Licorice Root Can Relieve Body Pain, Heartburn and More

In case you didn’t know, that delicious sweet stick people often chew on, also known as licorice, is actually a root.

The sweet-tasting root from the Glycyrrhiza Glabra (native to India and Asia, and sometimes found growing wild in Europe), can help to clean your teeth and relieve any sugar cravings (as it is 50 times sweeter than sugar), but it can also do a lot more than that.

By chewing licorice root, you can also experience a number of other health benefits, here are just some of the best:

Heartburn

It’s a common problem, that usually occurs just after you’ve eaten. Symptoms are usually a hot, throbbing pain in your chest. To relive this uncomfortable pain, you can take a bite on some licorice root and it will help to soothe the burn.

The root has inflammatory properties that naturally help to overcome heartburn and acid reflux.

Adrenal Fatigue

Stress, that you may experience on any given day that may push you just slightly outside of your comfort zone, can cause your adrenal glands to react. Stress causes our bodies to release the stress hormone cortisol, and chewing licorice root is a natural way to regulate the amount of cortisol in your body, letting your adrenal glands relax.

Coughs and Sore Throats

The inflammation that comes with a bad cough can cause enormous pain in your throat. Licorice root is an expectorant, and so helps to dislodge and expel mucous that your body is trying to get rid of through coughing, while its inflammatory properties also help to soothe and relieve body pain.

Cramps and Abdominal Pain

Licorice is an antispasmodic and can relieve body pain caused by cramps as well as soothing the cramps themselves.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

This common syndrome affects thousands of people every year, and is a malfunction of the intestinal tight junction and restricts the access nutrients have from your stomach to your bloodstream. When this key area is malfunctioning, bacteria and germs are able to enter your bloodstream and cause pain.

Licorice root helps to soothe your stomach and the intestinal tight junction. Licorice has also been shown to help with other problems such as stomach ulcers, canker sores, eczema, and may also help with weight loss.

Licorice root comes in peeled and unpeeled forms of dried root, you can get powdered versions, finely cut root and liquid extracts. Licorice can also come in capsules, tablets and can be made into tea.

These usually use licorice root extracts, known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) and can be taken with aspirin. Be very careful with doses for children, and always check with your doctor before taking any additional natural supplements.