Licorice, Sweetness With Substance

Licorice has a lingering sweetness that changes the character of a blend. It rounds out bitterness, brings depth to a tea, and has long held a place in herbal traditions concerned with the throat and digestion. This is a plant to know well rather than use casually: its different preparations can have very different effects, and the label matters as much as the flavor.

Know Which Licorice You Have

Glycyrrhiza glabra and related medicinal species belong to the pea family. The root and underground runners are used in preparations. Whole-root products contain glycyrrhizin, also called glycyrrhizic acid, while deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL, has most of it removed. A low-glycyrrhizin proprietary extract is not automatically equivalent to every DGL chew.²

Even the word “licorice” on candy can be ambiguous: some products use anise flavoring and contain no actual licorice. For an herbal product, look for the botanical species, plant part, extract specification, and glycyrrhizin information. If those details are missing, you cannot confidently infer the product’s exposure from its taste.

A Long Tradition of Sweetness

Licorice appears in ancient Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian healing traditions. Historical uses include respiratory and digestive preparations, and its distinctive sweetness makes it a memorable ingredient in formulas.² The sensory contribution is easy to appreciate: it can make a blend feel fuller and more rounded without ordinary sugar providing all of the sweetness.

There is something instructive in that role. A ritual does not always need the loudest ingredient to feel complete; sometimes a small, carefully chosen element changes the whole experience. If licorice is appropriate for you, approach it with that spirit of proportion. The meaningful practice is discernment—knowing the plant, the preparation, and the reason it is there.

A Promising, Specific Digestive Finding

A 2025 randomized trial enrolled 200 adults with reflux-related symptoms to a proprietary low-glycyrrhizin licorice extract or placebo for 28 days. The extract group showed greater improvement in several symptom and quality-of-life measures; 165 participants completed the trial. The short duration, single-center design, and particular formulation limit how broadly the findings apply.³

ABC discussed that study in its contemporary coverage, while another 2025 HerbClip examined blood-pressure evidence.¹⁴ Together they illustrate why “licorice helps digestion” is too imprecise. A promising extract can be worth further study without making ordinary root tea a treatment for reflux or proving long-term benefit. Persistent reflux also deserves attention to its cause and complications.

Why the Glycyrrhizin Detail Matters

In a 2024 randomized crossover study of 28 healthy adults, licorice supplying 100 milligrams of glycyrrhizic acid daily increased home systolic blood pressure over two weeks. This measured effect is especially useful because participants were healthy and exposure was quantified.⁵

Whole-root licorice can promote sodium retention and potassium loss, with potentially serious consequences for blood pressure and heart rhythm. DGL reduces the principal glycyrrhizin-related concern, but it does not make every product universally safe or equally effective. Clinical results should follow the exact preparation, not simply the plant name.²

A Ritual of Careful Selection

This is not an herb for an indefinitely refilled, extra-strong daily tea. If a clinician recommends a specific licorice preparation, write down the product, dose, purpose, and planned duration. Check whether other teas, throat lozenges, or supplements also contain licorice so that several small exposures do not become one larger, unnoticed intake.

If you simply love the flavor, you can explore an appropriately labeled licorice-free anise-flavored food rather than assuming you need a medicinal root product. Choose the pleasure you actually want. An herbal ritual can be as much about editing as adding: a clear ingredient list, a considered choice, and enough room to change your mind.

Who Should Avoid Whole-Root Products

Avoid medicinal licorice with hypertension, low potassium, liver, heart, or kidney disease, and during pregnancy or breastfeeding. EMA’s 2026 monograph also advises against use when pregnancy is possible without contraception. Important interactions include diuretics, digoxin, corticosteroids, stimulant laxatives, and some medicines metabolized through CYP3A4. A pharmacist should review the exact product and all medicines before use.²⁶

Stop use and seek care for new swelling, pronounced weakness, palpitations, severe headache, or shortness of breath. Difficulty swallowing, bleeding, or unexplained weight loss with reflux also needs assessment. Licorice’s sweetness is best appreciated with the kind of respect its potency deserves.

For education and reflection. Individual needs vary. For persistent symptoms or personal guidance, seek additional care from a qualified clinician or appropriate specialist.