Licorice Root

In Sanskrit, it is called “Malathi” or “sweet stalk”. The Greeks named it “sweet root” and the Chinese call it “gan cao”, which means “sweet grass”. The intense sweetness can be traced to glycyrrhizic acid that is 50 times sweeter than sugar. Besides its use to flavor candy and medicines it is commonly used for its anti-inflammatory actions in digestion as well as for arthrit’s. The aroma and flavor is sweet and comforting, reminiscent of anise or fennel, but considerably stronger.