Licorice (liquorice)

Licorice or Glycyrrhíza belongs to the Legume family and is a herbaceous plant that grows primarily in the temperate or subtropical climates of Eurasia, Australia, Africa and the Americas. There are a sufficient number of licorice subspecies that differ from each other not only in appearance and distribution area, as well as in the chemical composition and method of application of the plant. For example, licorice is naked or licorice. The plant Glycyrrhíza glabra, also called licorice smooth or liquorice, belongs to the genus Licorice and the legume family. Licorice naked or liquorice is widely used in cooking, as well as medicine.

Composition of licorice (liquorice)

The chemical composition of licorice (liquorice) is enriched with a fairly large amount of vitamins, minerals and other biologically active compounds. Licorice or liquorice is used in the food industry as a sweetener of natural origin. It was thanks to licorice that humanity learned to make incredibly useful and healing oxygen cocktails, as well as the eponymous liquorice sweets. Licorice root (liquorice) is the main foaming ingredient, on which not only the distinctive appearance and consistency depends, as well as the taste of oxygen cocktails.

The benefits of licorice (liquorice)

Licorice (liquorice) contains a large amount of natural amino acids, polysaccharides, essential oils, as well as resins and tannins. It is the chemical composition of the product that determines all the useful properties of licorice (liquorice). Plant components are enriched with various useful substances and natural compounds. Therefore, in cooking and medicine, the benefits of licorice (liquorice) have long been actively used. The beneficial properties of licorice (licorice) are expressed in diuretic, elervative and laxative effects.

The root and above-ground part of the licorice (liquorice) plant has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. More than 3, 000 years ago, Chinese doctors described the benefits of licorice (liquorice) in the treatise On Herbs. Licorice root is still considered a powerful general strengthening agent that has a positive effect on the entire human body as a whole. Licorice or liquorice is considered an excellent honeycomb, and honey obtained during pollination of the plant also brings exceptional benefits to the health of the human body.

Harm of licorice (liquorice)

In addition to the obvious benefits, there is also the harm of licorice (liquorice) to human health and life. Preparations based on the plant, as well as food products with licorice (licorice), are strictly forbidden to eat pregnant women and women during breastfeeding. The harm of licorice (licorice) can be expressed in the manifestation of a severe allergic reaction to substances that are part of the plant.

In cooking, licorice root (liquorice) is usually used, from which syrups, extracts or surrogates of sugar are made. In addition, liquorice (liquorice) is used to produce beverages such as cocoa, coffee, compotes and jelly. Licorice (liquorice) is used for the manufacture of marinades, as well as flour and confectionery products. Licorice leaves are used for healing decoctions, infusions, and are also occasionally added to salads, soups or main dishes.