Licorice candy comes in a multitude of colors, flavors and shapes. One type can increase your blood pressure, while the others have no impact at all. The health risk of licorice is due to an ingredient found in licorice root. Consult your doctor for dietary advice specific to your condition.
Types of Licorice Candy
You'll find licorice candy manufactured into squares, vines, tubes and string. The chewy confection is available in dozens of colors; the flavor choices are nearly as diverse. Some types of black licorice candy contain licorice root extract with the ingredient glycyrrhizin. This sweet-tasting substance is linked with health problems, including high blood pressure, fluid retention, low potassium and preterm labor. Some licorice candy may contain licorice root with the ingredient removed. It will be under the label deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL for short.
Blood Pressure
As your heart pumps blood throughout your body, the walls of your arteries experience pressure. When the force of the blood pushing against your arteries is too high, you have a condition known as high blood pressure. The condition often has no symptoms but can lead to serious health problems, such as heart attack, stroke and kidney damage. Your doctor performs a test to determine whether your blood pressure is too high. Your results show two numbers. The first is your blood pressure when the heart contracts, and the other is your blood pressure between heartbeats.
Licorice and Blood Pressure
If you eat black licorice candy, check the ingredients label for licorice root or licorice extract. The glycyrrhizin in licorice root causes high blood pressure if consumed in large amounts. Consuming 20 g of the root per day can raise levels of aldosterone in your body, a hormone that regulates salt balance in the body, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Side effects of the increased aldosterone include headaches, heart problems and high blood pressure. If you have heart disease or kidney disease, you risk side effects with just 5 g of licorice root per day.
When to Avoid Licorice Candy
If you are dieting, you might want to reduce your intake of all types of licorice candy. Although licorice candy is usually low in fat, it has a lot of calories and sugar. You should avoid black licorice candy with licorice root if you have kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure; if you are pregnant or nursing; if you are taking a diuretic; or if your sodium intake is high. Licorice root may be found in other products as well, including tea and supplements, so talk with your doctor about the foods you consume.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; What is High Blood Pressure?
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Licorice Root; June 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Licorice
- MedlinePlus: Licorice
- MedlinePlus: Blood Pressure
- MayoClinic.com; High Blood Pressure; March 2011
