The soldiers of Alexander the Great were ordered to chew the roots to keep themselves healthy and hydrated, and in the medieval era, no Italian apothecary worth his pharmacy would be caught without some in stock. Modern medical studies have confirmed that licorice can soothe the stomach and cleanse the respiratory system , among other helpful effects.
Prior to that time, it was most commonly brewed into a beer, which was consumed both recreationally and for medicinal purposes. As the Medieval Era gave way to the Renaissance, licorice saw increased use in cakes and other sweets , most notably those of the Pontefract monastery in Yorkshire, England. By the 17th century , the modern style of licorice candy we know and love today began to emerge in Holland, and to this day Dutch youth are known to drop a piece of licorice root into a water bottle to sweeten the water.
This is because licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a compound that is said to be times sweeter than sugar. With its sweet licorice flavor and medicinal properties, you might already think of licorice as a wonder plant, but It can do even more! Water treated with licorice extract was used to extinguish fires prior to our modern methods.
Even the dregs of licorice root, left over once the other useful parts of the root have been removed, have been used to make boards that are fairly sturdy and often used for boxes. Its properties have been revered by Buddhist monks and Greek philosophers, war heroes and, more recently, medical experts. Adverse reactions are most frequently seen in people over the age of 40 who are eating far more black licorice than the average person.
In addition, they are usually consuming the product for prolonged periods of time. In the most recent case , the Massachusetts man had been eating a bag and a half of black licorice every day for three weeks.
Licorice is a flowering plant native to parts of Europe and Asia. The aromatic and sweet extract from its root has long been used as an herbal remedy for a wide variety of health maladies, from heartburn and stomach issues to sore throats and cough.
However, there is insufficient evidence to support that licorice is effective in treating any medical condition. Glycyrrhizin also called glycyrrhizic acid is the chemical in black licorice that gives the candy its signature flavor, but it also leads to its toxic effects. Glycyrrhizin mimics the hormone aldosterone , which is made by the adrenal glands when the body needs to retain sodium and excrete potassium. Sodium and potassium work together as a kind of cellular battery that drives communication between nerves and the contraction of muscles.
Other symptoms of excessive licorice intake include swelling, muscle pain, numbness and headache. Examination of the man who died from consuming too much licorice revealed that he had dangerously low levels of potassium, consistent with glycyrrhizin toxicity.
It should be noted that a number of licorice-based foods do not contain real licorice, but use a flavoring substitute called anise oil, which does not pose the dangers discussed here. In addition, despite its name, red licorice rarely contains licorice extract. Instead, red licorice is infused with chemicals that impart its cherry or strawberry flavor.
Products that contain real licorice are usually labeled as such, and list licorice extract or glycyrrhizic acid among the ingredients. Glycyrrhizin has the distinct licorice flavor and is 50 times sweeter than sugar and has been used in other types of candy, soft drinks, tea, Belgian beers, throat lozenges and tobacco. This can make it challenging to keep track of how much glycyrrhizin has been consumed, and a combination of these products could trigger adverse effects.
Some people take dietary or health supplements that already contain licorice, which increases the risk of toxic effects from eating black licorice candy. Certain medications such as hydrochlorothiazide are diuretics that cause increased urination, which can lower potassium levels in the body.
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