Herb Reference Guide
Licorice Root
Glycyrrhiza glabra — “Sweet Root”
When archaeologists opened the tomb of King Tutankhamun in 1922, among the treasures buried with the pharaoh was a simple plant root — licorice. Four thousand years after his death, scientists are still discovering why ancient healers valued it so highly.
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What Is Licorice Root?
Licorice root comes from Glycyrrhiza glabra, a tall, woody perennial shrub that grows across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The name itself is a clue: in ancient Greek, glykys means sweet and rhiza means root — so the full name simply means "sweet root." And sweet it is — the active compound glycyrrhizin is 30 to 50 times sweeter than table sugar, with no calories attached.
The part you use is the dried root and rhizome (the underground stem that connects the root system). These thick, woody pieces are harvested after three or more years of growth, when the plant has stored its full load of active compounds. Slice one open and you'll see a bright yellow interior — that vivid color comes from the same flavonoids that give licorice much of its medicinal power.
The plant itself grows two to three feet tall with small bluish-purple flowers and pinnate (feather-shaped) leaves. It's a resilient, deep-rooting plant that survives dry, rocky soils where other crops fail. This hardiness is no accident — it's exactly the kind of plant that builds deep chemical reserves in response to environmental pressure.
Today, licorice root is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs in the world. It's a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda (India's ancient healing system), traditional Persian medicine, and Western herbalism. It has been studied in thousands of published scientific papers. And yet most people only know it as a candy flavor — a flavor that, ironically, most modern "licorice" candy doesn't even contain. (Most commercial licorice candy uses anise oil, not real licorice root.) The real herb is far more interesting than the candy.
Traditional Wisdom
Thousands of Years of Wisdom
The story of licorice root is, in many ways, the story of medicine itself — spanning every inhabited continent, every major healing tradition, and thousands of years of careful human observation.
Let's start in Egypt. When Howard Carter's team broke the seal on Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, they found the young pharaoh surrounded by treasures: golden masks, jeweled chariots, alabaster oil jars. They also found licorice root. Buried around 1325 BCE, this offering was meant to accompany the king into the afterlife. For the ancient Egyptians, this wasn't superstition — it was practical. Licorice was used to make "mai sus," a sweet beverage consumed for energy and vitality. They believed strongly enough in its power to send it with their ruler to the next world.
In China, licorice has been a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over 3,000 years. Known as Gan Cao (literally "sweet herb"), it was classified as one of the most important tonic herbs in the entire system. What set it apart was its role as a harmonizer: Chinese doctors added it to complex herbal formulas not just for its own properties, but because it balanced and amplified the effects of the other herbs. It was the herb that made all the other herbs work better together — a botanical diplomat. The ancient text Shennong Bencao Jing (one of the oldest Chinese pharmacopoeia texts, compiled around 200 CE but referencing much older oral traditions) listed it in the highest tier of medicines: those that strengthen the body over time without causing harm.
In the ancient Middle East, Assyrian clay tablets from the 7th century BCE list licorice root among herbs used to treat respiratory ailments and quench thirst during long campaigns. Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the "Father of Medicine," wrote about it in the 5th century BCE, recommending it for shortness of breath and as a thirst-quencher. When Alexander the Great sent his armies on campaigns stretching from Greece to India, his soldiers carried licorice root — it helped them sustain energy and manage thirst during long marches through the heat. Roman soldiers used it the same way centuries later.
In Ayurveda, India's 5,000-year-old healing system, licorice root is called Yastimadhu (also known as Mulethi in Hindi). It was a go-to herb for the voice — singers, priests, public speakers, and teachers used it to soothe and strengthen their vocal cords. It was also used for respiratory health, stomach ulcers, and as a general tonic for vitality. This use continues today: in India, many still chew a stick of licorice root before singing or speaking publicly.
In medieval Europe, monks grew licorice extensively in monastery gardens. The Dominican monks at Pontefract in Yorkshire, England, turned it into one of the region's most famous products — Pontefract cakes, small stamped sweets made from genuine licorice root extract. These were sold as both medicine and confection for centuries.
Across Indigenous North America, Plains tribes used the native American species Glycyrrhiza lepidota (wild licorice) for toothaches, fevers, and digestive complaints. The root was also used as a food source. Indigenous knowledge keepers across the continent recognized this plant's power long before European settlers arrived.
What ties all these traditions together is a remarkable consistency: nearly every culture that encountered licorice root discovered the same core uses — gut soothing, respiratory support, energy, and hormonal balance. That kind of cross-cultural agreement is one of the strongest signals that a plant has real, observable effects on the human body.
