Licorice
Licorice · ชะเอมเทศ（チャエム・テート）
Glycyrrhiza glabra
“The sweet root”
| Thai name | ชะเอมเทศ |
|---|---|
| Species | Glycyrrhiza glabra |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Part used | Root and rhizome |
| Aroma | Naturally sweet, like sugar |
What is licorice?
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is a plant in the legume family, known in Japanese as "kanzō (sweet grass)" for the strong sweetness of its root. Valued in both Eastern medicine and Western herbal traditions, it has appeared throughout the world's traditional medicines as a base for blends and a natural sweetener. Records of Lanna traditional medicine in northern Thailand, where it is called cha em thet (ชะเอมเทศ), describe its use as an expectorant for sore throats and coughs. Its sweetness comes from glycyrrhizin, and it is listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia as the crude drug kanzo.
A root that travels the world
From the Mediterranean to Central Asia to China, licorice is a RootHerb beloved at the crossroads of civilizations. It tells of how the idea of finding value in the root has been shared across East and West.
It appears in bathing and tea cultures across regions as a sweet, aromatic note in herbal blends.
Used in herbal tea blends and for natural sweetness. With its root prized across herbal cultures worldwide, it embodies the universality of the RootHerb.
Note: this page introduces the traditions and culture around the plant. It does not guarantee any effect.