Licorice

Guide Note

Licorice candy is commonly made from anise oil, licorice root, sugar, and a binding agent, usually gelatin or a starch.

Licorice candy is produced through dissolving the sugar in water and then boiling the resulting product into a syrup. The syrup is molded, dried, and sprayed with beeswax to promote shinyness.

Fast Facts

1. Most Common Variety: Black licorice
2. "Licorice" or "liquorice" are acceptable spellings
3. Over 50 grams of licorice per day can cause a rise in blood pressure
4. Many Northern European nations use ammonium chloride to add spice to licorice

Popular modern candies, most prominently Twizzlers and Red Vines, and produced using licorice flavor, but do not contain any licorice products. These products are typically artificially fruit flavored, most often in the guise of cherry or strawberry.

One of the oldest uses of licorice root in human health is as an expectorant in relieving mucus congestion and relieving the symptoms of respiratory illness. Large amounts of glycyrrhizinic acid found in licorice can lead to an increase in blood pressure, though the amounts typically consumed are not likely to lead to these effects.

Licorice is frequently thought of as an aphrodisiac, though this may be attributed to its sweet taste and likely has no scientific merit.