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I really loved Black Licorice and now not so sure.
While indulging our sweet-tooth may be a time-honored Halloween tradition, there’s one tasty morsel that could turn out to be more of a trick than a treat for some of us, the Food and Drug Administration warns.
Black licorice can lead to heart arrhythmias and other health problems when consumed by adults in large quantities, the FDA noted in its pre-holiday alert.
It’s long been known in some cultures that licorice was more than just a sweet indulgence. In certain parts of the world, the chewy stuff is prescribed to treat everything from heartburn to bronchitis to viral infections. So far, though, there hasn’t been a study proving that licorice can cure anything, the FDA alert noted.
Apparently, Sloan-Kettering would beg to differ, as they have listed 42 studies about licorice. Sloan-Kettering - Licorice
Quote:
In vitro and animal data show that licorice has antibacterial (2) (27), anticancer (3) (4) (28) (29), anti-inflammatory (30) effects, and estrogenic activity (7) (8) (10). Studies also that suggest licorice can reduce cardiotoxicity associated with doxorubicin (31) and may improve efficiency of chemotherapy (32). However, these effects have not been confirmed in humans.
Licorice demonstrated effectiveness in reducing dyspepsia (1) and hyperlipidemia (33) in clinical studies.
When I went to Australia, I tried their black licorice and went pretty much nuts over the stuff--I know there were several days in a row when I consumed over 2 oz. of it and never had any problems. I know I'm susceptible though as after I got back and I ate too many sweets over the holidays, my heart got seriously off rhythm. Can't blame the licorice as that was months before. Man that stuff was good. However, I think it's good to keep in mind that licorice is a medicine, not a food group. Though maybe my body craved it as I felt especially healthy during that time.
When I was studying herbalism treatments, it was emphasized that the herb licorice, while helpful in some treatments of the bowel, particularly in controlling spasms, in high quantities it can affect muscle tissue (including the heart, which is also a muscle) by affecting the cellular potassium content/interchange, and also can be dangerous to the liver. Of course, in candies it is heavily diluted and changed with the addition of sugar and other additives.
Because there is an ingredient in licorice that may be harmful, the licorice I am taking has been "De-Glycyrrhizinated".
Though I have also chewed licorice root, it is okay.
I was advised to stay away for licorice while I was pregnant as it (or rather the harmful ingrediant) can cause miscarriage and premature birth...
I'm a black licorice lover..... but I do notice if I have too much or certain kinds , my heart feels a bit skippy (I already have a tiny bit of a murmur)
I bet doctors would also tell you that caffeine, nicotine, and various other over the counter drugs like cocaine, would be bad for your heart. What a bunch of crap. Worrying about something causing heart damage is probably in and of itself worse for your heart than the vast majority of stuff you can put into your body. Also doctors are notorious for having no sense of humor and being buzz kills. Some way to enjoy life that is.
News about licorice being a potential health threat date back to -at least- 1979, before the internet. Anyone taking digitalis (a heart medication, also the primary medical component of the common Foxglove plant) would have been warned by their doctors never to ingest licorice, because the combination is potentially fatal.
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