About a plant like the sun's root, you might not hear, but with a licorice you should know well. It is one and the same plant, which grows in fairly large quantities in Europe, Africa, Central Asia. Liquorice - another alternative name for licorice or a solar root - belongs to the family of legumes. The benefit of the plant was appreciated by culinary experts, confectioners, cosmetologists, and doctors.
What does a licorice look like?
Licorice bushes seem completely unremarkable. The root of the plant is thick, a lot of erect stems, covered with short fuzz, leave from it. On one stem can grow up to a dozen of the odd-numbered large ones, sometimes reaching up to 20 cm in length, the leaves. Blossoms licorice brooms, and fruiting - small brown beans.
Knowing now what a licorice is, it's time to tell about what it's useful. Special value for medicine, cosmetology and cooking is represented only by the root of licorice. Stems, flowers and other parts of the plant by some adherents of traditional medicine are also used, but it happens very rarely.
Useful properties of licorice
The secret of the effectiveness of the solar root - in the composition, which is based on sugar (licorice root is several times sweeter than cane sugar) and glycerizic acid. In addition, the root of licorice contains such components:
- fructose;
- polysaccharides;
- maltose;
- vitamins of group B;
- flavonoids;
- alkaloids;
- amino acids;
- phytosterols;
- acid (amber, fumaric, tartaric, citric).
Thanks to all these substances, the solar root is able to improve energy metabolism, normalize the work of all organs and systems, take part in all metabolic reactions taking place in the body.
Licorice has a powerful expectoration. That is why it is added to many breastfeeds, syrups, potions, elixirs. And the ability to regulate the production of melanin has contributed to the fact that licorice extract (licorice) is used in cosmetology against age pigmentation.
Among other things, the solar root can boast such useful properties:
- antiulcer;
- antispasmodic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- anti-edematous;
- wound-healing;
- starving;
- antiviral;
- antibacterial.
With the help of licorice they treat:
- asthma;
- eczema;
- hypotonic syndrome;
- various diseases of the digestive tract;
- dermatitis;
- neurodermatitis ;
- poisoning;
- ulcerous diseases of the stomach and duodenum.
Folk medicine considers the root of liquorice to be the number one remedy in the fight against prostatic adenoma.
Cosmeticians have a sunny root (liquorice) for the fact that the products on its basis perfectly whiten the skin , relieve irritation and swelling. And even the simplest broth acts very efficiently and efficiently. After applying it, collagen synthesis is accelerated. The skin tightens, looks healthier, and the wrinkles existing on it effectively equalize.
Contraindications for use
Although the liquorice is considered useful, there are also harmful properties of the plant. In some people, the sun's root can cause an acute allergic reaction. This is why licorice-based drugs are contraindicated in pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Children are not recommended to use licorice-based products for more than a week. Since the plant helps to increase the release of estrogens, premature ripening can begin in the child's body. In adult organisms against the background of the abuse of licorice, swelling occurs, diuresis is disturbed.