The Plant That Is Sweeter Than Sugar And Helps People With Diabetes

Licorice root is an ancient medicinal remedy that can be traced back to multiple societies including ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greek, and Middle Eastern. Historically, it was used to treat digestive and stomach complaints and upper respiratory problems. In more recent years, scientists have begun researching whether it can help people with diabetes too.

Licorice root can be used for flavoring and as a sweetener. That’s because the sugar in the root is a substance 50 times sweeter than sugar and it also has its own distinctive flavor. Let’s look at how licorice root can help people with diabetes and other health benefits it provides first. Then I will show you two ways you can use licorice root and their recipes: licorice root-infused oatmeal and as a tea.

Medicinal Benefits Of Licorice Root

Like I mentioned, licorice root has become increasingly popular in studies related to diabetes. One of the most notable was conducted by a German research group at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics. They found that licorice root contains natural substances called amorfrutins that reduce blood sugar levels. These amorfrutins also prevent fatty liver, which often arises in people with diabetes. However, the level of amorfrutins found in licorice root might not be high enough to actually replace conventional treatment.

Many other studies have also been conducted on licorice and diabetes and found that it decreases blood glucose levels and also has the ability to decrease weight gain. When people take insulin, weight gain is often a common side effect. What’s more, being overweight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the first place so maintaining a healthy weight is great for prevention.

Licorice root can also help treat or relieve a number of other medical conditions including:

Liver disease

• Gum disease
• A sore throat
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Hot flushes during menopause

It is also highly nutritious and contains:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Over 300 flavonoids

Related: An Ingenious Way to Stockpile Prescription Medicines, Including Insulin (Video)

How To Make Licorice Root Infused Oatmeal

Substituting sugar for licorice root in oatmeal makes for a lovely breakfast (or snack!).

The licorice root gives it a distinctive flavor as well as adding sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1 Licorice root (maximum weight = 0.42 oz/12 grams)
• ½ Cup of milk (plant-based or animal)
• ½ Cup of water
• ½ Cup of oats

Utensils

• Small pan
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Container/bowl large enough to catch the milk/water from the strainer
• Chopping board
• Wooden spatula or spoon
• Small knife

Method

1. Weigh a piece of licorice root and choose one that is approximately 0.42 oz / 12 grams, otherwise cut/break one to size.
2. Cut your chosen root into two by making an indent with your knife by cutting down with force. You probably won’t be able to cut it all the way through with the knife so snap it in half with your fingers along the incision.
3. Put ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of water in your pan along with your licorice root. Turn the heat to medium and leave it for 5 minutes.
4. Turn the heat up and wait until you have a gentle simmer and keep it going for another 5 minutes.
5. When the 5 minutes is up, take it off the heat and strain your mixture so that you retain the milk and water and you can discard the licorice root.
6. Add your milk/water back into the pan and also add your oats now. Give it all a stir and put on low-medium heat. Cook for approximately 5 minutes and stir the oats frequently.

If you like your oatmeal runnier you can take it off the heat whenever it’s at the consistency you want. Likewise, if you want them thicker, you can leave them on longer according to your preference.

If it’s hot where you are, you can always make overnight oats by infusing the milk/water with the licorice root (as per steps 1-5) and letting it cool before pouring it over oats and covering it. Then leave it in the fridge and have it the next day.

How To Make Licorice Root Tea

You don’t have to use licorice root in a food recipe to benefit from its goodness. You can always make a simple licorice root tea, which has been used for millennia.

Ingredients

• 1 Licorice root (maximum weight = 0.42 oz / 12 grams)
• 1 Cup of water

Utensils

• Small strainer
• 2 Mugs
• Chopping board
• Small knife

Method

1. Boil enough water for a cup of water or more to fit your mug.
2. Weigh a piece of licorice root and choose one that is approximately 0.42 oz / 12 grams, otherwise cut/break one to size.
3. Cut your chosen root into two by making an indent with your knife by cutting down with force. You probably won’t be able to cut it all the way through with the knife so snap it in half with your fingers along the incision.
4. Put your licorice root into your mug and pour the boiled water over it. Let it steep for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the licorice root by straining the mixture into another mug (if you have a small strainer). Otherwise, you can use a fine-mesh strainer and pour the water and root into it, catching the licorice root tea in another container and transferring this to a mug, ready to drink.

You can also follow these instructions and use the licorice root to sweeten your favorite type of hot beverage such as black tea by letting it steep with your regular tea and then straining everything.

How Much Licorice Root Should You Take Every Day

The maximum amount of licorice root that you should use every day is 0.42 oz / 12 grams. You can take this one time a day or split your root quota in half and take it morning and evening.

Licorice root has two main potential gains for people with diabetes: by lowering blood sugar levels and as a dietary sweetener. While it’s not recommended to replace the medication for diabetes with licorice root, including it in your diet can have many beneficial side effects on your health and it gives you a new, sweeter sugar alternative.

A Word Of Caution

Licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, which is the component that also makes licorice root sweet. It has many positive attributes such as being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and having antimicrobial properties. However, it is also this same glycyrrhizin that can have negative effects.

Large doses can lead to glycyrrhizin accumulation and this has been linked to the following most noted outcomes:

• Low potassium levels
• High blood pressure
• Abnormal heart rhythms

It can also have an adverse effect on certain medications including:

• Blood pressure medications
• Cholesterol medications
• Diuretics
• Blood thinners
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

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