Ingredients · Herb

Licorice Root

Glycyrrhiza glabra · Fabaceae (legume family)

Licorice Root
Naturally about fifty times sweeter than sugar, licorice root is the harmoniser — it makes other herbs taste better while adding a deep, warm, anise-like sweetness of its own. It is one of the most used herbs in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. It also demands a light hand: glycyrrhizin extracts very readily into water, so a single strong cup can approach the World Health Organization's suggested daily limit. Anyone drinking it every day, or taking medication, should know that and talk to their pharmacist.

What it’s like, and how to use it

The partRoot
KindHerb
CaffeineCaffeine-free
Where it is fromTurkey
TasteIntensely sweet, warm, slightly earthy, anise-like
How to brew it
  • 212°F / 100°C
  • Steep 5–10 minutes
  • Use 1/2–1 tsp per 8oz (potent)
  • Naturally sweet, no sweetener needed
  • Limit to 1–2 cups daily

How to use it

Licorice tea — the natural sweetness means no sugar needed. Candy and confections (Scandinavian salmiak, Dutch drop). Flavoring in beverages (root beer ancestry). Middle Eastern desserts. Infuse into cream for ice cream. A tiny amount sweetens and rounds herbal blends without adding sugar. Traditional in some Italian liqueurs (sambuca family).

With food

Anise and fennel (shared sweet-anise flavor profiles). Mint (classic digestive combination). Chocolate (licorice-chocolate is a Scandinavian tradition). Berries (sweetness balances tartness). Vanilla (complementary sweetness). Avoid: excessive daily consumption — glycyrrhizin has real physiological effects at tea doses.

With spices

Fennel seeds (shared sweet-anise profile, traditional digestive combination). Cinnamon (warming duo — common in Ayurvedic formulas). Anise seed (the licorice-anise pairing is ancient). Cardamom (traditional chai-adjacent combination). Ginger (warming digestive synergy).

With tea

Peppermint (classic throat-and-stomach combination). Chamomile (sweetens chamomile naturally — popular bedtime blend). Fennel (triple-sweet digestive trio with anise). Any herbal blend — licorice improves palatability of bitter or earthy herbs. Use sparingly as a blending ingredient for daily drinking.

Its story

Where it comes from

Native to southern Europe and western Asia. Major production in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and China. Turkish and Iranian licorice tends higher in glycyrrhizin. Chinese licorice (G. uralensis) is a related species with slightly different compound ratios. The root is harvested after 3–4 years of growth, when glycyrrhizin content peaks.

What happened

Found in Tutankhamun's tomb. The Chinese herbal classic Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing classified it as a 'superior' herb 2,000 years ago. In TCM, gan cao (licorice) appears in more formulas than any other herb — it 'harmonizes' other ingredients. Napoleon chewed licorice root constantly, reportedly staining his teeth black. European herbalists used it for coughs and respiratory complaints for centuries.

Good for

What the research looked at

Soothes sore throats and supports respiratory comfort with demulcent coating
Protects the digestive lining — gastroprotective properties supported by clinical evidence
Harmonizes herbal blends — makes other herbs more palatable and effective
Supports adrenal health during periods of stress
Naturally sweet with no added sugar — satisfies sweet cravings

What’s in the leaf

Glycyrrhizin (2–25% dry weight, typically 7–10% — 50x sweeter than sucrose, highly water-soluble; surveyed teas averaged 126 mg/L with some exceeding WHO safety limits from a single cup). Glabridin (anti-inflammatory, estrogenic — but poorly water-soluble). Liquiritigenin (mild estrogenic). Isoliquiritigenin (anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer).

These teas are foods, sold as such. Nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

On the shelf with it

Sold on its own, and in these blends.

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