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Tea of the Month: Licorice

Posted Monday, November 01, 2010

While we’re big fans of licorice tea all year long, we especially love it during flu season because it supports the adrenal glands and the immune system, which need to be in tip-top condition to ward off viruses. 

Licorice has a sweet, molasses-like flavor that comes from a compound  called glycyrrhizin (or glycyrrhizic acid).  Glycyrrhizin is 30-50 times sweeter than table sugar.

Grown mostly in Greece, Turkey, and Asia, licorice has a long history of medicinal use in both Eastern and Western systems of medicine.

In addition to its abilities to sooth sore throats and stomach ulcers, licorice has strong stimulating and antimicrobial properties that make it ideal for preventing and fighting bronchitis and illnesses that are caused by viruses (like colds and the flu). 

It should be noted that if consumed in large amounts, licorice containing glycyrrhizin can cause high blood pressure, salt and water retention, and low potassium levels, which could lead to heart problems.  Not to worry though, weak licorice teas don’t contain enough glycyrrhizin to be a concern.

If you’re interested in learning more about strengthening your immune system, contact us at Vancouver Holistic Health.

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