ByJeanette Hurt
Licorice may be one of the modern world’s most popular confections, so it may not be surprising that it boasts a deliciously ancient history.
The earliest references to the licorice root—Glycyrrhiza glabra—date all the way back to 2300 BC, and its genesis was in China. It was said that Emperor Shennong classified more than 300 different medicinal plants, and one of the most important plants he classified was licorice.
Shennong, whose name can be translated as “divine farmer,” experimented with plant remedies, including the use of licorice. His teachings were handed down orally until they were compiled into a book called The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica, establishing the herbal roots of traditional Chinese Medicine. Shennong himself believed licorice could be used as an antidote to toxins, to reduce aches and pains, and to cure other ailments. In Chinese, licorice is called gan can, which means “sweet herb.”
From China, this medicinal root spread to India, Africa, and Europe. Legend holds that even Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, affirmed its beneficent nature.
Ancient Assyrians and Egyptians also thought licorice was good medicine. In ancient Scythia, which today is a region that encompasses Iran and parts of eastern Europe, licorice was cultivated, and by the third century BC, it was imported into Greece.
Aristotle’s star student Theophrastus included a special mention about licorice in his big book about plants, noting specifically that it grew by the legendary Lake Maeotis (which was really the small Sea of Azov). Dioscorides, an ancient Greek physician and botanist, included licorice in his De Materia Medica, a five-volume treatise on herbal medicine. Dioscorides named licorice “Glycyrrhiza,” from the Greek words “glukos riza” or “sweet root.”
Greek philosophers and physicians weren’t the only ones to use licorice! In fact, the soldiers of Alexander the Great chewed on licorice to help keep their bodies and spirits up.
In Latin, glukos riza became “liquiritae officinalis.” Plinius the Elder included licorice in his great work, Naturalis History, and he recommended using it as a remedy for asthma, mouth ulcers, and sore throats. Other Romans who believed in the power of licorice include Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Scribonius Largus, and Cassius Felix. Scribonius Largus, who was the emperor’s physician, even prescribed licorice for vocal maladies.
In the Middle Ages, this graceful plant spread throughout Europe. In Spain, Saint Isador, the bishop of Seville in the sixth century, waxed poetic about this delicious plant in his encyclopedia, and Saint Hildegard von Bingen, the prioress of the Rupertsberg Convent in Germany in the twelfth century, included licorice in her treatise on medicines. In the thirteenth century, licorice impressed Mohammed Abdallah Ben Ahmed Dhialeddin Ibn Albaithar, who made special mention of it in his book of botany.
Though licorice had been widely used in herbal remedies and prescriptions for everything from skin conditions to eye conditions, its sweetness lent itself to other uses. In Germany, it was added to beer as well as alcoholic spirits. At the time of the Renaissance, this root became a prevalent addition to sweets—used as a flavoring for bread and other baked goods. And over in England, licorice became the candy we know and love today.
Licorice landed in England via Roman soldiers and continued to be planted in English monasteries—the English word “licorice” comes from the Latin liquiritae. But it was in Elizabethan England that it began to flourish. John Stow, in his Summarie of Englysh Chronicles, noted that licorice grew most famously in the gardens of the Pontefract Abbey in Yorkshire.
It was in Yorkshire that licorice candy was birthed. In the 1700s, George Dunhill reportedly added sugar to licorice grown in Pontefract and formed them into coin-like candies. This confection became known as “Pontefract Cakes.” By the nineteenth century, licorice factories were flourishing around Yorkshire.
Licorice candy’s popularity, of course, spread far and wide beyond English borders, and today, licorice remains as popular as ever.
For more on the authorCLICK HERE;for more on the illustratorCLICK HERE
FAQs
Traditional black licorice flavor comes from a chemical called glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than cane sugar. "It's quite potent-smelling," Newton-Cheh said. And it can do much more than add flavor. Eaten in large amounts, black licorice can lower the body's potassium levels – significantly.
When did people start eating licorice? ›
The English town of Pontefract is reportedly the birthplace of the bittersweet candy. In 1760 a pharmacist supposedly added sugar to a cough medicine containing licorice root to make it more palatable, and manufacturers began cranking it out in the mid-1800s. From there, licorice went viral in various countries.
What country eats the most licorice? ›
That country is The Netherlands! That's right, this European country boasts the highest per capita consumption of licorice in the world. Each of its citizens is reported to eat more than 4 pounds of licorice candy per year! That's a sweet record.
