The protective effects of plant polyphenol intake on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are widely acknowledged. Caffeine-free chicory coffee has phenylpyruvate tautomerase enzymatic activity of the proinflammatory cytokine, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and is a rich source of plant phenolics, including caffeic acid, which inhibits in vitro platelet aggregation. To assess whether chicory coffee consumption might confer cardiovascular benefits, a clinical trial was undertaken that included 27 healthy volunteers who consumed 300 ml chicory coffee every day for one week. The chicory intervention produced variable effects on platelet aggregation, with whole blood and plasma viscosity and serum MIF levels being significantly decreased after one week of chicory coffee consumption. Moreover, significant improvements were seen in red blood cell deformability. No changes in hematocrit, fibrinogen level or red blood cell counts were detected. The full spectrum of these effects is unlikely to be attributable to a single compound present in chicory coffee, nevertheless, the phenolics, including caffeic acid, are expected to play a substantial role. The authors concluded that their study offers an encouraging starting-point to delineate the antithrombotic and antiinflammatory effects of phenolic compounds found in chicory coffee. Phythother Res. 2011 May;25(5):744-8. PMID: 21425378.
