“Endive” names two different plants. Curly endive (also sold as frisée) and escarole are Cichorium endivia. The pale, bullet-shaped Belgian endive, called witloof in Dutch, is Cichorium intybus, a chicory, as are radicchio and chicory root. To add to the mix, curly endive is sometimes called chicory in the United States, and Belgian endive is called chicory in the UK. The USDA record behind this page, “Endive, raw”, is listed under Cichorium endivia, so these numbers describe curly endive and escarole, not Belgian endive.
The two true endives differ mostly in taste. Escarole has broad, pale green leaves and is milder, while curly endive has narrow, frilly leaves, and in a tasting of a variety collection it scored more bitter on average. The bitterness comes from sesquiterpene lactones such as lactucopicrin, and growers cut it by blanching: tying up heads about a week before harvest, or covering plants with a pot for about 10 days, so the hearts stay pale.
In the USDA record, endive is about 94% water and has 17 kcal per 100 g. A 100 g portion gives 231 µg of vitamin K, 193% of the Daily Value, and gram for gram only 6 of the 96 foods compared on this site have more. Its only listed flavonoid is kaempferol, at 10.1 mg per 100 g. In the Netherlands, where endive goes into the mashed-potato dish stamppot, it ranked with carrots, spinach and kale among the main food sources of beta-carotene and lutein.
Health benefits of endive
The top findings from 15 studies, strongest evidence first
What the stars mean
- Strong. Several randomized trials, pooled in a meta-analysis, point the same way, or regulators (FDA or EFSA) have approved the claim.
- Moderate. Good randomized trials support it, but there are fewer of them, or their results vary.
- Limited. Small, short or single trials, or mixed results. Promising, but it needs confirmation.
Population and lab studies get no stars: they show a link or a mechanism, not proof.
How we rate evidence →- ★★More gut Bifidobacterium, from chicory root fiberA review of 50 trials found inulin fiber from chicory root, at 3 to 20 g a day, raised gut Bifidobacterium bacteria. This was not endive leaves.
- ★Kaempferol from endive reaches the bloodKaempferol from endive peaked in the blood after about 6 hours in 8 healthy adults. The study tracked absorption, not health effects.
- ★Iodine-enriched endive raised urine iodineIn a small trial, 10 healthy adults ate iodine-enriched curly endive for 12 days. Their urine iodine rose, compared with 10 who ate ordinary curly endive.
- Population studyRaw endive linked to lower ovarian cancer riskIn 62,573 postmenopausal women, those who ate the most raw endive had a 76% lower rate of ovarian cancer. It was the only vegetable item with a link, so it may be chance.
- Population studyLeafy greens linked to less cardiovascular diseasePeople who ate the most green leafy vegetables had an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Trials showed no gain in vascular function. This covers leafy greens, not endive alone.
All 15 studies, strongest evidence first
Inulin fiber from chicory root, not from endive leaves, at 3 to 20 g a day raised gut Bifidobacterium in a meta-analysis of randomized trials
Systematic review of 50 randomized trials in 2,525 people (standardized difference 0.83). Bowel function also improved in healthy people, and the bifidogenic effect held in most groups except people with gastrointestinal disorders. The fiber was an inulin extract from chicory root, a different plant part and species from endive, and some authors work for an inulin maker.
Kaempferol from endive reached its peak in the blood after about 6 hours in 8 healthy adults
Pharmacokinetic study in 4 men and 4 women who ate endive giving a 9 mg dose of kaempferol. The peak blood level was 0.1 µM and varied 7.5-fold between people, and about 1.9% of the dose appeared in urine within 24 hours. The authors conclude that kaempferol is absorbed better than quercetin. It tracked absorption, not health effects.
Eating iodine-enriched curly endive for 12 days raised urine iodine in healthy adults without upsetting whole-body markers
Short trial in which 10 people ate curly endive grown to hold extra iodine and 10 ate ordinary curly endive. Blood vitamin D, calcium and potassium were also higher in the iodine group. It was very small, and the iodine came from a specially grown crop.
