Licorice May Help Brain Cells and Delay Diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

Here's another great reason to eat more licorice: It helps your brain! New research is indicating that a special compound in licorice root (from which real licorice is made) can help slow down the death of cells associated with diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other forms of dementia.

The compound is called liquiritigenin (or LQ), and it is being studied by Dr. Rosemarie Booze, the Bicentennial Chair Professor in Behaviorial Neuroscience at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Booze binds to a specific kind of estrogen receptor cell located in the brain.

Click here for more info on this research.

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Licorice is Awesome: Two Key Advantages of Being a Black Licorice (or Real Licorice) Fan

A recent article on licorice on the “boing boing” website listed the following two key advantages of black licorice:

It tends to pack enough of a flavor punch that you aren't going to sit down and eat a pound of the stuff, saving you calories and money, while still supplying a junk food fix.

You usually don't have to share. In fact, you can offer, and everybody will turn you down, so you still look like a good person even though you're really being a giant, selfish candy hoarder.

So far the article has generated more than a hundred comments about licorice. Several people agreed that the best part about liking licorice is that you don’t have to share, although others commented that they did have to share because more and more people are realizing how great licorice is.

Here are some of the other advantages that people mentioned:

• Not too sweet
• Settles stomach
• Acts as a diuretic
• Has antiviral qualities
• Helps quit smoking

You can read the entire article here.

 What about you?  Do you love licorice?  Why?  What are the main advantages?

Licorice Syrup: A natural way to ease cold and flu symptoms

Winter weather brings its share of colds and flu. Instead of reaching for medicine, try some licorice syrup to ease your symptoms. For centuries, licorice has been used to tame coughs and ease sore throats and lung congestion. Here's a simple recipe for licorice syrup (from Growing & Using Healing Herbs by Gaea and Shandor Weiss):

Fill a glass or enamel container with pieces of fresh or dried licorice root (you can buy licorice root here). Cover the roots with water and simmer for three to four hours. Strain and discard the roots. Add 2 tablespoons honey for each cup of syrup. (The honey acts as a preservative.) Pour the syrup into a sterilized bottle with a tight lid. Use a teaspoon of licorice syrup every few hours as needed for sore throat, cough and lung congestion.

Beat the H1N1 Flu Naturally - Licorice and Other Cures

Are you looking for a natural way to beat the flu?  Try licorice!  That's right.  According to an on-line article, licorice root has a list of benefits a mile long.  The article states, "it has anti-inflammatory properties, and has been reported to be useful for colds, flus, coughs, viral infections, sore throats, and more. Apparently, licorice root boots the body's natural level of interferon, which helps fight off viruses. In addition, licorice root is known to calm respiratory irritation and inflammation, and eases chest congestion and coughing."

You can get benefit from any licorice candies that contain real licorice (not just anise). Check the ingredients list on the licorice treats at Licorice International.  You can also buy real licorice root here.

Click here for the entire article about natural cures for the flu.

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Licorice Helpful in Treating SARS

Good news. A compound found in licorice root may be helpful in treating SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), which has caused many deaths in Asia. Scientists have experimented with glycyrrhizin, which is found in licorice root. Of the five compounds they tested, the glycyrrhizin was the most effective. It stops the virus from making copies of itself and also keeps the body from absorbing the virus.

More info here:

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Liquorice-plant-may-offer-SARS-treatment

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New Study Shows that Licorice Reduces Body Fat

Here's yet another reason to love licorice: It can help reduce body fat. A recent study in Osaka, Japan, tested 84 moderately obese participants who were divided into four groups. One received a placebo,while the other three received varying amounts of Licorice Flavanoid Oil. After eight weeks, all the groups receiving the Licorice Flavanoid Oil had a significant reduction in total body fat mass. In addition, the group receiving the most Licorice Flavanoid Oil had a significant decrease in visceral fat area, body weight, BMI, and LDL cholesterol.

For more info, click here.

Licorice gargle helps post-op sore throat

Here's something interesting: A new study in the Journal Anesthesia & Analgesia reports that patients who gargle with a licorice solution before surgery have less incidents of post-operative sore throat or cough.

Here's a bit more about the study: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/health-and-fitness/2009/06/post-op-sore-throat-try-a-lico.html

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Licorice may help prevent cancer

New research gives another reason to love licorice: A chemical component of licorice may offer a new approach to preventing colorectal cancer without the adverse side effects of other preventive therapies, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers report.

Read the whole article here.

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Licorice and Stress

A friend of mine regularly uses licorice to combat stress She said if she's feeling stressed out, she sucks on a piece of Panda licorice (she likes Panda because it uses molasses instead of sugar) or she brews a pot of licorice spice tea.

A little research showed that my friend is in good company. Licorice has been used to combat stress for centuries. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans reguarly used it for stress. In fact, Alexander the Great passed out licorice root to his battle troops.