Sourcing Matters
The Wildcrafted Difference
Think about the difference between a domesticated dog and a wild wolf. Both are the same species at their core. But the wolf has spent its life fighting for survival — running miles each day, hunting in harsh weather, facing real threats. That life of pressure has built an animal of extraordinary physical capability. The dog, raised in a climate-controlled home with food delivered daily, has lost most of that edge. It's comfortable. But it's not as capable.
Wild plants are the wolves. Farmed herbs in controlled greenhouse environments — perfect soil, consistent water, zero competition, chemical fertilizers — are more like the dog. Comfortable. Predictable. But missing something essential.
When a licorice plant grows wild in the rocky slopes of the Mediterranean or the dry steppes of Central Asia, it is under constant pressure. Drought, poor soil, insects, fungal threats, competition from other plants. To survive, the plant pours energy into producing phytochemicals — the plant's natural defense and signaling molecules. These are the same compounds that give medicinal herbs their therapeutic value. Glycyrrhizin, glabridin, liquiritin, the triterpenoid saponins — all of these are produced in higher concentrations when the plant has had to work for them.
The licorice root in Drink Inc's Klara Boost and Klara Tea is certified organic — grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This matters both for what it leaves out (you don't want chemical residues in your daily supplement) and for what it produces (organically grown plants tend to develop denser phytochemical profiles than conventionally farmed equivalents). We source from growers who understand that stress-tested plants make stronger medicine, and our formulation process preserves those active compounds in an alcohol-free liquid extract your body can absorb quickly.
The Science
What's Inside — Key Active Compounds
Licorice root isn't magic. It's chemistry. Here are the primary compounds doing the work inside this ancient root:
Glycyrrhizin (Glycyrrhizic Acid)
The star compound. Glycyrrhizin is the substance responsible for licorice's intense sweetness — it's 30 to 50 times sweeter than sugar, though it doesn't act like sugar in your body. More importantly, it has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. Research suggests it works by blocking the enzymes that trigger inflammatory pathways and by interfering with the outer envelope of certain viruses, making it harder for them to enter your cells. Glycyrrhizin is also responsible for the herb's effect on cortisol (your body's main stress hormone) — it inhibits the enzyme that breaks cortisol down, helping your body hold onto more of it during times of stress or depletion.
Glycyrrhetic Acid
When your body metabolizes glycyrrhizin, it produces glycyrrhetic acid. This is the active anti-inflammatory metabolite (breakdown product) that does much of the heavy lifting in your tissues. Studies have compared its anti-inflammatory potency to corticosteroid drugs — without the same side effects at the doses found in whole-root preparations. It also appears to have direct antiviral and antibacterial activity.
Glabridin & Chalcones
Glabridin is a flavonoid (plant pigment compound) with impressive range: it acts as an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory effects, interacts with estrogen receptors (which may explain licorice's traditional use for hormonal conditions), and inhibits tyrosinase — the enzyme your skin uses to produce melanin (the pigment that causes dark spots). This last effect has made glabridin a sought-after ingredient in cosmetic skin-brightening products in Asia and beyond.
Liquiritin & Isoliquiritin
These flavonoids contribute to licorice root's antioxidant activity and have shown anti-depressant effects in some animal studies, suggesting a potential role in mood support. They also contribute to the herb's anti-inflammatory and liver-protective properties, working alongside glycyrrhizin in a synergistic (working together, more powerful than separately) way.
Triterpenoid Saponins & Polysaccharides
Saponins (soap-like compounds found in many plants) contribute to the expectorant (mucus-loosening) effect that makes licorice so useful for coughs and respiratory congestion. The polysaccharides (complex sugars that form a gel-like coating) are what protect and soothe the gut lining, acting almost like a bandage on inflamed mucous membranes. These gel-forming compounds are a key reason licorice has been used for ulcers and gastritis for thousands of years.
What It May Do For You
Eight Ways Licorice Root May Support Your Health
🍄 Soothes & Heals the Gut Lining
The polysaccharides in licorice root coat and protect inflamed mucous membranes throughout the digestive tract. Research suggests it may reduce gastric acid secretion and support healing of the stomach lining. It has been traditionally used — and studied — for ulcers, gastritis, heartburn, and GERD (acid reflux).
⚡ Supports Adrenal Recovery
Glycyrrhizin inhibits the enzyme 11-beta-HSD2, which breaks down cortisol in the body. By slowing this breakdown, licorice root may help your body conserve cortisol during periods when the adrenal glands are depleted from chronic stress. This is why it appears in traditional formulas for adrenal fatigue and burnout recovery.
