- Type
- Herbs & Aromatics
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Season
- Spring·Fall
- Sowing
- From seed
Licorice
Glycyrrhiza uralensis
Glycyrrhizin · the legume root sweeter than sugar
Licorice is the dried root and rhizome of a perennial in the pea family. It goes into herbal teas and bottled health drinks, and works as a sweetener in sweets and confectionery. The sweetness comes from a glycoside called glycyrrhizin, far sweeter than sugar but different in the way it arrives late and lingers. Europe turns it into black licorice candy; Korean cooking drops a few slices into broths and teas. That same compound, though, has a record of reported cases where heavy, prolonged intake raised blood pressure or lowered blood potassium, so with licorice already present in so many teas and sweets it is worth counting the overlapping total. The Donguibogam lists it in the Herb section as 甘草, setting the nature down as neutral, the taste as sweet, and free of toxicity. It records the origin of the name 粉草, powder herb, from the dust that rises when the root snaps, and keeps the byname 國老 alongside it. The root is dug in the second and eighth months by the lunar calendar and dried in the sun, it says, with firm roots of even grain reckoned the good ones; and a folk note adds that although it was brought from China and planted across many districts it never took hold, the best coming from North Hamgyong.
Year-Round Calendar
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Where It Grows
- Main producer The largest volumes come from the dry country of Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Xinjiang. As wild harvesting is restricted, production is shifting over to cultivation.
- Main producer It is dug from wild stands along the Amu Darya and exported. What grows here is European licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), a different species.
- Major producer The wild stands of the Syr Darya basin are the producing area.
- Major producer It is dug in the dry country of the north.
- Wild population Wild plants occur on the grasslands and riverbanks around the Gobi.
It is native to the dry grasslands and riverbanks stretching from Central Asia to northern China and Mongolia. The licorice in trade falls into three lines — Manchurian licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), European licorice (G. glabra) and inflated-pod licorice (G. inflata) — and because the species that dominates differs from country to country, coloring producing areas onto a single map means reading the species along with the place. Even today, a considerable share is dug not from fields but from wild stands.
- Optimum
- 15~25℃
- Range
- 5~35℃
- Hardiness
- Hardy
This is a grass of the continental steppe, where rain is scarce and the sun is strong. Its roots run deep, so it endures drought and comes through winters of around -30℃. Where water pools, or where the rainy season drags on, the opposite happens: the root turns soft and the sweetness thins. Korea's summer humidity is therefore the wall that growers run into.
Harvested 2–3 years after planting. Seed is sown in April, the plants are grown for two or three years, and the roots are dug in autumn. The month of sowing and the month of harvest do not fall in the same year.
In Korea Nationwide
Domestic cultivation is small in scale, and most of what reaches the market is brought in from China and Central Asia. Summer rains and drainage decide the outcome, so it is planted on raised ridges, and the attempts have been made mainly in the mountain districts of Gangwon and North Chungcheong.
How to grow
- Light
- Six or seven hours of sun in an open spot. It came from dry grassland and takes plenty of light
- Soil and depth
- Free-draining sandy loam at least 50cm deep. Where water sits, the root rots
- Spacing
- 40cm between plants, 60cm between rows. The rhizome runs sideways and widens its ground each year
- Watering
- Water only through a long drought. Watered often, the root softens and the sweetness thins
- Feeding
- Start with base compost. Heavy nitrogen builds stem and leaves the root thin
- Harvest
- Lift in October or November two or three years after planting, once the stems have dried off. The rhizome runs a long way sideways, so dig wide. Wash the soil off, slice on the diagonal and dry in the sun
What makes the difference. Keep dried root sealed somewhere cool and dry. Damp brings mould, so move it to the refrigerator through the rainy season
Why this one is harder. The Donguibogam itself recorded that it was brought from China, planted across many districts and never took hold. Winter cold and the damp of the rainy season spoil the root easily, and without raising the bed and fixing the drainage first, two or three years of waiting still leave it thin
Common problems
- Aphids You will see Colonies on new shoots and flower stems, leaves turning sticky What to do Wash them off with a jet of water; if it recurs, use an egg-yolk oil spray. Clear the weeds around the bed first
- Powdery mildew You will see White dust on the upper leaf surface, lower leaves drying first What to do It spreads where plants stand too close. Thin the spacing for airflow and remove affected leaves
- Root rot You will see Plants wilt after the rains and the root is soft when pulled What to do Raise the bed and avoid spots where water sits. Dig out rotted plants and do not replant in the same place
This page describes how a crop is grown and used. It does not claim health effects for any food, nor is it intended to prevent or treat disease. Component and study notes are references only and do not mean the same result occurs in people. Consult a medical professional about health concerns.
