As mentioned above, licorice helps most other herbal formulations to work, but on its own it is good for the body in general. Two specific areas it helps are the digestion and the lungs.
It’s ability to support healing makes it a great herb to introduce to the stomach and intestines when that support is required. And by supporting the production of fresh, healthy mucous by the lungs and bronchial tubes this helps to body to flush out the old, stale stuff.
The tea has a great taste and is a good tea to drink through the day.
Licorice, also spelled liquorice, is a perennial bush growing up to about a metre high. It’s sweet smell is due to the volatile compound anethole which sends off a strong aroma and is also found in fennel and aniseed. It’s sweetness comes from glycyrrhizin which is a sweetness many times stronger than that of sugar.
Licorice also contains phytoestrogens including glabrene and glabridin, which can be precursors of certain hormones in the body.
For many years the tobacco industry were big users of licorice to add flavour and moisture to tobacco. This was banned in America in 2009.
Licorice is popular as a candy or sweet. However, though the name is often used, and licorice is in these products, the primary taste is more often supplied by adding aniseed oil – so it’s a bit of a cheat!