06/04/2026
🌱 The Plug Garden: Licorice Root 🖤
We all know licorice as a fun twisty treat, but have you heard of licorice root? Here at The Plug, we use it for its health benefits! ✨
We find the first references to licorice root in 2,300 BC China. The Emperor Shennong experimented with various plants, including licorice root. His studies were eventually compiled into a book from which we get the roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 💊 Among his findings was the use of licorice root to reduce aches and pains and as an antidote to toxins.
From there, the medicinal properties of licorice root spread to Europe, Africa, and India. Romans used it to help asthma, sore throats, and mouth ulcers. 🫁 The Germans added it to alcohol for flavor, and elsewhere, like England, it started to be turned into the candy we enjoy today! 😋
Nowadays, we use licorice root to support digestion and energy. 🔋 It’s also administered on the skin for eczema and burns. It can improve acid reflux, treat peptic ulcers, and may even be the asthma treatment with the fewest side effects. Additionally, it’s being studied for its potential cancer protection properties. 🔬
While the benefits of licorice root are still under examination, some potential perks include cavity protection, reduced menopause symptoms, and diabetes support. It may also help clear up acne. 🤩
Interestingly, many American “licorice” products actually contain anise oil, which has a similar taste and smell, instead of licorice root. 🤔 Two Catholic saints, St. Isidore in the sixth century and St. Hildegard von Bingen in the twelfth, promoted the medicinal properties of licorice root and its taste in their writings. 📝 Out of licorice root’s nearly 300 compounds, the primary one is glycyrrhizin, which gives the root its sweet taste.
Next time you see black licorice on display in a candy store, remember everything else it’s capable of! 👏 From Ancient China to your pantry, licorice root has been serving us for thousands of years. Let’s show it some love. 💙
Sources:
- https://licorice.com/blogs/news/the-delicious-history-of-licorice?srsltid=AfmBOooL8dCWOWlujTbnl-4JdOjMlEVHmR0QC0wJH6ILTkhzePdtJR-B
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/licorice-root
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/licorice-root
