Licorice candies: composition, useful properties and contraindications

All people can be divided into two types. To those who admire the unique taste of liquorice candies, and to those who can not stand them. Let's sort out what is this dessert.

What are licorice candies

Licorice candy is a confectionery product that is made from licorice root. In medical terminology, this plant is called licorice - it is a perennial plant that belongs to the legumes. In Russia, it is known as licorice. Unusual sweets, which have a unique salty taste, are considered one of the Finnish delicacies, which in Russia has found popularity not so long ago. In Finland, candy is sold both from natural licorice, and from artificial. The second is called salmiakki. Black candy with a peculiar taste - this is the national delicacy of Finland.

In our country licorice can be found in every pharmacy, as licorice root in Russia is used to make natural cough syrup. Licorice candies in our country are mainly used for medicinal purposes.

Such a treat has a peculiar taste. Licorice candies, as a rule, are black in color and are tube-shaped. But recently in supermarkets you can buy multicolored candies, which are made with the addition of dyes of natural colors.

The homeland of liquorice candy is considered England, the county of Yorkshire. Where liquorice came from is unknown. There is an opinion that the liquorice root was brought to England by crusaders or Dominican monks. Because Yorkshire had a harsh enough climate for licorice to bloom, it only formed roots and rhizomes there.

What is made of

Licorice in its pure form is used quite rarely. Usually it is used in cooking for the preparation of confectionery products. The licorice root is used to obtain the initial raw material, which is then soaked and peeled. It is then boiled, resulting in a sweet syrup that rivals sugar in terms of sweetness. The main ingredient of licorice candy is boiled licorice root. The resulting licorice is usually a rich black color and has an unusual salty taste.

Composition and calories

The caloric value of licorice candy is 385 kcal per 100 g of product.

Composition:

• water;
• licorice root extract;
• sugar and salt;
• molasses and starch;
• food colorings and natural additives;
• charcoal.

It is commonly believed that sweets are very unhealthy, but this is absolutely not true. Sweets can serve to strengthen and improve the health of the body, protecting against certain diseases, especially if they are made on the basis of dried licorice root juice. Licorice is rich in B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B6. Thanks to this, it is necessary for the correct functioning of all organs and the body as a whole. It surprises by the number and versatility of medicinal properties. It is difficult to find a disease with which this plant could not cope.

What are the benefits of liquorice candies

General benefits

Licorice is not a universal remedy for all ailments, but for the prevention of diseases and general strengthening of the body perfectly suits.

Licorice has the following useful properties:

1. It removes phlegm from the lungs. Most often, licorice serves to treat diseases of the respiratory system, as it has expectorant properties.
2. Helps to strengthen the heart muscle.
3. Increases blood pressure.
4. Serves to prevent cancer. Licorice treats, according to some experts, will protect against the development of cancer.
5. Treats skin diseases. Licorice has a positive effect on the skin, increases the production of collagen and evens out face tone.
6. Stimulates the work of the brain. You can include licorice candy in your diet to improve brain activity and body performance.
7. Increases the ability to work.
8. It has an antiviral effect on the body.

Licorice candies are also good for the digestive system. Licorice can be eaten by people who suffer from constipation, because it has a mild laxative effect. In addition, it helps to cleanse the body of toxins and detoxes.

Also licorice is used for seasickness. Treats made of it can be taken with you on the road, as it is an excellent remedy against motion sickness and nausea.

Licorice candies have become a favorite treat for smokers, as they help eliminate bad breath, eliminate coughs and heartburn.

For women

Licorice root helps to cope with nervousness and depression, as it contains a substance - glycyrrhizin. The compound helps the adrenal glands, which produce stress hormones, to function properly. It helps to cope with painful feelings during menstruation.

Means on the basis of this plant help to fight fat deposits. The components of the root combat subcutaneous fat at the cellular level. Thanks to the improvement of the digestive system, heavy carbohydrates and fats do not turn into extra centimeters on the body, but are processed into energy.

Also, licorice is great for sticking to a diet because it reduces appetite and cravings for calorie-rich foods.

Therapeutic properties:

1. Improves hair health and reduces hair loss.
2. A positive effect on the body during periods of hormonal failure and menopause.
3. Helps in the treatment of skin diseases, eliminates rashes and other diseases.
4. It reduces the greasiness of the skin, making it soft and gentle.
5. It has a lightening effect on pigment spots and moles.
6. Increases estrogen levels in the body, which helps with pregnancy planning, according to an American study, stimulates women's sex drive.

For men.