It turns out that licorice strengthens the adrenal glands, which regulate the body's stress response.
So the next time you feel stressed, reach for your favorite licorice treat. Make sure the candy you choose is made with real licorice root, not just flavored with anise. You can find all kinds of licorice from all over the world through Licorice International. To start with, try my friend's favorite Panda licorice, or some Dutch treats, such as Soft Licorice Drops or Beehive Honey Licorice. (But there are lots more to choose from here.) If you prefer the soothing nature of hard candy, try Potter's original licorice bits. And if you want a natural treat reminsent of the ancients, try chewing or sucking on licorice root sticks.

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Licorice Helps Fight Cavities

Here's another reason to love licorice: It can actually help fight cavities. Wenyuan Shi, a microbiologist at UCLA's School of Dentistry, and his colleague, Quin-Yi Lu, a chemist at UCLA's School of Medicine, studied 2000 commonly used Chinese herbs for microbial properties and observed some of the strongest activity in experiments involving licorice root. They found that only 15 mg. of licorice powder eliminates 99.9% of the streptococcus mutans bacterium that can cause cavities.

Licorice International offers some great sugar-free licorice and candy and gum. You can get a 100-piece package of Xylichew Licorice chewing gum for only $12.95 here. You may prefer the traditional Dutch DeBron licorice, now available sugar free here. Amarelli Sugar-Free Chips give a chewy licorice taste with a touch of menthol. They're available here.

Click here to browse through all the sugar free products available at Licorice International.

Preventing cavities with good taste -- what could be better!

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My New Year's Resolution: Eat More Licorice

Now that's the kind of New Year's resolution I like: Something positive. There are lots of reasons to eat licorice (besides its great taste). Licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a natural sweetener that's 50 times sweeter than sucrose. That means you can satisfy your sweet tooth without a lot of extra sugar. There are even sugar free varieties. Panda licorice is made with all natural ingredients, and organic licorice is another healthy alternative.

But that's not all. Licorice is just plain good for you. It's an expectorant, an antiviral/antifungal AND contains antioxidants. It has been shown to help peptic ulcers, cold sores and PMS. One study shows that licorice makes LDL cholesterol more resistant to oxidation.

So, instead of concentrating on what you're going to give up for the New Year, think about what you're going to add: more licorice!

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Worried About Your Weight? Eat Licorice.

Are you worried about gaining weight over the holidays? There's good news for licorice lovers. Eating licorice has been shown to help reduce body fat mass. A team of researchers at the University of Padua in Italy studied 15 normal weight subjects who consumed 3.5 grams of real licorice per day for two months. At the end of the study the subjects' body fat mass was reduced. Licorice also satisfies your sweet tooth without adding a lot of calories, and it has zero fat. Make sure you are eating real licorice made from the licorice root.


So when those Christmas cookies start calling you, reach instead for a piece of licorice.


You can find many varieties of real licorice from all over the world at Licorice International.


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Quit Smoking Naturally with Licorice

Anyone who has tried to quit smoking knows how difficult it can be. But help may come from an unlikely source: licorice. Chewing or sucking on licorice root can help in several ways. First, it just helps to have something in your mouth. Also, because licorice is used as a flavoring agent in cigarettes and other tobacco products, the flavor of licorice can help satisfy your cravings. You can purchase licorice root sticks here.

According to Patrick Holford, a British psychologist specializing in nutrition and mental health, licorice also promotes the action of adrenal hormones, which can be helpful in the withdrawal phase when someone quits smoking. Licorice also acts as an expectorant, which helps clear your lungs. If you prefer candy to licorice sticks, you might want to try Panda licorice. Holford recommends Panda licorice, because it is sweetened with molasses rather than sugar. You can purchase Panda licorice here.

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Gotta Cough? Try Licorice!

A friend in Australia suffered from post-nasal drip following sinus surgery, leaving him with a sore throat and sputtering cough. He turned to licorice, his favorite comfort food, and was surprised to find it relieved his symptoms.

His experience was not unique. Since the time of Hippocrates, licorice has been used for medicinal purposes. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder recommended using it as an expectorant. The Chinese call licorice "gan cao," and they have used it as medicine for years. Culpeper, a 17th century herbalist, wrote that licorice “was a fine medicine for hoarseness.”

So before you reach for the medicine cabinet, try the candy shelf. Licorice candy, lozenges or tea made from licorice root may be all you need to soothe your symptoms.

Make sure that the word “licorice” is listed in the ingredients. Many American products are called licorice, but are really made with anise seed. Licorice from Europe or Australia usually contains real licorice. Two popular kinds sold by Licorice International include the Kokindjes from Holland and the Black Tire Tread from Finland. To soothe a sore throat, try “Hint Mints.” Licorice Spice caffeine free herbal tea is also made with real licorice root, and just tastes good on a chilly evening.


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