There licorice It is often considered only a pleasant chewing stick, a black candy with a decisive flavor, a digestive herbal tea, or a natural ingredient present in different products. But a recent alarm launched byANSES, the French Food Security Agencyinvites you not to underestimate its effects on our body.
To make a new press release necessary on the use of licorice was precisely the analysis conducted by the ANSES on over 100 cases of side effects, which led the agency to ask for greater clarity and transparency in the labels of the products that contain it. The excessive and prolonged consumption of licorice can in fact cause disturbances, even serious, especially to some categories of more vulnerable people. Because there is always licorice in the supermarket’s herbal teas (check yourself labels)
What happens if you eat too much licorice
Ansees analyzed all cases of side effects related to the consumption of products containing licorice, such as candies, drinks and supplements. The most common symptoms that emerged are:
Both these disorders can increase the cardiovascular risk, in particular in the subjects already prepared. The responsible element of these effects is theglycirrizic acid, An active ingredient naturally present in the root of the licorice plant.
Who is most at risk? In particular, pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, people with cardiovascular problems (especially hypertension), those suffering from kidney or liver diseases. For these groups, even modest and apparently harmless quantities can lead to important risks.
Often then it is not considered that Licorice can be present in many products, not only in candies. Among the most common sources are alcoholic and non -alcoholic drinks, digestive herbal teas, natural supplements, sweets, snacks, ice cream and flavored desserts.
The problem therefore arises from the sum of all these sources. Even small quantities in several different products can quickly exceed the threshold considered safe.
Possible interactions with drugs
Another aspect not to be overlooked is the risk of pharmacological interactions. Regular or high consumption of licorice can alter the effect of different medicines, such as:
For this reason, those who take drugs should inform the doctor if usually consumes licorice products.
The label is not enough (again)
Glycirrizic acid and its ammonium (E958) salt are regularly authorized in the European Union as food flavors. However, the obligation to indicate The presence on the label takes place only beyond a certain concentration. In that case it will be written: “Contains licorice/people suffering from hypertension must avoid excessive consumption”.
But according to the anases, this is not enough: labels should report the presence of licorice even in reduced quantities, to allow conscious choices, especially to those who are at risk.
Among other things, based on the permitted maximum limits of glycirrizic acid in food, the ANSES found that About 60% of adults and over 40% of children consuming licorice exceed the indicative toxicological value established for safetythus highlighting an exhibition that goes well beyond the levels deemed safe.
What to do
To protect consumer health, the French agency recommends:
The producers, on the other hand, are invited to always indicate on the label the presence of licorice or glycirrhizic acid, even if in small quantities.
