Licorice is a plant native to the Mediterranean and Western Asian regions. The root of the licorice plant has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Chinese medicine has long used licorice root to treat many ailments, including gastrointestinal problems, malaria, insomnia, and infections.
Licorice root is often used as a sweetener in beverages, candy, and medicine. It is 50 times sweeter than sugar but provides health benefits that sugar does not. Licorice root contains over 300 chemical compounds and flavonoids,but its primary active compound is glycyrrhizin. This is responsible for the root’s sweet taste, as well as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
