Liquorice

Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) (/ˈlɪkərɪʃ, -ɪs/ LIK-ər-is(h))[5] is the common name of Glycyrrhiza glabra, a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring can be extracted. The liquorice plant is a herbaceous perennial legume native to the Western Asia and southern Europe.[1] It is not botanically related to anise, star anise, or fennel, which are sources of similar flavouring compounds. Liquorice is used as a flavouring in candies and tobacco, particularly in some European and West Asian countries.

Liquorice extracts have been used in herbalism and traditional medicine.[6] Excessive consumption of liquorice (more than 2 mg/kg/day of pure glycyrrhizinic acid, a liquorice component) may result in adverse effects,[6] such as hypokalemia, increased blood pressure, and muscle weakness.

Benefits:

• Digestive issues – Liquorice could also help with stomach problems related to the H.pylori bacteria, which causes stomach ulcers. A 2016 study published in The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases found that adding liquorice extract to a conventional medication for H.pylori could help eradicate the bacteria more effectively.

• A sore throat – liquorice has traditionally been used to soothe a sore throat,7 and now there’s some evidence to back this up. In a small 2016 Egyptian study, scientists gave either liquorice or a conventional medication gargle to people before an operation. After a procedure, when the breathing tube is removed, many patients can experience a post-operative sore throat. But the results of this study showed the liquorice gargle was just as effective as the conventional gargle.

• Dental health problems – laboratory research has shown liquorice has the potential to kill bacteria linked with dental decay,9 while a 2008 study by the University of Washington found a liquorice-infused patch placed in the mouth could soothe mouth ulcers.

• Menopausal hot flushes – in a 2012 study published in the Iranian Journal of Pharmacological Research, researchers found menopausal women with hot flushes who took 330mg of liquorice root extract three times a day, reported a reduction in the frequency and severity of their flushes.

• Skin conditions – a 2010 study by Shahid Beheshti University, Iran, found an extract of the leaves and root helped fight skin infections caused by the staphylococcus aureus bacteria, such as impetigo.

Serving ways:

• Liquid extract : Licorice extract is the most commonly found form of licorice. It’s used as a commercial sweetener in candies and beverages. Consumption by an individual should not exceed 30 mg/mL of glycyrrhizic acid.

• Powder : Health food stores and online specialty retailers sell licorice powder. Combined with a gel base, it can become a topical ointment that clears the skin. In its powder form, licorice is especially helpful in treating eczema and acne. You can also pour the powder into vegetable capsules and ingest them orally. The recommended dosage of licorice root is less than 75 milligrams per day, according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelinesTrusted Source.

• Tea : Licorice plant leaves, dried and crushed into a tea, have become popular. You can purchase these teas at supermarkets or health food stores and online. Teas are used to promote digestive, respiratory, and adrenal gland health. When you see herbal teas for “bronchial wellness” and “cleanse and detox,” they usually contain forms of licorice. The popular throat remedy known as Throat Coat tea is a combination of marshmallow root, licorice root, and elm bark. It’s not recommended that people ingest more than 8 ounces of licorice tea per day.

• DGL: is licorice with glycyrrhizin removed, which is a safer form. DGL should contain no more than 2 percent glycyrrhizin. This form is recommended for gastrointestinal symptoms as long-term intake may be needed. DGL is available in chewable tablets, capsules, tea, and powder. Consume no more than 5 grams of DGL per day. You can purchase DGL in a variety of forms here.