🔥 Fights Inflammation Throughout the Body
Glycyrrhetic acid has been compared in studies to corticosteroid drugs for anti-inflammatory potency. It may help calm systemic inflammation — the kind of low-grade, chronic inflammation that underlies most chronic disease — without the side effects associated with pharmaceutical steroids at therapeutic doses.
🤏 Clears Respiratory Congestion
Licorice root is an expectorant — it loosens and helps clear mucus from airways. It's also antimicrobial. For thousands of years it has been used to soothe sore throats, quiet persistent coughs, and support recovery from bronchitis. Some research suggests it may even help with viral respiratory infections.
💉 Protects the Liver
Multiple studies have found hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) effects from glycyrrhizin. In Japan, an intravenous form of glycyrrhizin has been used clinically for chronic hepatitis C treatment. Research suggests oral licorice preparations may support liver health for people managing fatty liver disease or elevated liver enzymes.
🛡️ Anti-Viral Activity
Lab and clinical research has found that glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid may be active against several viruses including herpes simplex (cold sores), influenza, and have been studied against coronaviruses. The mechanism appears to involve disrupting the viral envelope and interfering with the virus's ability to replicate inside cells.
⚖️ Hormonal Balance
Glabridin interacts with estrogen receptors in a modulating way — meaning it may support estrogen balance rather than simply increasing it. This may explain the traditional use of licorice root for PMS, menopausal symptoms, and other hormone-related conditions. The herb's effect on cortisol also has downstream effects on other hormones in the stress-hormone cascade.
🌞 Brightens Skin
Glabridin inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme your skin uses to produce melanin (skin pigment). This makes licorice root extract one of the most popular natural skin-brightening ingredients in cosmetics. Taken internally, it may help address the root inflammatory causes of skin conditions like eczema and redness. Applied topically, glabridin is a highly sought-after cosmetic ingredient, especially in Korean and Japanese beauty formulations.
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Drink Inc products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement.
Modern Health Concerns
The Health Issues Licorice Root May Help Address
We live in a country where digestive disease affects roughly 70 million people. Where 60 million Americans experience acid reflux at least once a month. Where non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has become the most common liver condition in the United States. Where burnout isn't just a buzzword — it's a clinical reality for millions of stressed, sleep-deprived people running on cortisol fumes. Licorice root has something to say to all of them.
Leaky Gut & Gut Inflammation: The modern American diet — processed foods, refined sugars, alcohol, antibiotics — has done significant damage to the gut lining for millions of people. Research suggests that the polysaccharides in licorice root may help repair and reinforce the mucous membrane lining the gut, reducing permeability (the “leakiness” that allows undigested food particles to trigger immune reactions throughout the body).
GERD & Acid Reflux: Some studies indicate that licorice root preparations may reduce the frequency and severity of reflux symptoms. Unlike antacids that simply neutralize acid, licorice root may address the inflammation of the esophageal lining and help strengthen the mucus barrier that protects your stomach from its own acid.
Peptic Ulcers & H. pylori: Licorice root was one of the original treatments for peptic ulcers before pharmaceutical drugs arrived. Research has shown that licorice root may help inhibit the growth of H. pylori (the bacteria responsible for most stomach ulcers) and support healing of the ulcer site through its anti-inflammatory and gut-coating effects.
Adrenal Fatigue & Burnout: Chronic stress depletes the adrenal glands and leads to dysregulated cortisol patterns — too much in the morning (anxiety, poor sleep) or too little throughout the day (exhaustion, brain fog). Licorice root's glycyrrhizin may help by extending the half-life of cortisol in the body, buying time for the adrenal glands to recover during rest and lifestyle changes.
Chronic Coughs & Respiratory Infections: Whether it's a lingering post-viral cough, seasonal respiratory infection, or bronchitis, licorice root has been used effectively for respiratory complaints for thousands of years. Research supports both its expectorant and antimicrobial effects.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): The fastest-growing liver disease in America, NAFLD now affects an estimated 80 to 100 million Americans. Several studies have found that glycyrrhizin may have hepatoprotective effects — reducing liver inflammation, supporting healthy fat metabolism in liver cells, and potentially slowing disease progression when used as part of a broader lifestyle approach.
Viral Infections & Cold Sores: For people who suffer from recurrent herpes outbreaks, recurring cold sores, or frequent viral infections, the antiviral properties of glycyrrhizin offer a potential natural support tool alongside conventional care.
Hormonal Imbalances: From PMS to perimenopause to adrenal hormone issues, licorice root's dual action on estrogen pathways (through glabridin) and cortisol regulation makes it a multi-target herb for hormonal health.