Why do the Dutch eat licorice? ›
From medicine to candy
Block licorice was a tried and tested base ingredient for remedies to help sore throats and coughs. It was particularly popular in the Netherlands and England.
Is licorice the healthiest candy? ›
Many people assume that black licorice root can alleviate health issues. This hasn't been proven, but eating large quantities of black licorice may be dangerous to people 40 and older because a compound in it has been linked to heart problems, according to the FDA.
What is unhealthy about licorice? ›
It contains glycyrrhizic acid, which can cause swelling and high blood pressure and deplete potassium and other electrolytes that may cause a cardiac arrhythmia or arrest. Glycyrrhizic acid can be found in other foods, such as jelly beans and beverages for flavor. What is a safe amount to consume?
What does licorice do to the body? ›
Licorice with glycyrrhizin may cause serious side effects. Too much glycyrrhizin causes a condition called pseudoaldosteronism, which can cause a person to become overly sensitive to a hormone in the adrenal cortex. This condition can lead to headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks.
Why is black licorice so gross? ›
The sense of taste is genetic, so when someone complains that black licorice is too bitter, they're tasting the glycyrrhizin, the compound in licorice root that's chemically similar to saccharin. This may be why they taste the bitterness.
What is real licorice made of? ›
Traditional licorice candy — called “black licorice” in the U.S. and “liquorice” in many other parts of the world — contains licorice extract, sugar, and a binder. Candymakers often use starch, gelatin, or flour as binders, and recipes for salty licorice in Nordic countries typically include ammonium chloride salts.
What is licorice called in America? ›
Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English; IPA: /ˈlɪkərɪʃ, -ɪs/ LIK-ər-ish, -iss) is a confection usually flavoured and coloured black with the extract of the roots of the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. Liquorice. Liquorice wheels from Haribo. Alternative names. Black liquorice.
Black gold FROM KOUVOLA, FINLAND
- With a secret recipe, using nature's purest ingredients, passed down through.
- generations of exquisitely honed craftsmanship, we create each unique bite of luxurious.
- Kouvolan licorice . The best licorice in the world.
Pontefract farmers first started growing licorice in a small field in 1730, and now the quaint cobblestoned town is dubbed the “Liquorice Capital of the Word.” The Liquorice Festival celebrates with live entertainment, vendors, tours of the historic castle, licorice-themed food and of course, lots of yummy licorice to ...
Why is licorice in cigarettes? ›
Licorice extract (block, powder or liquid) may be applied to cigarette tobacco at levels of about 1-4% to enhance and harmonize the flavor characteristics of smoke, improve moisture holding characteristics of tobacco, and act as a surface active agent for ingredient application.
Why do Scandinavians like licorice so much? ›
Apart from its unique salty taste, Danes also prefer liquorice given the heat and comfort it provides in the chilly winters. Salmiakki is the most beloved and traditional form of liquorice, a small black, salted candy, introduced early on in the late 1800s by Danish Galle and Jessen with their Gajol pastilles.
Do Germans eat liquorice? ›
One explanation why Rhinelander, Dutch and Scandinavians like salty or salmiak licorice could be related to their overall preference (and genetic need of) salt. In contrast, most Germans living south of the Main River and folks in the Southern hemispheres seem to prefer licorice in sweeter forms.
Why licorice is good for you? ›
Licorice root has been used for thousands of years to help treat a variety of ailments, including respiratory conditions and digestive distress. Its plant compounds demonstrate potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects.
Is licorice an acquired taste? ›
Salty licorice is always said to be an acquired taste. You may think it is something like a sour gummy worm, but there is no flavor to truly compare it to. After the first taste, it was a surprise with a strong salt, not sour, taste, then the flavor of black licorice lingering after.
Why do some people hate the taste of licorice? ›
Some theorize that glycyrrhiza glabra (an evil villain name if I ever saw one), the compound that gives fennel, black licorice, and anise their characteristically horrifying taste, is chemically similar to that of artificial sweeteners.
Are Twizzlers real licorice? ›
Are the original TWIZZLERS Twists licorice? Yes, the original TWIZZLERS Twists are licorice because they include licorice extract. However, the most popular flavors like strawberry or cherry do not include licorice extract, so they are often referred to as licorice type candy.