Studies of dietary vitamin K and blood-thinner control found conflicting results, and the authors do not support cutting out leafy greens
Systematic review of 2 dietary trials and 9 observational studies in people taking vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin. An effect on blood clotting showed mainly above about 150 µg of vitamin K1 a day. The authors suggest keeping vitamin K intake steady instead of restricting it. It covers vitamin K from the whole diet, not endive alone.
Eating 150 g of chicory raised blood levels of protocatechuic acid in 16 healthy adults
Open-label single-dose study after 3 days on a low-phytochemical diet. The chicory held 248 µmol of protocatechuic acid, and about 24% of the dose was recovered in blood, 12% in urine and 13% in feces. The abstract does not name the chicory type, and the study tracked absorption, not health effects.
Women who ate the most raw endive had a 76% lower rate of ovarian cancer, but vegetables as a whole showed no link
Netherlands Cohort Study of 62,573 postmenopausal women with 252 cases over 11.3 years. Raw endive was the only one of many vegetable and fruit items with a significant link (rate ratio 0.24, range 0.07 to 0.78), and when many foods are compared one standout can be chance. Total vegetables gave 0.98 and raw leafy vegetables 1.23.
Each extra 25 g a day of raw endive went with a nonsignificant 28% lower rate of prostate cancer
Netherlands Cohort Study of 58,279 men aged 55 to 69, with 610 cases over 6.3 years, testing 21 vegetables and 8 fruits. Kale (0.74) showed a similar nonsignificant link, and total vegetables gave 0.80. The authors say they cannot conclude that vegetables matter for prostate cancer.
People who ate the most green leafy vegetables had an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease in observational studies, but trials showed no gain in vascular function
Meta-analysis of observational studies, with a pooled rate ratio of 0.89 for cardiovascular disease and 0.79 for cardiovascular death, plus 7 randomized trials. The studies differed a lot (heterogeneity 80%), and the trials found no change in vascular function or blood pressure. It covers leafy greens as a group and does not single out endive.
Women in the top fifth of intake of kaempferol, a flavonoid in endive, had a 40% lower rate of ovarian cancer
Nurses’ Health Study of 66,940 women with 347 cases from 1984 to 2002 (rate ratio 0.60, range 0.42 to 0.87). Total intake of five flavonoids showed no clear link (0.75, range 0.51 to 1.09). Tea and broccoli were the main sources of kaempferol in this group, not endive.
Older adults in the top fifth of intake of kaempferol, a flavonoid in endive, had about half the risk of Alzheimer dementia
Rush Memory and Aging Project, with 921 people (mean age 81) of whom 220 developed Alzheimer dementia (hazard ratio 0.49, range 0.31 to 0.77). Total flavonols gave 0.52, while quercetin showed no link. It measured food questionnaire intake of the compound, not endive.
An extract of Cichorium endivia protected liver cells and mouse livers from chemical damage
Cell and mouse study, not people. The extract reduced oxidative stress in HepG2 liver cells and lowered the liver enzymes ALT and AST in mice given a liver toxin, and its lethal dose was above 5,000 mg/kg. Kaempferol and a kaempferol glucoside were among its compounds.
An extract of Cichorium endivia eased drug-induced testicular damage in mice
Mouse study with an ethanol extract, a phenolic fraction and three isolated phenolic acids (100 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg a day), given with the cancer drug methotrexate. Testosterone and antioxidant enzymes rose and inflammation markers fell compared with methotrexate alone. Extracts are far more concentrated than a salad.
An extract of Cichorium endivia lowered kidney damage markers in rats given the cancer drug doxorubicin
Study in 20 male rats, with the methanol extract given at 100 or 200 mg/kg for 15 days. Serum urea and creatinine were lower and kidney tissue looked less damaged, more clearly at the higher dose. It is a rat study with a concentrated extract.
