Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, E
Minerals: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Chromium, Cobalt, Selenium, Silicon, Zinc
Actions: Tonic, pectoral, alterative, expectorant, demulcent, emollient, diuretic, aperient, laxative, refrigerant, Antiinflammatory, antispasmodic, antifungal, and antibacterial, emmenagogue, oestrogenic, cathartic, stomachic, antiviral, expectorant
Medicinal Uses: Licorice is a very special plant with many healing properties. The rejuvenating and nutritive properties have made it one of the most universally consumed herbs; widely used by practitioners of eastern and western herbalism. Since earliest recorded history, licorice has been valued as an aphrodisiac, beautifying agent, used for vitality, and longevity, often called an elixir of life. The earliest clay tablets found in Mesopotamia, tell of licorice as a panacea potion. It is one of the oldest and best-known remedies for coughs and chest complaints. In Egypt, licorice water has been a popular sweet drink since the time of the pharaohs.
It contains a unique substance called glycyrrhizin; by analysis found to be 50 times sweeter than refined sugar. It is detectable if only one drop is added to 15,000 drops of pure water. The glycyrrhizin has no calories, but the natural licorice root (from which the glycyrrhizin comes) does contain a few calories due to the presence of a very small amount of dextrose (1.4%) and sucrose (3.2%). This sweetener can be utilized by diabetics. Due to its sweetness and flavoring properties, it is used to make the bitterness of other medicines more palatable.
Roman legions considered licorice an indispensable ration for their long grueling campaigns. It was said soldiers could go up to 10 days without eating or drinking as the licorice properties helped to build stamina and energy, which allayed both hunger and thirst. In the year 1305, King Edward I, placed a duty on licorice sales, which went to help finance the repair of London Bridge.
Ancient Hindus believed it increased sexual vigor when taken with milk and sugar. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, herbs were used as special foods, serving to eliminate excesses as well as strengthen deficiencies, restore and rejuvenate. Licorice works on the digestive, respiratory, nervous, reproductive and excretory systems. It is an effective expectorant, often combined with ginger to help liquefy mucus and facilitate its discharge. Combined with cardamom and ginger it is considered a tonic for the teeth. Licorice is used to calm the mind, nourish the brain and increase cranial and cerebrospinal fluid, and to benefit vision, voice, hair, complexion and stamina. Licorice is a time-honored herb in Chinese medicine, dating back thousands of years.
Chinese doctors divided their medicinals into 3 classes, according to their reputed properties. Licorice was listed amongst drugs of the first class because it preserved the life of man. The first class herbs were considered not poisonous, so no matter how much you took or how often you used them, they were not harmful. This supreme group of herbs was used to strengthen the respiratory system, keep the body agile and alert, allowing one to age in years without aging in body.
One longevity formula was made of 20% licorice, 40% gotu kola, 30% ginseng, 10% cayenne, with 2-4g of the formula taken 3 times a day. Chinese medicine was often called the medicine of harmony, as the whole focus was on the creation and expression of harmony, a most meaningful basis of health care. Almost all Chinese herbs are used in mixed formulas that may combine 2 or more herbs. Licorice was in many of these formulas, as I was told by a Chinese herbalist, "You always throw a bit in, it helps to detoxify very strong herbs".
Request Full report: info@houseofnubian.com