Product Description

Licorice root is used in more formulations than any other herb in Chinese herbalism. It is considered to be the quintessential "servant" herb. Its sweet and pleasant flavor helps make some unsavory formulations palatable, and otherwise bland-tasting formulations pleasant.

It is believed that Licorice Root "harmonizes" the ingredients in an herbal formulation, eliminating harshness of action and promoting smooth activity of the herbs. It is therefore called the Great Harmonizer and is extremely important in the Chinese herbal system, both tonic and medicinal. The herb is powerful, and small doses are usually sufficient to achieve excellent results.

Licorice is an excellent Qi tonic. It increases vital energy. This herb is frequently used to strengthen the digestive and metabolic functions. It aids in the assimilation of nutrients and this contributes to the building of blood. Licorice helps build strong muscle tissue. It is thus widely used by athletes, dancers, and other physically active people. It is used as an ingredient in numerous Qi tonic formulations as both a Qi tonic and the harmonizing ingredient.

Directions: Add the amount of botanicals per a recipe, as desired, or as directed by a health practitioner. The proper way of extracting botanicals depends on parts used. Flowers, fruits and leaves can usually be steeped or decocted (boiling over fire) while stems, barks and roots typically require decocting.

In a Desktop Botanical Garden™ Glass Tea & Elixir Maker, add 1 part botanical(s) and 5-8 parts water, steep or decoct for 5-20 minutes. You can boil water directly in the Elixir Maker. Repeat this process for 2nd or 3rd extraction until all active constituents have been extracted.

Ingredients:  Licorice root slices