Even small servings of licorice can raise blood pressure

Health in a Heartbeat

For licorice fans, this news might be hard to swallow: Even small amounts of the soft, chewy candy can cause high blood pressure.

It has been well known that large servings of licorice can spike blood pressure. Now, it turns out that even a little bit can do the same. The culprit is the plant root that is used to make licorice. The root contains a specific acid that acts on the body’s fluid balance through an enzyme in the kidney. That, in turn, boosts high blood pressure and can heighten the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers in Sweden concluded that up to 100 milligrams of the plant acid found in licorice is probably a safe amount for most people. However, it’s not so easy to determine how much glycyrrhizic [glyss-yr-rhi-zick] acid is in each licorice brand. Its concentration can vary based on where the candy is made, how it’s stored and what licorice root species is used. To further complicate matters, labels don’t always note the amount of acid.

During the study, women and men 18 to 30 years old were told to eat either licorice or a control product that contained no licorice. The control product contained an ingredient that tasted like licorice. Participants were randomly assigned to eat the licorice or the control product for two weeks and then switch to the other variety for two weeks.

Participants recorded their blood pressure at home every day. The researchers then measured various health metrics, including heart workload, salt balance and several key hormones.

The message is clear for licorice lovers: Aim for quality and enjoyment over quantity.