recent months, but the taste is still memorable.
Be aware that echinacea can cause some stomach rumbling and the urge to visit the 'thinking room'. Considering this, if you have stomach issues, it's probably not a good idea to drink 6-10 tablets a day.
Cicoria won't replace coffee. I mean, they're just different tastes.
I've got two more bottles of cicoria on the shelf, I'll write about them later.
Other cicoria reviews
Cicoria liquid "Green Line" natural soluble, ARONAAP factories, 200g
Cicoria TM "Taste & Benefit"
Cicoria Big Cup classic
Cicoria Cicorich soluble granulated Gold
Cicoria KCK ARONAAP Health Petrovsky selection granulated soluble