How to Make Licorice Root Tea

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Licorice root is a very popular herb in Chinese medicine and has been used for years to treat many conditions. Licorice root tea is the best way to use licorice root. In this post, we will go over the benefits of licorice root, how to prepare licorice root, and how to make licorice root tea. You’ll also find a handy licorice root tea recipe printable at the end of this post.


A few years ago, I had an awful cough that wouldn’t go away. The kind that doesn’t let you sleep at night.

I was looking for a natural, herbal remedy to help me heal my throat, and came across a licorice root tea recipe for sore throat and cough.

I had never heard of licorice root before so I thought I’d give it a try. I ordered a bag of licorice root slices and made the tea. It only took a few cups of tea before the cough was completely gone.

Since then, I make sure to always have licorice root in my herb cabinet. I’ve learned that this wonderful root has many more benefits and I will list those in this post.

How to Make Licorice Root Tea…

How to prepare licorice root and how to make licorice root tea to support your health naturally. Let's talk about the benefits of licorice root and how you can use it. #howtomakelicoriceroottea #licoriceroottea #licoricedrink #licoricetearecipe #benefitsoflicoriceroot

Licorice root tea is made from the root of the medicinal herb licorice (also known as liquorice). It is the most used herb in Chinese medicine and has been used in Europe since prehistoric times (read more HERE). It has been used for centuries to flavor foods, to sweeten drinks, to flavor tobacco, as a foaming agent in beers, and to harmonize contrasting herbs.

Where Does Licorice Root Come From…

The Glycyrrhiza glabra plant (licorice) is a perennial that is native to southern Europe and Asia. The root is harvested and often boiled. In the boiling process, the sweetener glycyrrhizin is removed to form licorice extract which is significantly sweeter than sugar.

How to prepare licorice root and how to make licorice root tea to support your health naturally. Let's talk about the benefits of licorice root and how you can use it. #howtomakelicoriceroottea #licoriceroottea #licoricedrink #licoricetearecipe #benefitsoflicoriceroot

Benefits of Licorice Root…

Settles stomach problems – licorice root will help relieve stomach pain, treat ulcer and heartburn, and will jump-start the digestive tract in case of constipation.

Relieve stress and fatigue –  licorice can help regulate cortisol which is the stress hormone. As a result, it gives our adrenal glands a break and prevents adrenal fatigue.

Supports a healthy respiratory system – licorice root is anti-inflammatory and will help loosen mucus in the lungs and clear clogged nasal passages. it is very effective in treating cough. (Read more about licorice root anti-inflammatory properties HERE). 

Relieve muscle pain – licorice is antispasmodic and will help relieve cramping in the muscles.

Strengthen the immune system –  licorice is both antibacterial and antiviral. It will support and strengthen your immune system making your body stronger against colds and the flu. Licorice is also emerging as a potential treatment and prevention for diseases like hepatitis C, HIV, and influenza. (Read more HERE).

Treats tooth decay and prevents cavities – chemical compounds in licorice root help prevent bacteria in oral cavities that cause the formation of plaque and acid which leads to tooth decay. Chewing on licorice root will not only help you keep your teeth healthy but also keep your breath fresh and remove bad odors. (Read more HERE).

Improves hair and skin health – licorice root contains elements like choline, phytoestrogens, potassium, phosphorus, amines, essential oils, protein, vitamin B, and flavonoids. Those will promote a healthy scalp, hair, and skin. Licorice root is effective in treating dandruff, preventing hair loss, repairing skin damage, and curing eczema and skin rashes.

Reduces PMS, hot flashes, and treats yeast infection – due to its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties licorice can help with PMS. Licorice can help regulate hormones and help with menopause issues like hot flashes and mood swings.  Licorice root can also fight and cure yeast infection. (Read more about licorice root and hormones HERE).

Helps with weight loss and good for diabetics – licorice extract is a natural sweetener that is even sweeter than sugar. If you are diabetic, consider using it to replace sugar in food and drinks. Studies suggest that regular drinking of licorice tea can significantly help reduce body fat mass due to the stomach acid controlling properties of licorice. (Read more about the anti-diabetic effect of glycyrrhizin HERE).

Support mental health – licorice contains a compound known as carbenoxolone. This compound inhibits an enzyme that regulates stress hormones in the brain that has been associated with mental decline.

So you can see we are talking about a super root here. There are more than enough reasons to add it to your diet. The best way to do that is to make licorice tea.

How to Prepare Licorice Root…

How to prepare licorice root and how to make licorice root tea to support your health naturally. Let's talk about the benefits of licorice root and how you can use it. #howtomakelicoriceroottea #licoriceroottea #licoricedrink #licoricetearecipe #benefitsoflicoriceroot

To a pot, add 0.5 oz (=one tablespoon) licorice root for every one cup of water. If you buy the licorice root slices as I use here, it’s easier to weight it since it doesn’t exactly fit in a teaspoon. If you buy the chopped root, it’s easier to add it by the tablespoons.

If you are making the tea to treat a sore throat or a cough, also add a stick of cinnamon and a couple of slices of ginger. There is no need to add any sweetener! Licorice root is very sweet. 

