Health Benefits
The number one Chinese herb, Licorice is often a part of our lives – we can find it in candies, gum, and drinks, but you can also use it to help you with your health and well-being.It can offer a wide-range of benefits:
Digestive health
Leaky Gut
Skin Care
Respiratory system
Adaptogen – helps with stress
Anxiety and Depression
Liver Health
Raises Blood Pressure
Anti-spasmodic Effects
Menstrual health
Hair Care
Immune System
Diuretic – Kidney & Bladder health
Digestive health
Liquorice root is a natural anti-acid plant that helps to relieve heartburn, indigestion, gastric and stomach ulcers, acid reflux and symptoms of GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). It works by coating the digestive tract with mucous, protecting the stomach lining while speeding up its repair and restoring balance.
One of the major components of Liquorice is “glycyrrhizic acid”, a powerful anti-inflammatory that has been found to suppress the growth of the toxic bacteria “H pylori” – a nasty little bug that can lead to a whole host of stomach problems.
Due to its diuretic and mildly laxative effects, this root can also reduce stomach bloating, water retention and constipation.
Leaky Gut
Tied to systemic health issues, the leaky gut syndrome can be difficult to tackle. As an anti-inflammatory and soothing herb, licorice root has proved itself in a research as a natural remedy for ulcers and a beneficial leaky gut supplement.
Skin Care
In terms of skin health, licorice can help to keep your skin moisturized when used as a topical application (cold tea), but can also improve the antioxidant levels in your body, helping to minimize signs of aging. Furthermore, licorice can help soothe inflammatory conditions like psoriasis or eczema and even act as a natural sunscreen, helping to block UV rays that damage the skin.
Respiratory system
Licorice root benefits a sore throat or cough immensely as an effective expectorant, helping to loosen and expel mucus that the cough is trying to eliminate. Its soothing properties can bring fast relief for sore throat or lung infections.
Licorice needs to make contact with the part of the body that needs to be soothed, so extracts in cough drops and syrups, as well as tea, are most effective.
Adaptogen – helps with stress
In spite of living in a relatively simple time in history, our society is plagued by environmental, physical and mental stress disorders. So many of us have sent our adrenal glands in overdrive like we’re running from wooly mammoths when we’re really just dealing with a budget issue or a decision at work.
That’s where adaptogens come in – they help our body adapt to stress and deal with it, regulating cortisol – the stress hormone. This gives our adrenals a break and helps us manage our daily lives in a more peaceful, healthy way.
It turns out licorice is one of the main adaptogen herbs – it is very nourishing for burned-out adrenals and is best used during times of chronic fatigue and tiredness that usually results in frequent illness.
Anxiety and Depression
Commonly paired with St. John’s Wort, this herbal tea is often recommended for people suffering from anxiety and depression. The soothing flavor and stimulating activity of this tea improves mood and re-balance stress hormone levels in the body.
Liver Health
Liver health is very important for the balanced functioning of our body, as it processes and eliminates all of the toxins that we accumulate in our everyday lives. If it gets clogged, the toxins soon start to build up in all of our organs, making the perfect environment for the development of illnesses.
Licorice both protects the liver and promotes healing in this vital organ. The herb’s anti-inflammatory properties help calm hepatitis-associated liver inflammation. Licorice also fights the virus commonly responsible for hepatitis and supplies valuable antioxidant compounds that help maintain the overall health of the liver.
The glycyrrhizin found in this root is a potent free radical scavenger, especially in the liver and it can effectively block liver damage caused by alcohol and over the counter pain killers.
Raises Blood Pressure
If you suffer from hypotension, also known as low blood pressure, the stimulating nature of licorice root tea can elevate your blood pressure to normal levels, providing a boost to your energy levels and preventing dizziness and fatigue. However, if you suffer from high blood pressure, this tea can be a dangerous choice for your overall health.
Anti-spasmodic Effects
By soothing the symptoms of seizure disorders and spasms of smooth muscle tissue in the body, licorice root tea can help to relieve heart palpitations, smooth digestive properties, and ensure proper muscle function throughout the body, as well as being a natural remedy for pain associated with inflammation, cramps or joint pain.
Menstrual health
Licorice root tea has been traditionally used to treat the pains of menstrual cramps, and also improve other symptoms of PMS, such as mood swings, and hormonal fluctuations. However, when consumed in excess, this tea can have the opposite effects, so only drink this tea in moderation!
For the treatment of menopause, licorice was shown in a Health Care for Women International study to be better than hormone replacement therapy at reducing the duration of hot flashes.
Hair Care
Known for its moisturizing qualities, this versatile tea can prevent dryness of the scalp and prevent dandruff, while also delivering rich antioxidants and minerals to the hair, strengthening the follicles and improving the appearance of your hair. This tea has also been praised for its ability to stop hair loss, both when consumed as a tea or tincture and when applied topically.
Immune System
Licorice is emerging as a prominent player in the search for treatment and prevention for diseases like hepatitis C, HIV, and influenza. The triterpenoid content has been confirmed as a virus killer, making licorice a potentially strong partner for the immune system. A study published in Food Chemistry described licorice as having “antioxidant, free-radical scavenging, immuno-stimulating” properties.
Diuretic – Kidney & Bladder health
By stimulating urination, licorice root tea can help detoxify the body. Urination eliminates excess salts, fats, toxins, and water from the body, relieving strain on the kidneys and bladder. However, since this tea does have diuretic and laxative effects, drinking too much can cause dehydration and other negative side effects.