Liquorice tea is a naturally sweet, caffeine-free herbal infusion made from the root of the liquorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra), with a sweet, woody, aniseed-like flavour. Its sweetness comes not from added sugar but from a natural compound in the root called glycyrrhizin, and it is often paired with burdock root in the classic "liquorice and burdock" style. This guide explains what liquorice tea is, what it tastes like, its traditional uses, how to brew it, and the one genuine, well-documented caution worth knowing before you make it a daily habit.
A quick note up front: this is general information, not medical advice. Liquorice tea is an enjoyable drink for most people in moderation, but a real, measurable effect on the body means a few groups should be careful. We will be honest about both the pleasure and the caution.
What liquorice tea is
Liquorice tea is a root infusion, not a true tea. It comes from the dried root of Glycyrrhiza glabra, a legume-family shrub grown across southern Europe, the Middle East and parts of western Asia. Because it is brewed from a root rather than the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, it belongs to the broad world of caffeine-free herbal infusions. If you are new to that distinction, our guide to what herbal tea is and our explainer on what a tisane is both explain why drinks like this are technically infusions rather than "tea" in the strict sense.
The name is spelled two ways: liquorice in British English and licorice in American English. They are the same plant and the same drink, so liquorice tea and licorice tea are interchangeable terms. What makes the root special is glycyrrhizin, a natural compound that is many times sweeter than table sugar. That single ingredient gives liquorice root tea its signature intense sweetness with no sugar added at all, which is a large part of its appeal.
What liquorice tea tastes like
The flavour is distinctive and, for most people, very pleasant. Expect a strong, upfront natural sweetness layered over an earthy, woody root base, finished with a clear aniseed or fennel-like note. It is warming and aromatic, amber to deep brown in the cup, and it lingers with a lasting sweet aftertaste. Because the sweetness is built in, most people drink it plain and never reach for sugar.
If you already enjoy anise, fennel or star anise, liquorice tea will feel familiar. If you dislike those flavours, this is not the cup for you, since the aniseed character is central rather than a background note. Blends often soften or redirect that intensity by pairing liquorice with mint, ginger, cinnamon or fruit, which tempers the sweetness and adds contrast.
Traditional uses and the liquorice and burdock pairing
Liquorice root has one of the longest records of any herb. Ancient Greek and Chinese writers described it, and across many traditions it has been valued as a naturally sweet, soothing root, most often associated with the throat, the chest and the digestive system. In the wider herbal world it is frequently added to blends specifically as a sweetener and a smoothing agent, rounding off sharper herbs so a mixture tastes gentler.
The most famous partnership is liquorice and burdock. In British tradition, liquorice and burdock is a classic old-fashioned flavour pairing, remembered by many as a soft drink and echoed in herbal blends that marry liquorice's sweetness with burdock's earthy, rooty bitterness. The two roots balance each other neatly: liquorice supplies the sweet, aromatic top note, while burdock brings a grounded, slightly bitter depth. If you want the full story on that second root, its own flavour and its separate cautions, see our dedicated burdock root tea guide. A liquorice and burdock tea simply brings the two together in one cup.
Liquorice tea benefits: what to know
Here careful language matters. Liquorice has a deep traditional reputation, and researchers have catalogued many interesting compounds in the root, but a pleasant beverage is not a medicine, and most claims are best framed as "traditionally used for" rather than proven. With that front and centre, these are the commonly discussed benefits of liquorice root tea, stated honestly.
A naturally sweet, sugar-free drink
The clearest, most uncomplicated appeal is the sweetness itself. Liquorice tea tastes sweet and dessert-like while containing no sugar and no calories from the root, which makes it a satisfying option when you want something more interesting than plain hot water in the evening.
Caffeine-free, any time of day
Like most root and herb infusions, liquorice tea is naturally caffeine-free. That makes it an easy choice late in the day or for anyone cutting back on caffeine who still wants a warm, characterful cup.
A traditionally soothing root
Liquorice has long been used as a soothing, warming root, particularly in the context of the throat and chest, which is why it turns up in so many traditional throat and "comfort" blends alongside honey, ginger or mint. This is traditional use rather than a proven treatment, so it is best enjoyed for the comfort of a warm, sweet drink rather than as a remedy. A spoonful of honey suits it well if you want to round the flavour further; our honey tea guide covers that pairing.
Bottom line on benefits: liquorice tea is a naturally sweet, caffeine-free, soothing drink with a long traditional record. The wellness upsides are best described as "traditionally used" rather than clinically proven, and it should never be treated as a cure for anything.
