Licorice is a member of the legume family, and although it tastes similar, it is not related to anise. Countries that currently produce licorice include India, Iran, Italy, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and Iraq. In the Netherlands, licorice drops are one of the most popular forms of sweets and have been valued for thousands of years for dozens of purposes, including a remedy for leaky gut, coughs, and colds. Its uses date back to ancient Egypt, where it was made into a drink to cure digestive problems, after boiling the root and adding liquid. It is still prevalent throughout the world in herbal teas.

Naturally sweet and easy to grow, it has been recognized for its therapeutic value in helping to relieve pain, irritable bowels, joint pain, sore throats, heartburn, and even as an antioxidant. Although excessive use of licorice can be harmful, it is highly unlikely that someone would ingest enough to cause a problem. It came to the United States by way of Great Britain, and since licorice has long been a favorite around the world, it did not go unnoticed by early candy makers, who began introducing it to satisfy the growing sweet tooth of United States in the late 19th century:

Good & Plenty – Oldest brand name candy, introduced in 1893 in its distinctive box with pink and white candies, identified with its signature character “Choo-Choo Charlie” on early television, and a favorite movie candy; the kids loved to rattle those boxes and annoy other moviegoers;

Black Crows gum tablets also date back to the late 1890s;

Chuckles Jelly Candies: Five flavors in a package that included a piece of licorice, introduced in 1921;

Assorted Licorice Mixtures and Twister Sticks: Fun to chew and stretch, chewing licorice root was used in African countries for centuries as a means to clean teeth;

Black Jelly Beans – Everyone has a favorite flavor, with many reaching for the black ones first;

Smith brothers. Cough Drops: The first brand introduced in 1847 and a hit with its distinctive packaging featuring two bearded gentlemen, sadly out of business now; (the wild cherry flavor came later)

Black Jack Gum – 1884, a gum maker named Thomas Adams began adding licorice flavoring to his gum and called his creation Adams’ Black Jack, the first flavored gum in the US. It was also the first gum to be offered in bars; (not popular anymore, but still available)

Not as popular as it was a century ago, licorice still draws a loyal following, especially among fans of hard and chewy candies. Aside from the fact that it can turn your teeth and gums gray, it still has a definite following. It’s one of those like-or-dislike flavors, and it’s pretty much limited to sweets. Licorice ice cream and cookies don’t seem to appear anywhere, but that’s fine for those who love it. And Choo-Choo Charlie may be gone, but the legend of him lives on. It’s good and plentiful to be sure.