Licorice Powder: Benefits, Uses and Precautions
A sweet, soothing root already covered as a tea on this site, licorice also comes as a powder — convenient for everyday use, but with the same vigilance around blood pressure.
Licorice powder (yashtimadhu churna) is the most convenient form for working this soothing root into daily life, alongside the tea already detailed in our article licorice. Made by finely grinding the dried root of Glycyrrhiza glabra, it retains the full range of the plant's active compounds, including glycyrrhizin — which makes it a genuinely useful product, but one that calls for the same precautions as the whole root.
How to recognize a quality licorice powder
- Color: light beige to pale yellow, even throughout. A grayish or overly dark powder often points to poorly stored or aged root.
- Smell: sweet and faintly anise-like, with no musty note.
- Flavor: distinctly sweet from the very first pinch on the tongue — the signature of glycyrrhizin, and something absent from a diluted or lower-quality powder.
- Sourcing: choose an organic powder that names the species (Glycyrrhiza glabra) on the label, from a trustworthy brand.
How to use licorice powder
| Use | Preparation | Typical indicative dose |
|---|---|---|
| Sore throat, dry cough | Mixed with unheated honey | 1/2 to 1 teaspoon, once or twice a day |
| Digestive comfort, acidity | Diluted in a little warm water, before a meal | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Tired voice | With ghee, per Ayurvedic tradition | 1/2 teaspoon |
As with the tea, the same rule applies: no more than 4 to 6 weeks in a row, at a modest dose. The powder, more concentrated than a simple decoction, shouldn't create a false sense of safety.
What research shows about licorice and blood pressure
The clinical trial by Sigurjónsdóttir, Franzson, Manhem, Ragnarsson, Sigurdsson and Wallerstedt, published in 2001 in the Journal of Human Hypertension (vol. 15, no. 8, p. 549-552) (see the study on Google Scholar), found a linear dose-response relationship in healthy volunteers between the daily amount of glycyrrhizin consumed and the rise in blood pressure, along with an associated risk of hypokalemia (low potassium) with regular, prolonged consumption. This result, obtained with doses controlled under laboratory conditions, confirms that even a "natural" powder sold without any regulatory oversight isn't exempt from this dose-dependent effect: the more you consume and the longer you consume it, the greater the risk to blood pressure.
Licorice powder or the DGL form?
For regular, longer-term digestive use, our article licorice covers the DGL (deglycyrrhizinated) form, which has had the molecule responsible for the blood-pressure effect removed. Standard powder, by contrast, retains all of its glycyrrhizin: it's better suited to occasional use (throat, voice) than to daily consumption over several months.
Precautions
Licorice powder is not recommended with high blood pressure, treated or not, without prior medical advice. It should also be avoided during pregnancy, and discussed with a doctor if you're breastfeeding, have a kidney or heart condition, or are on an ongoing treatment (diuretics, corticosteroids, digoxin). Also factor in hidden sources of licorice in food (candy, anise-flavored drinks), which add up alongside a powder taken as a course. Find our full recommendations in our safety and precautions guide.
Your questions about licorice powder
How do you recognize a good licorice powder?
An even, light beige color, a sweet, faintly anise-like smell, and above all a distinctly sweet flavor from the very first pinch — a sign of glycyrrhizin content. Choose an organic powder that names the species (Glycyrrhiza glabra).
What is the difference between licorice powder and DGL?
Standard powder retains all of the glycyrrhizin, the molecule responsible for the blood-pressure effect; the DGL form has had it removed. Standard powder is better suited to occasional use, DGL to regular, longer-term digestive use.
How long can you take licorice powder?
No more than 4 to 6 weeks in a row, at a modest dose (roughly half a teaspoon to one teaspoon a day), followed by a break. A 2001 study confirms a dose-response relationship between the amount consumed and rising blood pressure.
Is licorice powder dangerous for blood pressure?
Yes, in excess or over the long term: it can raise blood pressure and lower potassium levels. It is not recommended with high blood pressure, treated or not, without prior medical advice.
How do you take licorice powder day to day?
Mixed with unheated honey for the throat, diluted in warm water before a meal for digestive comfort, or with ghee for the voice, following the traditional uses detailed in our article on licorice.
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