Liquorice tea at a glance
| Aspect | What to know |
|---|---|
| Plant | Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, in the legume (Fabaceae) family |
| Also spelled | Licorice (American English); same plant, same drink |
| Part used | The dried root, sliced, shredded or as tea bags |
| Caffeine | None — naturally caffeine-free |
| Flavour | Intensely sweet, earthy, woody, aniseed-like and warming |
| Natural sweetener | Glycyrrhizin, many times sweeter than sugar (no sugar added) |
| Classic pairing | Liquorice and burdock; also mint, ginger, cinnamon, fennel |
| Main caution | Large or regular amounts can raise blood pressure and lower potassium in some people |
The one caution worth knowing
This is the part to take seriously, stated plainly and without alarm. The same glycyrrhizin that makes liquorice sweet can, in large amounts or with regular daily drinking, cause the body to hold on to sodium and lose potassium. In some people that can raise blood pressure, lead to fluid retention, and lower potassium levels — a well-documented effect that food-safety bodies have flagged for years.
The key word is amount. An occasional cup, or a few cups now and then, is generally fine for most healthy adults. The concern is with strong liquorice-root tea drunk in quantity every day over weeks. As a rough guide often cited by regulators, daily glycyrrhizin intake of around 100 mg is treated as an upper marker, and this varies a lot by how strong the brew is and by the individual, so the figure is only a general signpost. Reassuringly, for most people the effect is not permanent: stopping liquorice usually lets things settle back to normal.
Some groups should be more careful and are best advised to check with a doctor or pharmacist before drinking liquorice tea regularly:
- People with high blood pressure or heart conditions, since the effect works against blood-pressure control.
- Anyone with kidney concerns, because of the sodium and potassium shift.
- People taking medication, especially blood-pressure drugs, diuretics ("water pills") or heart medicines, where liquorice may add to or interfere with the effect.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women, for whom keeping liquorice intake low is the usual, cautious advice.
Two practical notes. Many packaged liquorice and herbal blends carry a label line advising people with high blood pressure to avoid excessive consumption — worth reading. And a de-glycyrrhizinated form of liquorice, labelled DGL, has most of the glycyrrhizin removed, which sidesteps the blood-pressure concern (though it also loses much of the sweetness). None of this makes liquorice tea unsafe as a pleasant occasional drink; it simply means moderation is the sensible default rather than treating it as an all-day beverage.
How to make liquorice tea
Because the flavour lives in a dense, woody root, liquorice rewards a slightly longer, hotter brew than a leaf tea. There are two easy routes: a proper simmer (a decoction) for loose root, or a longer steep for tea bags.
Simmered method for loose root
- Use about one teaspoon of dried, cut liquorice root per cup (roughly 250 ml) of water.
- Add the root to a pot of cold water and bring it gently to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 5 to 10 minutes. Longer gives a stronger, sweeter, more aniseed-forward cup.
- Strain into your cup and drink plain, or add mint, ginger or a slice of lemon.
Tea-bag or quick-steep method
- Place a liquorice tea bag (or a teaspoon of finely cut root) in a cup.
- Pour over just-boiled water.
- Steep 5 to 10 minutes — longer than green or black tea, since the root gives up its flavour slowly.
- Remove the bag or strain, and adjust strength to taste on the next cup.
| Tip | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Simmer, do not just dunk | The woody root releases sweetness and flavour better in hot water over time |
| Start weaker | Liquorice is intensely sweet; a shorter brew lets you judge taste and tolerance |
| Blend with mint or ginger | Cuts the sweetness and adds contrast for a more rounded cup |
| Skip added sugar | The root sweetens the cup on its own, so sweeteners are rarely needed |
| Keep it occasional | Moderation is the sensible default given the glycyrrhizin caution above |
Where liquorice tea fits
Liquorice tea sits among the sweet, root-based caffeine-free infusions, comfortable next to earthy partners like burdock and warming spices like fennel, ginger and cinnamon. Drink it because you genuinely enjoy that bold, sweet, aniseed character and want a sugar-free, caffeine-free cup with centuries of tradition behind it — not for any miracle claim. Brew it a touch stronger and longer than a leaf tea, keep it as an occasional pleasure rather than an all-day habit, and check with a professional first if you are pregnant, manage your blood pressure, or take regular medication. Within those simple limits, it is one of the most naturally sweet and characterful drinks in the herbal cupboard.