health hazard
Researchers warn against too much liquorice
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Do you love liquorice? Take it in moderation—researchers have discovered that overconsumption can damage heart health.
Little is discussed among candy lovers as much as liquorice: some love it, others hate it. However, lovers need to be very strong now: Danish researchers have found out with the help of a study that that many liquorice products exceed the permissible limit of a certain ingredient – and this can damage the heart. The result was recently published in the specialist magazine “Food Control”.
Acid in liquorice as a health hazard
This ingredient is called glycyrrhizic acid. This is a chemical compound of sugar and alcohol that occurs naturally in the liquorice plant, which is used to make liquorice. According to the EU, a maximum of 100 milligrams of the acid should be consumed daily, as it can increase blood pressure. Through analysis, the researchers found that Most liquorice products contain large amounts of glycyrrhizic acid– just a few grams a day are enough, to exceed the EU limit. Furthermore, warnings about the high acid content are missing on most packages, although this is even required by law.
Higher blood pressure from liquorice
Since glycyrrhizic acid increases blood pressure, Increased consumption of liquorice can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. People who are already predisposed are particularly affected and could suffer from ventricular fibrillation, among other things. In the worst case, licorice consumption can even be fatal: As the “AP” news agency reports, an American from Massachusetts died of cardiac arrest in September 2020 after eating around one and a half bags of liquorice every day for several weeks. Due to the high consumption of liquorice, he developed a potassium deficiency, which triggered cardiac arrhythmias – which in turn led to fatal cardiac arrest, according to the report.
Even if this is an extreme case, it should the influence of glycyrrhizic acid on blood pressure should not be underestimated become. Because high blood pressure puts a strain on the vessels that supply the brain and other organs. The resulting damage can cause many health problems and, among other things, increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks or kidney damage.
Read packaging carefully
Anyone who likes to eat liquorice should therefore pay particular attention and study the packaging carefully. In many cases, the conspicuous warnings about glycyrrhizic acid are missing, but the amount of acid contained should still be able to be found in the list of ingredients. When it comes to liquorice, the general rule is better: less is more.
Sources used: appnews.com, n-tv.de