ILLEA - Latin American Institute for Environmental Studies

Cafezal Chicory

Hypochaeris brasiliensis, also known as coffee plantation chicory, "Saint Simons herb" or "field lettuce", is a herbaceous plant native to Brazil and other regions of South America. Although it is considered a weed in some areas, it has some traditional uses and interesting properties: The young leaves of Hypochaeris brasiliensis are edible and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like other vegetables.

In some regions of Brazil, it is eaten raw as a component of green salads.

Traditional medicine: In folk medicine, the plant is used to treat digestive problems and inflammations.

However, scientific research on these uses is limited