Differences Between Honey-Fried Licorice Root and Raw Licorice Root
My father often uses raw licorice root (Gan Cao) to regulate his health, but recently I discovered another type called honey-fried licorice root (Zhi Gan Cao). They look quite similar—what are the differences between honey-fried and raw licorice root?
Doctor's answer (1)
The primary difference between honey-fried licorice root (Zhi Gan Cao) and raw licorice root (Sheng Gan Cao) lies in their thermal natures: the former is warming, while the latter is cooling.
Honey-fried licorice root is warming in nature and helps nourish the blood; individuals with anemia may appropriately consume it.
Raw licorice root is cooling and possesses heat-clearing, detoxifying, and analgesic properties. Due to its cooling nature, women experiencing cold uterus (Gong Han) or dysmenorrhea should avoid consuming it.
