Black licorice comes from the root of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra), a legume native to southern Europe, the Middle East, and central Asia. The root contains a compound called glycyrrhizic acid that is roughly 50 times sweeter than sugar, giving black licorice its unmistakable bold, bittersweet flavor. From wild-growing shrub to the chewy black candy in a bag, the journey involves harvesting woody roots, boiling them down into a concentrated extract, and blending that extract with sugar, flour, and binders.
The Licorice Plant and Where It Grows
Three species of Glycyrrhiza are used commercially. G. glabra is the most widespread, found across Spain, Italy, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and into central Asia and northwestern China. A second species, G. uralensis, grows in Mongolia and northern China. A third, G. inflata, is found only in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China. All three belong to the same family as peas and beans, and they thrive in dry, sandy soils with deep water tables.
The plants are perennial shrubs that grow three to five feet tall, with small purple or blue flowers. But the valuable part is underground. Licorice roots spread horizontally through the soil as woody runners, sometimes extending several feet from the main plant. Farmers typically wait three to four years before harvesting, giving the roots enough time to develop a high concentration of glycyrrhizic acid.
From Root to Extract
After harvesting, the roots are cleaned, dried, and sliced into smaller pieces or crushed into powder. The key step is extraction: the powdered root is soaked in a mixture of water (sometimes with a small amount of alcohol) and heated to around 50°C (122°F). This pulls the glycyrrhizic acid and other flavor compounds out of the plant material. The liquid is then strained and slowly evaporated down into a thick, dark paste or dried into solid blocks of pure licorice extract.
That concentrated extract is what gives black licorice its color and taste. It’s intensely flavored on its own, so a little goes a long way in candy production.
How Black Licorice Candy Is Made
The candy itself is simpler than you might expect. The core ingredients are licorice extract, sugar, and a binder. The binder is usually a combination of wheat flour or starch, gum arabic, and gelatin, which gives the candy its characteristic chewy, slightly rubbery texture. Molasses is often added for extra depth of flavor and color. Some recipes include ammonium chloride, especially in Scandinavian-style salty licorice, and a thin coat of beeswax gives the finished pieces their glossy sheen.
These ingredients are heated together into a thick dough, then extruded or molded into ropes, wheels, coins, or whatever shape the manufacturer wants. The candy is cooled and dried until it reaches the right firmness.
Not All “Licorice” Contains Licorice
Many products labeled as licorice, particularly red licorice, contain no actual licorice root at all. They get their flavor from anise oil instead. Anise is a completely different plant in the daisy family, but it contains a compound called anethole (making up 80 to 95 percent of anise oil) that mimics the sweet, aromatic quality of real licorice. Fennel produces a similar flavor for the same reason.
If you want genuine black licorice, check the ingredients for “licorice extract” or “licorice root extract.” Products flavored only with anise will taste similar but lack the glycyrrhizic acid that defines real licorice, both its distinctive deeper flavor and its physiological effects.
Why Glycyrrhizic Acid Matters for Your Health
Glycyrrhizic acid is more than a sweetener. Inside your body, it blocks an enzyme in the kidneys that normally keeps the stress hormone cortisol in check. When that enzyme is suppressed, cortisol builds up and activates receptors that cause your body to retain sodium and lose potassium. The result is higher blood pressure and lower potassium levels, a condition sometimes called pseudohyperaldosteronism.
Research has identified 75 mg of glycyrrhizic acid per day as the threshold where blood pressure can start to rise, and effects can appear in as little as two weeks of daily consumption. To put that in context, the FDA allows hard candy to contain up to 16 percent glycyrrhizin by weight and soft candy up to 3.1 percent. A few pieces of authentic black licorice now and then is fine for most people, but eating large amounts daily over weeks is where problems start. People with high blood pressure or heart conditions are more sensitive to these effects.
The FDA classifies licorice and its derivatives as generally recognized as safe for use in food, but sets maximum allowable levels for different product categories. There are no strict regulations requiring warning labels on licorice products, which is why moderation matters if you’re a regular consumer.
Where Licorice Root Is Produced Today
The major growing regions still overlap heavily with where the plant is native. Iran, Turkey, and China are historically the largest producers of raw licorice root. Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan also contribute significant harvests. Southern European countries, particularly Spain and Italy, have long traditions of licorice cultivation, with the Calabria region of Italy especially well known for high-quality root. Much of the global supply is wild-harvested rather than farmed, which has raised sustainability concerns in some regions where overharvesting has depleted natural stands.
From those origins, raw root and concentrated extract are shipped worldwide to candy manufacturers, herbal supplement companies, and tobacco producers (licorice is a common flavoring in cigarettes and chewing tobacco). The Netherlands, in particular, consumes more licorice candy per capita than any other country, and Scandinavian countries have their own robust tradition of salty licorice that uses the same root extract as a base.