Shredding escarole cut its flavonoid content by 32%, against 8 to 13% for frisée
Lab analysis of 3 endive varieties (44 to 248 µg of flavonoid per gram of fresh leaf, kaempferol conjugates) and 8 lettuces. Whole heads of lettuce and endive kept 7 days in the dark at 1°C lost 7 to 46% of total flavonol glycosides. These are measurements of the leaf, not a study in people.
Curly endive scored more bitter than escarole in a tasting of a collection of varieties
Sensory and chemical study of curly endive and escarole accessions. Lactucopicrin, a sesquiterpene lactone, and a kaempferol compound were linked to bitterness and astringency, and overall liking fell mainly as bitterness rose. It is a plant and tasting study, not a health study.
Who should be careful with endive
Most people can eat endive freely. Take a little care if one of these applies:
- Warfarin. Endive is rich in vitamin K (231 µg per 100 g), which can change how this blood thinner works. You do not need to avoid it; keep the amount steady from week to week and check with your clinic before big changes.
- Allergy to daisy-family plants. Endive and chicory belong to the daisy family. Case reports describe contact dermatitis in salad handlers and mouth itching from chicory in people with birch pollen allergy. These cases are rare, so the risk is small, but see an allergy specialist if raw leaves make your lips or mouth itch.
How to choose, store and eat endive
- Escarole: broad, pale green leaves and milder, so it also works cooked. Curly endive scored more bitter in a tasting study and is mostly eaten fresh in salads.
- Blanched heads: blanching lowers bitterness, so look for pale, tightly closed hearts if you dislike a sharp taste.
- Cut late: shredding escarole cut its flavonoids by 32% in a lab test, so tear or slice it just before you eat it.
Pick fresh, firm heads, since late harvest makes endive tougher and more bitter. Keep it in a perforated bag in the fridge crisper, where it lasts about two weeks. The 2023 USDA Pesticide Data Program summary did not cover endive or escarole, so there are no official residue figures to quote.
Sources
- Anticoagulant medicines: considerations. NHS.
- Dietary advice for patients taking warfarin. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
- Violi F, Lip GY, Pignatelli P, Pastori D. Interaction between dietary vitamin K intake and anticoagulation by vitamin K antagonists: is it really true? A systematic review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016.
- Friis B, Hjorth N, Vail JT Jr, Mitchell JC. Occupational contact dermatitis from Cichorium (chicory, endive) and Lactuca (lettuce). Contact Dermatitis. 1975.
- Cadot P, Kochuyt AM, van Ree R, Ceuppens JL. Oral allergy syndrome to chicory associated with birch pollen allergy. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2003.
- Cichorium endivia (PROTA). PROTA, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Endive and escarole. Oregon State University.
- How to harvest and store endive and escarole. Harvest to Table.
- DuPont MS, Mondin Z, Williamson G, Price KR. Effect of variety, processing, and storage on the flavonoid glycoside content and composition of lettuce and endive. J Agric Food Chem. 2000.
- Filippo D’Antuono L, Ferioli F, Manco MA. The impact of sesquiterpene lactones and phenolics on sensory attributes: an investigation of a curly endive and escarole germplasm collection. Food Chem. 2016.
- Pesticide Data Program annual summary, calendar year 2023. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
History of endive
Endive is a plant that exists only in cultivation. It was probably first brought into cultivation in the Mediterranean region, where its wild relatives grow, and it was probably known to the ancient Egyptians, although no archaeological evidence has been found. It reached central Europe in the 16th century.
The confusion with chicory is old and built into the language. The English word endive comes from intibus, the Latin name of what is now called chicory, while the plant botanists call “true endive”, Cichorium endivia, is a separate species. A 2025 genetic study of 368 genotypes confirmed that endive and chicory are distinct groups, and that Belgian endive and root chicory share a common ancestry.
