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==News About Licorice== | ==News About Licorice== | ||
'''Little-Known Licorice Facts''' | |||
*Source:http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/littleknown-licorice-5508.html | |||
:By Alicia Rudnick | |||
:Overview | |||
Most people likely think of licorice as a sweet, chewy treat that is black or red. However, in candy, licorice flavoring -- which comes from the sweet root of the licorice plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra -- is only used in black licorice. Licorice powder is also used in tobacco products, teas and herbal supplements. Its glycyrrhizinic acid and glycyrrhizin salt work together to make the plant's root sweet. Unfortunately, glycyrrhizin is toxic if over-consumed. When it is removed, licorice products are said to be deglycerized licorice, or DGL. Licorice root taste-alikes, such as anise oil (Pimpinella anisum L.), are usually added to DGL to improve flavor. Both licorice and DGL are used to treat health problems such as ulcers and sore throats. Moderate consumption of products containing pure licorice is okay, unless you are pregnant or have a condition that glycyrrhizin aggravates, such as high blood pressure. | |||
:Licorice Types | |||
Glycyrrhiza glabra is called "cultivated licorice" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in contrast to its wilder relatives American licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota Pursh) and Chinese licorice (Glycyrrhiza echinata L.). Also, don't confuse it with plants of the genus Ligusticum -- also known as licorice-root or Osha -- that are used in herbal medications. Many licorice candies, including fruit flavors, contain no G. glabra or anise. They are named licorice only because of the gummy texture and shapes they share with black licorice. Along with ropes and twist-style sticks, varieties of black licorice confections include gumdrops and tiny, candy-coated cylinders so colorful they look like confetti. In the United States, manufacturers often substitute anise for licorice in cookies and candies. | |||
:Does Licorice Have Fat in It? | |||
Licorice candies contain miniscule amounts of fat. However, one black licorice twist equals about 37 calories. Eat a bunch of them, and the simple carbohydrates in the candy may add up to more calories than your body can use and will convert to fat. This isn't the case for herbal and green teas containing licorice, which are fat-free and contain almost no calories. However, an overdose of glycyrrhizin from candy, tea, tobacco or supplements can cause weight gain due to water retention connected to sodium imbalance and blood pressure problems. | |||
:Can Licorice Tea Keep You Awake? | |||
While a licorice green tea may help wake you up due to its caffeine content, herbal licorice teas are more likely to make you sleepy. According to a Korean study, licorice extract binds to the body's GABA(A) and 5-HT(2C) receptor molecules that help regulate sleep. The researchers concluded that licorice extract "might be effective" for treating insomnia. | |||
:Does Licorice Have Sodium? | |||
Licorice root contains sodium bonded in a compound called carbenoxolone sodium that helps minimize stomach acid and soothes ulcers. However, licorice root products, including carbenoxolone, can cause mineralocorticoid hypertension if too much glycyrrhizin is consumed. This condition causes water retention, shortness of breath during activity, low blood levels of potassium and increased blood pressure. | |||
:Can Licorice Capsules Lighten the Skin? | |||
Herbal companies claim that licorice capsules are useful for conditions such as indigestion, premenstrual discomfort, menopause, fatigue, respiratory support and the reduction of aches, pains and fevers. In contrast, skin creams containing licorice derivatives are used for lightening age spots and other uneven skin color. In 2003, Israeli researchers reported that licorice derivatives glabrene and isoliquiritigenin are successful in minimizing these problems and inhibiting pigmentation. | |||
:Does Licorice Tea Have Carbs? | |||
Licorice is used in sweetening some herbal and caffeinated green teas. Its root contains starches and sugars, such as sucrose. However, these carbohydrates are in such small quantities that they don't add calories to licorice tea. It is the combo of glycyrrhizinic acid and glycyrrhizin that sweeten licorice tea at an intensity 50 to 150 times sweeter than sucrose. Licorice root is referred to as a non-nutritive sweetener because it adds no calories to foods and beverages. In addition, most teas -- whether herbal or caffeinated -- don't contain notable amounts of carbohydrates or calories unless sugar or another caloric sweetener is added. | |||
:Does Black Licorice Suppress Hunger? | |||
Whether or not licorice suppresses hunger is something for the individual consumer to decide, because definitive research isn't available. However, licorice tea often is called an appetite suppressant. Perhaps this is because of the fluid in the tea and the natural non-nutritive sweetening of licorice. Recent studies about the negative impact of non-nutritive sweeteners on appetite have focused on artificial sweeteners. This research has been inconclusive. | |||
:Can You Get Deglycerized Licorice in Liquid Form? | |||
Although you can get deglycerized licorice, or DGL, as a liquid, it is usually combined with other herbal ingredients. Capsules of pure DGL powder are easier to find. Naturopathic physicians sometimes prepare liquid extracts containing DGL for patients. However, when trying to resolve a medical problem with any new medicine, remember to seek an opinion from a licensed physician. | |||
:How Much Licorice Tea to Drink in a Day? | |||
When it comes to drinking tea containing pure licorice, there are lots of caveats. Number one, don't touch any licorice product if you are pregnant or have one of the following conditions: heart disease, high blood pressure, hypokalemia (low blood potassium), kidney disease or a hormonal disorder. For people who don't face these concerns, the question of how many cups of either regular licorice or DGL tea to drink a day remains fuzzy. However, licensed dietician Monica Reinagel of the Nutrition Diva website says not to drink it daily due to possible side effects. Also, the University of Maryland Medical Center says not to give licorice tea to children for more than one day without talking to a pediatrician. | |||
:Does Licorice Root Raise Blood Glucose? | |||
Medical sources vary on whether licorice root raises blood glucose. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that it may interact with insulin or drugs for diabetes, causing a shift in blood sugar levels. Consequently, it advises people who have diabetes to avoid licorice. However, a 2012 report from Germany's Max Planck Lab announced the discovery, during animal research, of licorice substances called amorfrutins that reduce blood sugar. | |||
:Do Licorice Root Supplements Help You Lose Weight? | |||
Licorice root supplements show promise for "reducing body fat," according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It reports on a two-month study in which 15 people consumed 3.5 grams of licorice daily. Although they lost fat, they gained water weight. The university notes positive results for fat loss in two other studies involving human participants, but adds that long-term use of licorice as a diet aid can be risky. | |||
:How Long Does Licorice Root From Tea Stay in the System? | |||
The question of how long licorice root lingers in the body is yet to be answered by research. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that in relation to potassium insufficiencies caused by consuming too much licorice, potassium levels usually return to normal quickly when consumption ends. Symptoms of an overdose include fatigue and irregular heart rhythms. | |||
:Can Licorice Root Help Lose Belly Fat? | |||
Although weight-loss studies cited by the University of Maryland Medical Center show that licorice can help burn fat, it isn't a magic bullet aimed at belly fat. Cutting back on calories and increasing exercise are the old standards that still work to slim the body overall. Plus, the water retention caused by eating, drinking or otherwise dosing up on too much licorice can lead to bloating caused by a potassium-sodium imbalance. | |||
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'''Does Licorice Root Raise Blood Glucose?''' | '''Does Licorice Root Raise Blood Glucose?''' | ||
*Source:http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/licorice-root-raise-blood-glucose-11420.html | *Source:http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/licorice-root-raise-blood-glucose-11420.html | ||