When Not to Use It
Licorice root has been one of the most widely used herbs in many herbal traditions of the world because of its concentrated triterpenoid saponins and other health-promoting constituents. All species come from the genus Glycyrrhiza and are members of the legume or pea family. The word Glycyrrhiza is derived from the Greek word glykorrhiza, meaning "sweet root." While the appearance of the root looks like an ordinary wood-like stick or branch you might find on a forest floor when you chew on a piece there is a distinctly sweet taste.