Licorice with Natural Slats

LIQUORICE

Botanical name: Glycyrrhiza glabra

Family:  Fabaceae (is a legume)

Licorice is a plant that grows up to over a meter in height and has pinnate leaves of about 7 – 15 cm. The root of licorice is a stolon and is found on most of the Mediterranean coast, since ancient times it has been used for its many virtues. Within licorice we can find as many as 30 types of antioxidants. In addition, licorice molecules have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer cells, especially in the breast and prostate.

The consumption of licorice, naturally in controlled amounts, has numerous health benefits. 

The caloric content of licorice is about 350 calories per hectogram. It contains glucose, starches, vitamins, flavonoids and, in addition, glycyrrhizin, a substance 50 times sweeter than sugar that gives it an effective antiviral and anti-inflammatory action, in particular for gastric and duodenal ulcers, for rheumatic diseases and for chronic liver diseases.

The typical sweet taste of licorice has been associated with the compound of glycyrrhizin, a substance that, as already mentioned, would exert anti-inflammatory, expectorant and protective properties of the gastric mucosa. Flavonoids are due to their antispasmodic properties.

Some scientific studies have shown that glycyrrhizic acid is able to block the replication of viruses responsible for different lung diseases. In addition, this substance fights food-borne infections, since it has proven effective against numerous microorganisms that contaminate food, so much so that it can be a natural alternative to chemical preservatives.

Licorice also seems to have anti-carcinogenic properties. A research carried out a few years ago in the United States, at Rutgers University in New Jersey, tested the antitumor action of a molecule present in the roots of the plant, BHP, which belongs to the class of polyphenols. This molecule has been tested on tissue samples taken from prostate and breast cancers, proving capable of inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells.

In addition, the high content of flavonoids makes licorice a precious natural antioxidant, useful to counteract the harmful action of free radicals and, consequently, prevent degenerative diseases.

Licorice has good emollient properties, and in fact is used as a remedy for cough, for inflammation of the throat and for some symptoms of bronchial asthma. It is also endowed with a valid satiating effect, such as to make it particularly suitable for slimming treatments.

Finally, licorice also performs a good laxative action, thanks to the presence of a natural sugar known as "mannite", which acts against constipation because it attracts water into the intestine and promotes the emptying of the colon.

Glycyrrhizin has been shown to have properties:

• antiviral
• antimicrobionics
• anti-inflammatory
• hepatoprotective
• Hypertensive
• lipid-lowering
• expectorant

Contraindications

Too much use of licorice could result in side effects such as headaches, swelling in the face and ankles and water retention, which causes cellulite. It is not recommended to use licorice in case of hypertension, potassium deficiency in the blood (hypokalemia), overweight, pregnancy and renal failure. Continuous use of licorice can lead to muscle weakness and potassium deficiency.