Søg
Home >
Lifestyle >
Food and Drink >
Danish Food Culture >
Danish Specialities >
Liquorice
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
Food and Drink
Danish Food Culture
Danish Specialities
Liquorice
Print
Subscribe
Send
Liquorice
Denmark has a particular love affair with everything liquorice. You’ll find it in many different products here including, liquorice beer, ice-cream, chocolate, fudge, mints and of course candy. The Danes can also chew their way through tons of salty liquorice which is something of a speciality here.
What is liquorice?
The liquorice plant is a perennial herb and a member of the pea family. Native to southern Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean, it is extensively cultivated in Russia, Spain, Iran, and India. The plant is prized for its roots, which contain glycyrrhizic acid. This acid, which is extracted from the roots, is fifty times sweeter than sugar. Liquorice extract is used as flavouring in food, tobacco, alcohol, cosmetics, and, of course, in liquorice candy.
Facts
The liquorice plant, a shrub, is officially a weed. It is about four feet tall with purplish flowers.
Liquorice root is one of the most popular herbs in the world. Its botanical name comes for the Greek words meaning “sweet root.”
The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese and Hindus recognised the natural medicinal qualities of liquorice.
Denmark produces some of the strongest liquorices to eat in the world.
Salty liquorice is a speciality in Denmark and contains a large amount of ammonium chloride (salmiac)
Ga-Jol is Denmark's top-selling liquorices pastille, with the Danes consuming over 600 million each year.