Licorice benefits:

1. Helps in eliminating neoplasms.
2. Combats stress.
3. Increases the level of performance by stimulating the nervous system.
4. Cleanses the body of toxins and detoxes, and cleanses the liver of alcohol.
5. Influences the level of testosterone in the body.
6. Is the prevention of prostate diseases.
7. Favorably affects the work of the urinary system.
8. Improves sexual function.
9. Carries out the fight against infertility at an early stage of development.

It should be noted that the useful properties of licorice also include antimicrobial and antihistamine, which allows you to use it in the treatment of ulcers and eczema.

Also licorice helps with active sports activities and allows you to better cope with high loads, excellent for constricting blood vessels and increasing their elasticity. It significantly prolongs the level of human life, which allows avoiding early heart attacks and strokes, as well as preventing diseases of the heart and nervous system.

In pregnancy

Pregnant women are strictly contraindicated to use liquorice products. Scientists were able to find out that licorice negatively affects the development of intellectual abilities of the future child. Licorice may not only negatively affect the process of memory formation of the child, but also increase the likelihood of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Finnish scientists conducted a study, the result of which showed that children whose mothers consumed a lot of licorice during pregnancy performed worse on tests that served to determine intelligence levels. The babies also had less developed memory. Thanks to experiments involving animals, it was possible to study the mechanism of action of licorice. Such substance as glycyrrhizin is an enhancer of the effect of the stress hormone cortisol, suppressing enzymes that deactivate it. It must be said that cortisol is necessary for fetal development, but in excess it is detrimental. Some scientists believe that babies who encounter excess cortisol in the womb are more likely to suffer from ADHD. Children with ADHD have difficulty concentrating on anything. They are impulsive and overactive.

Breastfeeding

Young mothers tend to be more susceptible to colds. This happens because of reduced immunity. If there are no contraindications, licorice root during breastfeeding can be used to eliminate inflammation of the respiratory organs and facilitate phlegm discharge, but only after consulting your doctor. It is best to choose not a drugstore preparation containing alcohol, but a freshly brewed plant.

When breastfeeding, licorice has a wide range of uses:

• improves the production of breast milk;
• Helps in the treatment of respiratory diseases;
• It is used in allergic reactions;
• Improves the nervous system;
• Relieves fatigue and improves mood.

Also, licorice is used for stool problems, which often occur in women after childbirth. The plant reduces spasms and has a mild laxative effect.

Licorice root when breastfeeding helps to improve immunity, as well as adjusts the endocrine system.

Contraindications during breast-feeding:

• high blood pressure;
• tendency to edema;
• ulcer;
• individual intolerance;
• heart and kidney diseases.

For children.

In addition to delicious chocolates and ice cream, children love licorice treats that contain licorice root extract. Licorice has a pleasant enough smell. The candies themselves help relieve sore throats, relieve coughs and gastrointestinal diseases. Licorice products attract the child's attention due to their brightness and unique flavor, especially since children like stretchy candy like chewy marmalade. And many European dentists believe that licorice is a good way to fight tooth decay.

For weight loss.

Licorice root, or licorice, has long been used in eastern medicine. Chinese doctors believe that licorice root is good for preserving beauty and health. Today it is actively used to treat diseases of the respiratory system, as well as to strengthen the immune system and improve the function of the gastrointestinal tract. In losing weight licorice helps when the endocrine system is disturbed, and this often leads to extra pounds (licorice root is able to adjust it).

Licorice helps to say goodbye to extra pounds. As a rule, a person begins to gain weight due to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, to effectively fight with excess weight, it is necessary to establish digestion. With this task helps to cope with a natural plant and sweets from it.

Licorice performs a cleansing function of the body, namely it helps to eliminate toxins. For those wishing to correct their figure, take note that the plant has a mild laxative effect. Also, licorice helps to normalize acidity, regulates the production of gastric juice, so that the food that enters the stomach is better digested. After the consumption of products containing licorice, there is a decrease in cholesterol levels. All this has a beneficial effect on the metabolism. Proper digestion, cleansing the body of poisons and activation of metabolic processes contribute to weight loss.

Also licorice allows you to exercise longer, which also contributes to the weight loss process. Women who want to lose weight use candy from this plant to reduce appetite and reduce cravings for unhealthy foods. Licorice candy helps to blunt the craving for sweets because of its sugary taste.

Licorice is an effective tool in the fight against fat accumulation, but this requires a proper diet and exercise, so do not expect that the pounds will go away by themselves.

It should be noted that the extra weight that goes gradually, does not accumulate again.