Health Benefits
The old record — gamcho (甘草). The Donguibogam lists it in the Herb section as 甘草. It sets the nature down as neutral, the taste as sweet, and free of toxicity. It records the origin of the name 粉草, powder herb, from the dust that rises when the root snaps, and keeps the byname 國老 alongside it. The root is dug in the second and eighth months by the lunar calendar and dried in the sun, with firm roots of even grain reckoned the good ones. A folk note adds that although it was brought from China and planted across many districts it never took hold, and that the best came from North Hamgyong. What an old medical text wrote differs from how it is judged today.
Glycyrrhizin: sweetness and intake guidance. Glycyrrhizin is characterised as a triterpene glycoside sweeter than sugar. Changes in blood pressure and blood potassium after heavy, prolonged intake have been reported, and food authorities in several countries publish guidance on daily intake. This is a record of composition and of safety.
Several species carry the name licorice. The name licorice covers several species, including Glycyrrhiza uralensis, G. glabra and G. inflata. Analyses report glycyrrhizin content differing between them. This is a note on names and species.
Nutrition
- Glycyrrhizin (the source of the root's sweetness) — a triterpene glycoside sweeter than sugar
- Flavonoids such as liquiritin (distributed through the root) — phenolic compounds discussed alongside the yellow colour of the root
- Polysaccharides (drawn into the water during simmering) — high-molecular carbohydrates stored in the root
- Dietary fibre (most of the dried root) — fibre close to wood in character
Where the sweetness comes from The sweetness of licorice comes from a triterpene glycoside called glycyrrhizin. It runs far sweeter than sugar, but arrives late on the palate and lingers, which sugar does not. It stands up to heat, so the sweetness survives a long simmer.
What heavy, prolonged intake has reported Cases of raised blood pressure and lowered blood potassium after heavy, prolonged intake of glycyrrhizin have been reported in Korea and abroad. Food authorities in several countries publish guidance on daily intake of the compound. It turns up across herbal teas, health drinks and confectionery, so the overlapping total is worth counting.
A few slices in the pot Licorice is not there to fill a plate; it lays sweetness and aroma over a broth. Two or three slices change a whole pot. Once they have given up their flavour, lift them out, since the root stays tough.
Licorice candy European black licorice is confectionery flavoured and sweetened with licorice extract. What sits in one bag is an order apart from what sits in a cup of tea, so it is not something to keep reaching into. Set an amount for children.
Pairings
○ Jujube and ginger — The standard herbal-tea trio. The heat of ginger and the sweetness of jujube meet the late sweetness of licorice and stretch the finish. Two or three slices of licorice are plenty. Ginger · Jujube
○ Water for boiling meat — A few slices in the pot for suyuk or braised trotters soften the meaty smell and lay sweetness into the liquid. Lift them out once the meat is done.
○ Ingredients that lead with bitterness — One slice of licorice in a pot of bitter roots or leaves makes the cup easier to drink. More is not better, so start with a single slice.
△ Daily, strong, and for a long stretch — Glycyrrhizin has a record of reported cases where heavy, prolonged intake raised blood pressure or lowered blood potassium. Do not drink licorice tea like water; fix a daily amount and a length of time. If swelling or persistent weakness follows, stop first and speak with a clinician.
△ High blood pressure, kidney disease, oedema — Anyone with high blood pressure, kidney problems or a tendency to swell should not take licorice as a routine, and particularly not while on potassium-related medication such as a diuretic. Tell the treating clinician what is being taken.
△ Pregnancy — During pregnancy, do not make licorice tea or licorice sweets a routine. Two slices in a pot of broth and a strong decoction drunk daily are not the same thing. Where the amount is hard to judge, leave it out.
△ Licorice arriving from several directions — Licorice goes into herbal teas, health drinks, sweets and biscuits alike. Each is small on its own, and a day's total may not be. Read the ingredient lists and count the overlap.
Varieties
- Glycyrrhiza uralensis (root) — The species most widely used in East Asia. This is generally what licorice means here
- Glycyrrhiza glabra (root) — The species behind licorice candy and flavourings. Grown in West Asia and the Mediterranean
- Glycyrrhiza inflata (root) — A Central Asian species, named for its inflated pods
- Sliced (dried) — The root cut on the diagonal and dried. The usual form for broths and teas
- Roasted (jagamcho) (dried) — The root roasted in a pan. Darker in colour with a different aroma
Source: Donguibogam, Herb Section 甘草 · Rural Development Administration (Nongsaro)