Not to be confused with Licorice candy, licorice root has a much cleaner sweetness and is long lasting in any tea brew.

Licorice root extract is used in cough drops, syrups, laxatives, and nicotine lozenges, and it is added to foods to sweeten them.   Licorice preparations are added to candy, cakes, ice cream, and packaged desserts, but most of the candy sold in the United States today as licorice is flavored with a synthetic licorice or flavorings made from anise (Pimpinella anisum L., Apiaceae)

Licorice is one of the most extensively researched medicinal and food plants.1 Studies on licorice have demonstrated positive effects for treatment of various types of ulcers and chemoprevention.6 Other studies indicate the following:
(1) dietary consumption of licorice root extract may help to lower cholesterol and act as an antioxidant
(2) compounds in licorice inhibit serotonin re-uptake and may be useful in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in women,
(3) licorice may help reduce body fat mass.

Persons with cholestatic liver disorders, liver cirrhosis, hypertension, hypokalemia (low levels of potassium in blood), severe kidney insufficiency, and possibly diabetes (unconfirmed contraindication) should consult a healthcare provider before using licorice. Licorice is not recommended during pregnancy, as heavy exposure to glycyrrhizin may double the risk of birth before 38 weeks.11

No adverse effects have been associated with licorice root preparations when used appropriately. Prolonged use (longer than 6 weeks) and higher doses (generally greater than 50 g per day) may lead to sodium retention, water retention, and potassium loss, all of which may be accompanied by hypertension, edema (swelling), hypokalemia, and in rare cases, myoglobinuria (excretion of the muscle’s oxygen-transporting protein, myoglobin, in the urine).6 Side effects are less likely with aqueous licorice root extract than with isolated glycyrrhizin due to the lower intestinal absorption when consumed as part of the total extract.

In 2 separate cases, pulmonary edema and life-threatening ventricular tachycardia (rapid heart beat) due to hypokalemia occurred as a result of overdoses of black licorice-flavored candy. Dietary supplements are available that contain licorice extracts with the glycyrrhizin removed. This eliminates some of the potential adverse effects associated with consumption of relatively large amounts of licorice (as noted above).

Licorice may potentiate the side effects of potassium-depleting thiazide diuretics (e.g., chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide, and metolazone). With potassium loss, sensitivity to digitalis glycosides (heart medications, e.g., digoxin, lanoxin) increases. Licorice should not be combined with corticoid treatment.6