For the Healthy & Thriving
You Don't Need to Be Sick to Benefit
Here's a truth most supplement companies won't tell you: the most powerful use of herbal medicine isn't treating disease. It's building resilience before disease ever shows up. If you're already healthy — exercising regularly, eating well, sleeping enough — licorice root can be a meaningful upgrade to your daily performance and longevity toolkit.
For athletes and active people: The anti-inflammatory properties of licorice root may support faster recovery from intense training. Less systemic inflammation means less soreness, faster tissue repair, and more consistent energy between workouts. Some athletes also report that the adrenal support helps them avoid the burnout that comes with heavy training blocks — that feeling of being overtrained and depleted.
For singers, teachers, and public speakers: This use goes back thousands of years — and it still works. Licorice root soothes and coats the throat, reduces vocal cord inflammation, and can help maintain voice quality through heavy use. In Ayurvedic tradition, this was one of its primary uses. If your livelihood or passion depends on your voice, this herb is worth knowing.
For high-stress professionals: If you're running on deadline pressure and caffeine, your adrenal glands are probably not thanking you. Licorice root's cortisol-extending effect makes it a useful buffer during high-stress sprints — helping your stress response system stay functional rather than burning out. It's not a replacement for sleep and stress management, but it's a meaningful support.
For gut maintenance: Even people with no diagnosed gut condition benefit from a soothed, well-protected gut lining. If you eat less than perfectly (and who doesn't?), the anti-inflammatory and mucilaginous (gel-forming, gut-coating) effects of licorice root offer daily maintenance benefits that keep your digestive system resilient.
A word on caution: At very high doses or with prolonged use of concentrated extracts, glycyrrhizin can cause elevated blood pressure and low potassium levels through a mineralocorticoid effect (similar to how some hormones cause the body to retain sodium and lose potassium). The amounts present in Klara Boost as part of a multi-herb formula are within safe ranges for most people. However, if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or are pregnant, please consult a healthcare provider before use. Transparency here is non-negotiable.
How to Use It
Getting Licorice Root Into Your Day
Licorice root is available in many forms: dried root for tea, capsules, powders, extracts, lozenges, and liquid tinctures. The method of preparation matters for both absorption and convenience.
In Klara Boost, licorice root is delivered as a full-spectrum liquid extract — meaning the active compounds have been drawn out of the root and suspended in a solution your body can absorb quickly, without the need to digest a capsule or steep a tea. The formula is alcohol-free (a key point for those who avoid alcohol for any reason) and contains the whole-root extract rather than isolated fractions like DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice). DGL has had the glycyrrhizin removed to reduce blood pressure concerns — but in doing so, it also loses much of the anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and adrenal-supporting activity. Drink Inc uses the full-spectrum root to deliver the complete therapeutic profile.
In Klara Tea, licorice root appears alongside slippery elm bark — the two most powerful gut-healing herbs combined in a single tea. This combination is particularly beneficial for anyone dealing with gut inflammation, heartburn, or digestive discomfort, as both herbs coat and soothe the gut lining simultaneously.
Suggested use (Klara Boost): 30 drops in water, juice, a smoothie, or even your morning coffee, once daily. You can hold the liquid under your tongue for a moment before swallowing to allow some absorption directly through the mucous membranes of the mouth — a faster delivery route than digestion alone.
Suggested use (Klara Tea): One to two teaspoons of loose-leaf tea in 8–10 oz of boiling water, steeped for 10–15 minutes, then strained. The longer steeping time extracts more of the mucilaginous (gel-like, gut-soothing) compounds.
Find It In Our Products
Licorice Root, Delivered the Right Way
Whole-root, full-spectrum, alcohol-free, and certified organic. Paired with five other powerful herbs in our signature immune and vitality formulas.
Klara Boost
Licorice root plus astragalus, echinacea, red root, suma, and eleuthero in one 30mL alcohol-free liquid dropper. 30 servings. Organic, Non-GMO, No Sugar, No Preservatives. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Shop Klara Boost on Amazon →Klara Tea
Licorice root paired with slippery elm bark in a premium loose-leaf gut healing tea. The two most powerful gut-soothing herbs combined — for acid reflux, GERD, gut lining repair, and digestive comfort. Vegan, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, No Sugar.
Shop Klara Tea on Amazon →The Research
What the Science Shows
Licorice root is one of the most thoroughly studied medicinal plants on earth. Thousands of peer-reviewed studies have been published on its compounds — from bench science (test tube and animal studies) to clinical trials in human patients. The picture that emerges is consistent with what traditional healers observed across thousands of years.
