Himachal Pradesh has recently begun the commercial cultivation of licorice (Mulethi) to become the first state in India to have organized cultivation of Mulethi.
About Mulethi –
- Mulethi, commonly known as licorice, is a sweet-tasting perennial shrub.
- Scientific name — Glycyrrhiza glabra
- The roots have a sweet taste due to the presence of glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sucrose.
- It has been traditionally known and used as medicine in Ayurveda (known in Ayurveda as ‘Yashtimadhu’) for rejuvenation.
Uses –
- Herbal medicines use Mulethi for its natural sweetness.
- It is also used in traditional medicines against chest and lung diseases.
- It is used to flavor candies, tobacco, and alcohol, artificial and natural sweeteners.
Health Benefits –
- It has anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial
- It is known to boost immunity due to the increase in the production of macrophage and lymphocytes.
- Mulethi herb can treat asthma, cough, cold, sore throat, and other respiratory ailments.
- It helps in weight loss as it contains flavonoids that help to reduce excessive fats accumulated in the body.
- It helps improve the digestive system, lessens the acidic level in the intestines, and also helps to detox our body.
Distribution –
- The plant thrives in a dry and sunny climate and is cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate regions.
- Countries producing licorice include Iran, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey.
- It is also cultivated in Punjab and Sub Himalayan tracts in India.
.png)