How should liquorice root be brewed?

Dried liquorice root is brewed with hot water — this is the most common way of using this kind of herbal material. According to the instructions on the packaging, 1 tablespoon of the root is covered with hot boiled water and heated in a water bath for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then cooled, strained and topped up with boiled water to 200 ml. This infusion is taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Liquorice goes well with other herbs — mint, chamomile, ginger, rosehip. It is often added to herbal blends precisely as a flavouring component: the glycyrrhizic acid in the root gives the mixture a characteristic mild sweetness without added sugar. This makes liquorice a handy base ingredient for homemade herbal blends.

If you are using the root in pieces or shavings, you can crush it slightly beforehand — this speeds up extraction and makes the infusion more aromatic. The prepared infusion is best kept in the fridge for no more than 24 hours.

It is important to remember that liquorice is an active herbal material, not a neutral drink. Liquorice is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and if you have chronic conditions or take medicines, it is worth consulting a specialist before using it regularly.