In resort therapy is actively used foam-salt baths. The extract, which is obtained from the underground part of licorice, is a foaming agent that is widely used for therapy. It is dissolved in warm water in a bathtub, which is equipped with a special grid. This procedure involves immersing the patient in soft thick foam and relaxing there completely for some time (usually 10-15 minutes). Such baths are actively used in medicine and cosmetology to rid patients of skin diseases, making the skin healthy and smooth. Foam and licorice baths help accelerate metabolism, remove toxins and waste from the body, as well as weight loss.

Take with caution
This plant includes many biologically important substances that will help those who want to lose weight. However, you should not get too involved in products made on the basis of licorice, as this often disturbs the water-mineral balance in the body, causing the appearance of edema.

To get rid of fat deposits or a couple of extra centimeters, the fair sex often chooses radical measures, which have a negative impact on health. Also do not forget that such an effective means in terms of weight loss has a considerable number of contraindications.

Harm and contraindications

It is important to remember that licorice can both have therapeutic properties and harm your health. Therefore, before consuming products containing it, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications.

For some people, the use of products containing licorice is strictly contraindicated. Namely:

• pregnant women;
• children under two years of age;
• People who suffer from obesity, as it is a high-calorie product;
• People suffering from diabetes;
• people with diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• persons with individual intolerance to the product;
• Patients who have kidney disease;
• People suffering from hypertension, cirrhosis of the liver, lack of potassium in the body;
• Patients with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer in the acute stage.

The constant use of licorice can lead to high blood pressure and the formation of edema.

How to make licorice candies at home

Licorice candies can not only be purchased in the store, but also to make their own hands.

Recipe 1

Making licorice candy usually requires the availability of fresh licorice root. This is problematic for those who live in the city. But don't rush to despair. As an alternative, you can safely use a medical preparation to treat coughs - licorice root, which includes crushed licorice root. It is sold in every pharmacy at an affordable price.

Ingredients:

• butter - 100 grams;
• Licorice extract - 1 tbsp;
• condensed milk - 400 grams;
• corn syrup - 1 tbsp;
• black dye - 1 tsp;
• sugar - 200 gr.

Method of preparation:

1. Melt butter in a microwave oven.
2. Pour the melted butter into a saucepan with a thick bottom.
3. Add the condensed milk and sugar.
4. Heat the corn syrup in the microwave.
5. Pour the syrup into the pan.
6. Add the licorice extract.
7. Place pan over low heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
8. Add the coloring and bring the mixture to 110 degrees.
9. Pour the mixture into a baking tin lined with parchment and leave it for half an hour at room temperature, then chill it overnight.
10. Take out the cake cake tin and cut it into handy pieces.

Recipe 2

Ingredients:

• Licorice root - 5 tbsp.
• Gelatin - 3 tbsp.
• Water - 1 tbsp.

Method of preparation:

1. Put the gelatin in a bowl, then pour it with a glass of cold water and leave to swell for 20 minutes.
2. The resulting mass is heated in the microwave.
3. Stir the hot solution well so that the gelatin dissolves.
4. Add the licorice and mix well.
5. The resulting solution heated in the microwave, and then stir well.
6. Pour the solution into the molds, cool it to room temperature, and then put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
7. Wait for the candy to harden.

Recipe 3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar.
• 1/2 cup berry morsels.
• 1/2 cup corn syrup.
• 1/3 cup water.
• 1/4 cup anise extract and the same amount of licorice powder.

Method of preparation:

1. Pour corn syrup into a saucepan.
2. Add the sugar.
3. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved completely.
4. When it begins to thicken, add the licorice and anise.
5. Stir well and add the mixture to the molds.
6. Allow the candy to harden.

Interesting facts

1. Licorice contains such substances as saponins, which form foam. Thanks to them the plant was added to beer drinks and in foam for fire extinguishers.
2. Licorice is used for making ink, ink, and shoe polish due to its natural rich black color.
3. Residents of Japan actively use licorice to make nicotine-free cigarettes, and in other countries it is part of tobacco blends and used to flavor tobacco.
4. Licorice was first used as a medicine in China several thousand years before our era. The Chinese call licorice the second ginseng.
5. In England, this product is also highly valued for its beneficial properties.
6. Licorice candy is extremely popular in Scandinavian countries. Licorice candies are a symbol of Finland.
7. Licorice candies can be not only moderately sweet with a sour taste, but also salty and even spicy.
8. Usually liquorice candies come in the form of tubes, but also come in animal shapes and more. Sometimes licorice candies are coated with beeswax for luster.
9. Licorice has also found its use in gardening as a sand fixer.

Photo of licorice candy