Malethi / Mulethi / Liquorice Sticks

Liquorice, commonly called as mulethi in India, is a popular condiment that not only acts as a good flavoring agent but is also widely used home remedy because of its widespread medical properties. It has been in use since ancient times in Indian Ayurveda as well as in Chinese medicine. This medicinal herb has wide reaching health benefits and thus, is of great value in naturally treating sore throat, chest congestion, strengthening of bones and muscles, kidney problems, bronchitis, mouth ulcers, hair loss, etc to name a few.

The medicinal property of mulethi is mainly because of the presence of powerful phytochemicals namely flavonoids, chalcones, saponins and xenoestrogens. Glycyrrhizin (salts of glycyrrhizic acid) is a popular saponin found in roots of mulethi that is responsible for the characteristic sweet taste (50 times more sweet than sugar) flavor. Liquiritin, licoflavonol, liquiritigenin, etc are the common chalcones that provide the distinct yellowish color to mulethi; while, the aroma of its root is mainly because of anethole.