Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Liquorice has existed for thousands of years and has even been found in the tombs of ancient Egyptians.
We may be more familiar with liquorice as a sweet but it also has a long history as a traditional cure.
The Greeks used liquorice to cure coughs and chest problems and, in China, it was chewed to promote a long, healthy life.
Liquorice sweets
Many people enjoy liquorice sweets, including Napoleon Bonaparte, who ate so much that his teeth turned black.
In the early 16th century, the root began to be cultivated for use as an herb in a monastery garden in the English town of Pontefract in Yorkshire.
It thrived there because of a high concentration of clay in the soil and, as a result, the small Yorkshire town soon became the centre of the British liquorice industry.
It became famous for Pontefract cakes, old-fashioned sweets shaped like a coin and made from soft liquorice with treacle added to it.
When we talk of liquorice, many people think of a bag of cheap colourful liquorice allsorts or sticks that children love to chew.
Older readers may remember buying liquorice wood and chewing on it in their childhood.
Liquorice wood is a piece of the plant's root, which can be chewed. Liquorice is the sweetest substance known, 50 times sweeter than sugarcane.
And the good news is that this is one sweet that is beneficial for your health.
Liquorice plant
Liquorice is among the most-used herbs in Europe and has been taken medicinally for several thousand years.
The plant has been widely researched: It is a tall shrub with blue flowers and is a member of the pea family.
It grows wild in Europe and southwest Asia but is now cultivated as a crop.
The roots of the plant can be had when the plant is about 3 to 4 years old.
The medicinal properties come from the root or rhizome, which contains a substance called glycrrhizin — an active ingredient.
It also contains phytoestrogens and flavonoids. Because of its taste, liquorice is often used in the pharmaceutical industry to make medicines taste better.
Liquorice is an important ingredient in several cough syrups.
The active ingredient glycrrhizin is also one of the most valuable of all herbal medicines, a powerful anti-inflammatory that is effective in conditions as varied as arthritis and mouth ulcers.
In the United Kingdom, liquorice is used as an emulsifier to create foam in soft drinks.
Liquorice is also often used to flavour cigarettes and the root can be used to make herbal tea.
Research
Research shows that glycyrrhizin has an anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic action similar to hydrocortisone.
It stimulates production of hormones by the adrenal glands and reduces the breakdown of steroids by the liver and kidneys.
In 1985, research in Japan showed that glycyrrhizin was effective in treating chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis.
Liquorice also reduces stomach secretions and produces thick protective mucous for the lining of the stomach, making it a useful remedy in inflammatory stomach conditions, such as ulcers.
Liquorice is useful as a gentle laxative, too.
Researchers in the United States have found that the plant's root may inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay.
However, the British Dental Association warns that sweets containing liquorice do more harm than good because of the high sugar content.
Q:What are antioxidants?
Aruna
A: Antioxidants are a group of chemical compounds that protect against free radicals.
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules produced naturally in the body or caused by exposure to things such as radiation, certain chemical pollutants or other sources.
When free radicals come into contact with healthy cell membranes, they cause damage to the membrane and may ultimately cause the cell to die.
Antioxidants prevent this damage by “quenching'' the free radical and, therefore, help maintain health and proper functioning of the cell.
Antioxidants are often substances that give food their colour, so choosing a naturally “colourful'' diet can be a very healthy idea.
Alva Carpenter is a UK-based nutritionist and fitness expert. Readers can write to her at AlvaUnwind@naturalhealthlines.com and a selection will be replied to in this column.
