There’s bad news and good news for parents looking to sample their kid’s Halloween goodie bag.
The bad news is that there could be a candy in it that might cause serious health risks for adults over 40.
The good news is that the candy is black licorice, which often prompts a big “yuck” from kids and adults alike.
For those that happen to love black licorice, though, officials at the Food and Drug Administration say certain ingredients within it can actually create irregular heart rhythms in those over 40.
“There’s a compound in black licorice called glycyrrhizin that interferes with potassium balance and causes potassium to be excreted, and if you don’t have enough potassium, you’re in trouble. You get heart arrhythmias and other types of problems,” says Dr. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at
New York University.
While the warning is aimed at people 40 and over, it adds that black licorice consumed in large quantities can have adverse affects on other people, particularly those taking medications.
The warning includes information about how much a person would have to eat. Basically, the FDA says eating two ounces of licorice per day for a period of two weeks could be a problem for someone over 40.
“I would advise nobody eat more than two ounces of licorice at a time. That’s enough candy for anyone anyway. As with everything else, this is candy, all things in moderation, happy Halloween,” says Dr. Nestle.
For more information on black licorice and other food items, visit FDA.gov.
http://statenisland.ny1.com/content...halloween-treat-could-be-a-tricky-health-risk
The bad news is that there could be a candy in it that might cause serious health risks for adults over 40.
The good news is that the candy is black licorice, which often prompts a big “yuck” from kids and adults alike.
For those that happen to love black licorice, though, officials at the Food and Drug Administration say certain ingredients within it can actually create irregular heart rhythms in those over 40.
“There’s a compound in black licorice called glycyrrhizin that interferes with potassium balance and causes potassium to be excreted, and if you don’t have enough potassium, you’re in trouble. You get heart arrhythmias and other types of problems,” says Dr. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at
New York University.
While the warning is aimed at people 40 and over, it adds that black licorice consumed in large quantities can have adverse affects on other people, particularly those taking medications.
The warning includes information about how much a person would have to eat. Basically, the FDA says eating two ounces of licorice per day for a period of two weeks could be a problem for someone over 40.
“I would advise nobody eat more than two ounces of licorice at a time. That’s enough candy for anyone anyway. As with everything else, this is candy, all things in moderation, happy Halloween,” says Dr. Nestle.
For more information on black licorice and other food items, visit FDA.gov.
http://statenisland.ny1.com/content...halloween-treat-could-be-a-tricky-health-risk
