Liquorice, also known as mulethi, is an herb from the legume family. It is widely used as a flavoring agent in sweets, chewing gum, toothpaste and beverages like soft drinks. Heard about the saying 'Old is Gold' Well, this saying goes right for this age-old herb The scientific name for liquorice root, Glycyrrhiza, comes from "glukos" (sweet) and "riza" (root).