Licorice extract, or licorice, is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra herb from which a sweet flavor can be extracted (named Glycyrrhizin). The word Licorice is derived (via the Old French licoresse) from the Greek glycyrrhiza, meaning “sweet root”. Licorice flavors are used as candies or sweeteners, particularly in some European and Middle Eastern countries. Licorice extracts have a number of medical uses, and they are also used in herbal and folk medications. Hundreds of potentially healing substances have been identified in licorice as well, including compounds called flavonoids and various plant estrogens (phytoestrogens). The herb’s key therapeutic compound, glycyrrhizin (which is 50 times sweeter than sugar) exerts numerous beneficial effects on the body, making licorice a valuable herb for treating a host of ailments. It seems to prevent the breakdown of adrenal hormones such as cortisol (the body’s primary stress-fighting adrenal hormone), making these hormones more available to the body.