The most compelling body of research surrounds glycyrrhizin's antiviral properties. A 2005 review by Fiore et al. in Phytotherapy Research documented activity against multiple viruses, including herpes simplex, influenza, HIV, and the original SARS coronavirus (studied extensively after the 2003 outbreak). The proposed mechanism — disrupting the viral lipid envelope (the fatty outer layer viruses use to fuse with your cells) — is biologically plausible and has been replicated in multiple independent studies.
On the liver protection front, research in Japan is particularly compelling. Van Rossum et al. (1998) documented the use of intravenous glycyrrhizin (branded as Stronger Neo-Minophagen C) for chronic hepatitis C patients in Japan, where it has been used clinically for decades. Multiple studies have found reductions in liver enzyme levels and markers of liver inflammation in patients receiving glycyrrhizin. This is not a marginal finding — it's mainstream clinical practice in one of the world's most medically rigorous countries.
For gut health, the research on licorice root preparations for GERD and gastritis has been promising. Several randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of clinical research) have found that licorice root preparations reduce symptoms of heartburn and reflux — comparable in some studies to low-dose antacids, but through a completely different mechanism.
The anti-inflammatory research is extensive. A 2013 study by Kim et al. in Molecular Cells explored the mechanism by which glycyrrhizic acid suppresses key inflammatory signaling proteins (specifically NF-κB, a master regulator of inflammation in the body). This molecular target is the same one addressed by many pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs — licorice root appears to interact with it through a different, more indirect pathway that carries less risk of side effects at normal doses.
Research on skin benefits has also advanced significantly. A 2013 study by Kwon et al. found that a licorice root extract formula applied topically reduced acne lesion count and skin inflammation, supporting both the topical and internal use of the herb for skin health.
The research is clear: licorice root is not folklore. It's a pharmacologically active plant with documented mechanisms and real-world clinical applications.
Research Citations
- Asl MN & Hosseinzadeh H (2008). Review of pharmacological effects of Glycyrrhiza sp. and its bioactive compounds. Phytotherapy Research, 22(6), 709–724.
- Fiore C, et al. (2005). Antiviral effects of Glycyrrhiza species. Phytotherapy Research, 19(2), 89–94.
- van Rossum TG, et al. (1998). Glycyrrhizin as a potential treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 12(3), 199–205.
- Stormer FC, et al. (1993). Glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice: evaluation of health hazard. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 31(4), 303–312.
- Kim JK, et al. (2013). Glycyrrhizic acid affords robust neuroprotection in the postischemic brain via anti-inflammatory effect. Molecules, 18(10), 12500–12519.
- Kwon HH, et al. (2013). Clinical and histological effect of a low glycaemic load diet in treatment of acne vulgaris in Korean patients: a randomized controlled trial. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 92(3), 241–246.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Most commercial licorice candy — including many "black licorice" products — is flavored with anise oil, not actual licorice root. Real licorice root extract has a distinct sweet, slightly earthy flavor. True licorice root candy does exist (traditional Pontefract cakes from England, for example, or real Dutch drop), but it's becoming increasingly rare. The medicinal herb and the candy are essentially different things for most practical purposes.
At high doses or with prolonged use, glycyrrhizin can cause elevated blood pressure and low potassium through a mineralocorticoid effect (the same mechanism that certain hormones use to cause sodium retention). This is a real concern and we take it seriously. The amounts present in Klara Boost as part of a balanced multi-herb formula are well within ranges considered safe for most healthy adults. However, if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or edema, please speak with your healthcare provider before using any licorice root product. Pregnant women should also consult their doctor first.
DGL is licorice root that has had most of the glycyrrhizin removed — typically to greater than 97% reduction. This makes DGL safer for people concerned about blood pressure effects, and it retains gut-soothing properties. However, removing glycyrrhizin also removes much of the anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and adrenal-supporting activity. Drink Inc uses whole-root extract to preserve the full therapeutic profile. If you have blood pressure concerns, DGL is a safer alternative — but it is a more limited herb.
For acute gut soothing and throat comfort, many people notice effects within 30 to 60 minutes. For longer-term benefits like adrenal support, reduced chronic inflammation, and improved gut integrity, consistent daily use over four to eight weeks tends to show the clearest results. Like most herbal medicines, licorice root is most effective as a consistent daily practice rather than an occasional supplement.
Licorice root may interact with some medications — particularly diuretics, blood pressure medications, corticosteroids, and medications processed by the liver's CYP450 enzyme system. It may also interact with some hormonal medications. If you take any prescription medications, please discuss licorice root use with your prescribing physician or pharmacist before starting. This isn't meant to be alarming — many herbal supplements require this same conversation — but it's important information to share with your healthcare team.
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