liquorice
Liquorice’s scientific name is Glycyrrhiza glabra and it belongs to the Papilionaceae family. The roots of the liquorice plant are used.
Taste Profile
When consumed, dried meadowsweet has a sweet taste, along with aromatic and hay-like flavours, and some people also notice medicinal and almond notes. It offers a well-rounded, mellow flavour when enjoyed as a simple beverage, reminiscent of summer evenings in a meadow!
Active Constituents
Salicylic acid, volatile oil, spireine (salicylaldehyde), gaultherine, flavonoids, tannins, mucilage and coumarins
Therapeutic Properties
Analgesic, antacid, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, relaxant, stomachic and urinary antiseptic.
Traditional Uses
Meadowsweet has a long history of traditional use as a gentle remedy for digestive issues such as diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. It is known for its ability to ease excess acid and indigestion. Additionally, it was one of the original sources of aspirin and is valued for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, particularly in addressing headaches and musculoskeletal issues like arthritis.
Contraindications
Do not use when there is a known aspirin sensitivity. Do not use alongside anticoagulants.
Taste Profile
Dried liquorice is sweet and with the characteristic anise note that we associate with liquorice flavoured sweets. There are also minty, bitter and camphoraceous notes in dried liquorice
Active Constituents
Saponins, glycyrrhizin, polyphenols, flavonoids, polysaccharides, bitter principles, tannins, phytoestrogens, coumarins and volatile oil.
Therapeutic Properties
Adaptogen, adrenal tonic, anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, bitter (gentle), demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, hepatoprotective and laxative.
Traditional Uses
Liquorice is a superb anti-inflammatory with applications across the body systems for this purpose, including joint and skin inflammation. It has traditionally been used to soothe inflammation and irritation in the respiratory tract, making it a lovely remedy for irritating coughs and sore throats. Liquorice is an excellent tonic for the liver, and its bitter actions help promote bile flow, enhancing digestion. As an adaptogen, it can be used to strengthen the body and mind following chronic stress, and it is particularly strengthening to the adrenal glands.
Contraindications
Liqourice should not be used with diuretics or laxatives as it may lead to dangerous potassium loss, resulting in hypokalaemia. Avoid using it with prednisolone and during pregnancy.