Licorice as a heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese herbal medicine: its benefits and effects, and whether drinking it as an infusion is toxic
Licorice is a Chinese herbal medicine, and generally the rhizome is used for medicinal purposes. Many people also call licorice sweet grass root, red licorice, powder licorice, or Ural licorice. It is mainly distributed and cultivated in desert steppes, desert margins and loess hills, because licorice likes to grow in a dry climate environment. So what are the benefits and effects of licorice? Can licorice be infused in water to drink? What benefits does it have? Is licorice toxic?
I. Benefits and effects of licorice
1. Licorice can treat stomach distension and pain, abdominal pain, and cramping pain of the gastrocnemius muscle. It is generally eaten together with peony, which can enhance the therapeutic effect and achieve twice the result with half the effort. A common example is peony and licorice decoction. The specific method of consumption still needs to follow medical advice; this is only an auxiliary effect.
2. Licorice can soothe the throat, relieve cough, clear heat and detoxify. Licorice has a very good heat-clearing and detoxifying effect, and often appears together with heat-reducing Chinese medicines such as honeysuckle and forsythia. When the throat is uncomfortable, you can consider boiling licorice and platycodon together into a decoction to drink, which can also soothe the throat and relieve cough. The specific formula and proportions still need to refer to medical advice.
3. Harmonizing the harsh nature of medicines. In Chinese herbal medicine, licorice can often play the role of harmonizing the harsh nature of medicines. Some Chinese medicines are too irritating to the human body, causing discomfort in the stomach and intestines, and need to be harmonized before consumption. Licorice also often appears in many prescription drugs and is a rare harmonizing medicine.
4. Licorice can treat asthma and cough. Generally, we choose to take it alone or in combination with other medicines. Many Chinese herbal decoctions for treating cough have licorice added among the ingredients, such as Erchen decoction, Sangxing decoction, etc. The taste is not too bitter. The specific mixing proportions still require a professional doctor to prescribe the medicinal formula; you cannot mix it yourself at random.
II. Can licorice be infused in water to drink? What benefits does it have?
Licorice can be infused in water to drink.
1. Drinking licorice infused in water can regulate physical fatigue, spleen and stomach discomfort, and similar issues. After brewing licorice with an appropriate amount of warm water and taking it, its effects can be magnified several times.
2. Drinking licorice infused in water can detoxify. In daily life, it is hard to avoid food poisoning caused by accidental eating or improper combinations. If friends have licorice at home, they can choose to drink licorice infused in water to alleviate toxicity and quickly expel the toxins from the body. This is because licorice can stimulate the adrenal cortex and has an adsorptive effect.
3. Drinking licorice infused in water has a regulatory effect on the digestive system. Many people have poor digestive function and poor stomach and intestines. Drinking more licorice water can promote bowel movement and harmonize the digestive system.
III. Is licorice toxic?
As the saying goes, every medicine is three parts toxic. Licorice is naturally no exception. No matter what it is, you must not eat too much of it. Everyone must keep this firmly in mind!
If licorice is taken in large amounts, it may cause edema in the human body, impaired sexual function, and inhibit cortisol conversion. If it is not stopped continuously, it may cause hypokalemia. I hope everyone must strictly follow medical advice and prescribe the right medicine for the illness.