Licorice vs. Anise

Main Difference

The main difference between Licorice and Anise is that the Licorice is a root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a somewhat sweet flavour can be extracted and Anise is a species of plant.

• Licorice

  Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) ( LIK-ər-is(h)) is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a sweet flavour can be extracted. The liquorice plant is an herbaceous perennial legume native to southern Europe and parts of Asia, such as India. It is not botanically related to anise, star anise, or fennel, which are sources of similar flavouring compounds. Liquorice flavours are used as candies or sweeteners, particularly in some European and Middle Eastern countries.

  Liquorice extracts have been used in herbalism and traditional medicine. Excessive consumption of liquorice (more than 2 mg/kg/day of pure glycyrrhizinic acid, a liquorice component) may result in adverse effects, such as hypokalemia, increased blood pressure, and muscle weakness.

• Anise

  Anise (; Pimpinella anisum), also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia.

  Its flavor has similarities with some other spices, such as star anise, fennel, and liquorice. It is widely cultivated and used to flavor food and alcoholic drinks, especially around the Mediterranean. It served as a carminative in herbal medicine.

• Anise (noun)

  a Mediterranean plant of the parsley family, cultivated for its aromatic seeds which are used in cooking and herbal medicine.

• Anise (noun)

  an Asian or American tree or shrub that bears fruit with an odour similar to that of aniseed.