How to prepare licorice root and how to make licorice root tea to support your health naturally. Let's talk about the benefits of licorice root and how you can use it. #howtomakelicoriceroottea #licoriceroottea #licoricedrink #licoricetearecipe #benefitsoflicoriceroot

Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the tea rest for 5 minutes.

How to prepare licorice root and how to make licorice root tea to support your health naturally. Let's talk about the benefits of licorice root and how you can use it. #howtomakelicoriceroottea #licoriceroottea #licoricedrink #licoricetearecipe #benefitsoflicoriceroot

Next, pour your tea through a strainer into a teapot or straight into a cup and enjoy!

How to prepare licorice root and how to make licorice root tea to support your health naturally. Let's talk about the benefits of licorice root and how you can use it. #howtomakelicoriceroottea #licoriceroottea #licoricedrink #licoricetearecipe #benefitsoflicoriceroot

Precautions…

It is advised that young children (under 50lb), pregnant women, and nursing women do not use licorice in any form. Licorice might increase the risk of miscarriage some say, but there is no research to back this up.

Kids that weight more than 50lb can drink 1/3 cup of licorice tea to relieve sore throat and cough up to three times a day for a couple of days.

There are no specific instructions for adults. Just don’t overdo it because too much glycyrrhizin can cause serious side effects like headaches, fatigue, and high blood pressure.

If used in moderation regularly, licorice tea can play a big role in keeping your body healthy and strong. We increase the amount we drink right away if we feel that we are getting sick or if someone wakes up with a sore throat (up to three cups a day). Then, once we feel better again, we go back to two or three cups a week.


I am not a doctor, but I had and still have great experiences with licorice tea. It has been a regular herb in my herb cabinet for the past couple of years. I hope it will help you too.

Here is the handy printable…

How to Make Licorice Root Tea

Licorice Root Tea For Cough

Yield: 4 cups of tea
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes

Licorice root tea can support our health naturally in many ways, one way is as a remedy for cough.

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons sliced licorice root (0.5 oz, or one tablespoon, per one cup of water)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 slice of ginger root
  • 5 cups of water

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a small pot.
  2. Bring to a boil.
  3. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and strain right into tea cups or a tea pot.
  5. Sip slowly and let the tea heal your throat!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 63Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 63mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 0g

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43 thoughts on “How to Make Licorice Root Tea”

  1. Glad I discovered this recipe. I struggle with diverticulitis. Two home remedies are in this tea: licorice root and ginger root. I also know that cinnamon is good for the tummy. So I made it and my tummy feels happy. I bookmarked this. I will be using this regularly. Oh yeah; it’s delicious.

  2. The recipe seems off. You had specified 0.5 oz of sliced root or 1 tablespoon of chopped root per cup of water.
    when I brewed 1 cup, I used 0.5 oz of sliced licorice root shaped like nickel coins. It came to 18 coin pieces.
    Then I chopped some of the coin pieces to see how many is needed to make a tablespoon. Only 5 of the coin pieces were needed to make a tablespoon chopped… this means that I would only need 5 coin pieces instead of 18.
    Maybe the weight to volume equivalence is incorrect OR the weight unit is off since 18 nickel pieces seems a lot of licorice root to brew just 1 cup…
    Any thoughts ? Which is a better measure?

    1. 18 definitely sounds like a lot. Weight for dry root can change and the form it comes in can change too so it can be hard to give exact measurements. I think that I used shaved root back then… I would say go with five coins, even four per cup sounds like enough. This is also not an exact science. You can decide to make your tea stronger or lighter depending on how you personally like it.

  3. Thank you this was great information. I will definitely try the tea…I have fresh licorice root though.
    Thanks again! Miriam

  4. Hello Ms Lee, I would like to know if there’s a different recipe I could use to ease the menopause symptoms. I hope you reply soon. Thank You.

    1. A tea recipe, you mean? With licorice?
      I use a hormone balancing supplement from doTERRA for this kind of stuff. I’m sure there is a tea that you can make to help balance hormones but I’ve never checked into it because the supplement does it for me.

  5. Hi Lee,
    Would you give a suggestion of how to slice liquorice root?
    And also, how big is a slice of ginger? (thickness?)
    Thanks!

    1. I’ve never sliced it myself! I get it already sliced. It sliced very thin but I’m not sure what sort of machine they use to do this. The root is very woody so I’m assuming that if I had a whole root I will use a wood saw (just a handheld one) and slice as thin as I could. A slice of ginger can be about 1/4 of an inch thick. I hope this helps.

  6. I’ve just started my “natural healing remedies” journey and it was going well until I found licorice root. This plant contains soo many valuable properties that I needed it was a Home Run discovery for me!
    Until, I drank the tea.
    I only drank 1/3 of a cup (& it wasn’t bad going down) BUT the after taste is more than I can bear.
    Please, I’m Begging You!!!
    If you know of ANYTHING that I can do (add/mix) to help me tolerate the taste of this Wonderful & Beneficial, but god Awful tasting root, please advise… I would very much welcome and appreciate any input.

  7. Corinna metters

    Great article, thank you, simple method, lots of useful info there. Nice to see the contraindications, the recommended amounts and warnings in there too though!

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