Belgian endive has a famous origin story. In one version, a farmer in Schaerbeek hid his chicory roots in a cellar during the 1830 revolution and found white leaves when he dug them up. The official credit goes to Frank Bresiers, chief gardener of the botanical garden in Brussels, who took a few decades to select and force a firm head with tightly packed leaves. Sources disagree on the dates: one says the first witloofs reached Brussels markets in 1867, and Wikipedia places the discovery in the 1850s. The Dutch name witloof means “white leaf”.
Endive also turned into comfort food. Stamppot, the Dutch dish of mashed potatoes with a vegetable, traditionally includes endive, and leaving the leafy greens raw until the mashing stage has not been dated to earlier than 1940. In southern Italy escarole is a Christmas dish: in Naples it is stuffed with raisins, pine nuts, olives, capers, cheese and breadcrumbs.
Sources
- Cichorium endivia (PROTA). PROTA, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Scariolo F, Draga S, Riommi D, et al. A pioneering genotypic and phylogenetic characterisation of Cichorium crops through a genome-scale sequencing for future breeding innovations. BMC Plant Biol. 2025.
- Zhang B, Wang Z, Han X, et al. The chromosome-scale assembly of endive (Cichorium endivia) genome provides insights into the sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis. Genomics. 2022.
- Endive. Wikipedia.
- Chicory. Wikipedia.
- Chicory, a Belgian story. Focus on Belgium.
- Stamppot. Wikipedia.
- Goldbohm RA, Brants HA, Hulshof KF, van den Brandt PA. The contribution of various foods to intake of vitamin A and carotenoids in The Netherlands. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1998.
- Endive, raw (FDC ID 168412). USDA FoodData Central.
Frequently asked questions about endive
Is endive good for you?
For most people, yes. Raw endive has 17 kcal, 3.1 g of fiber and 231 µg of vitamin K (193% of the Daily Value) per 100 g. Research on endive itself is thin: in a Dutch cohort of 62,573 women, those who ate the most raw endive had a 76% lower rate of ovarian cancer, but the same Dutch study in men found only a nonsignificant link with prostate cancer. No result here reaches strong evidence.
What is the difference between endive, escarole and Belgian endive?
Curly endive and escarole are the same species, Cichorium endivia, with narrow curly leaves in the first and broad pale leaves in the second. Escarole is milder. Belgian endive is a different species, Cichorium intybus, grown in the dark to make small pale, tightly packed heads, and the nutrition numbers on this page do not describe it.
Is endive the same as chicory?
No, but they are close relatives in the same genus. Endive is Cichorium endivia and chicory is Cichorium intybus, which includes Belgian endive, radicchio and root chicory. A 2025 genetic study found endive and chicory are distinct groups. The names overlap in everyday use, and curly endive is sometimes sold as chicory in the United States.
Why is endive bitter, and how do you make it less bitter?
Sesquiterpene lactones, mainly lactucopicrin, give it the bitter taste, and curly endive scored more bitter than escarole in a tasting study. Blanching lowers bitterness, so choose pale hearts or the milder escarole. Late harvest makes endive tougher and more bitter.
Is endive high in vitamin K?
Yes. A 100 g portion has 231 µg, or 193% of the Daily Value, and 1 cup (50 g) has 116 µg, or 96%. Gram for gram, only 6 of the 96 foods compared on this site have more. If you take warfarin, keep your endive intake steady and ask your clinic.
Is endive good for weight loss?
No study here tested weight loss. Endive has 17 kcal and 3.1 g of fiber per 100 g and is about 94% water, so it fills a plate for few calories. That is a swap effect for richer foods, not a proven effect of endive.
Does endive contain inulin?
This page cannot say how much. The USDA record lists 3.1 g of fiber per 100 g without splitting out inulin. The inulin trials here used inulin extracted from chicory root at 3 to 20 g a day, which is far more than a salad gives, so they do not show what endive does.
Can you eat endive raw?
Yes. Endive is mainly eaten fresh in salads, with curly types often preferred for that, and escarole is also cooked as a vegetable. In a lab test, shredding escarole cut its flavonoids by 32%, so slice or tear it just before eating.