The health benefits of liquorice

摘要

Liquorice has been used for thousands of years in Europe and Asia. The root of a legume plant known as Glycyrrhiza glabra, it has a distinctively sweet flavour, 50 times sweeter than sucrose. This sweetness comes from the compound Glycyrrhizin - which is the significant ingredient in the root, responsible for many of its most famous properties. Useful for confectionery production is the fact that unlike aspartame, Glycyrrhizin retains its sweetness after heating. Although it has a similar taste to anise, the plants are not related. However aniseed oil is often added to liquorice products in the UK. Over in Europe, they prefer to add salt, especially in the Netherlands. A particularly challenging version known as salmiak is popular across northern Europe - especially Scandinavia - where the addition of ammonium chloride creates a distinctive 'mouth numbing' effect, definitely an acquired taste!