Can someone overdose on candy?
You may know that candy is not a health food. It doesn’t grow on trees. It doesn’t come from mamma Earth. It is not a whole food, but a processed food usually made with many artificial ingredients. Candy is inflammation-promoting and when eaten regularly it can lead to health problems. Candy can also be addictive. But can you overdose on it?
Turns out there is one candy that can actually lead to overdose. It is:
Black licorice.
It is one of those candies that people either love or hate. I am personally in the ‘hate’ group, but if you ask my husband, in his opinion, it is the best thing ever existed.
Black licorice may not be everyone’s favorite Halloween candy, it is still a candy that many people really love and could eat it all day. Eating it all day, however, is not advisable. First of all, it is simply not a natural whole food and your mom already told you that veggies are better for you (and she was right!). More importantly, you may want to listen to the FDA’s recent warning about this odd black candy.
The FDA Warns That Black Licorice Can Cause Heart Problems
According to the FDA, it is possible to overdose on black licorice. Eating it in moderation only is important.
They warn us that eating large amounts of black licorice can lead to all kinds of heart problems, including:
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- High blood pressure
- Lethargy
- Congestive heart failure
How Much Black Licorice Can You Eat?
According to Peter Cassell, FDA’s spokesperson, people over 40 have to be particularly careful with black licorice.
The FDA advises that it is important not to eat more than two ounces, or about four small pieces a day. However, even two ounces a day for two weeks can put on into the hospital, so it is important to eat it in moderation only, not too much and not daily.
Make it a treat, not a staple.
How Does Black Licorice Damage Your Body?
Black licorice has glycyrrhizin in it. This compound can make your body’s potassium levels fall greatly which can result in scary symptoms mentioned earlier, such as abnormal heart rhythms, lethargy, and other heart-related problems.
It is also important to read the candy labels. Many black licorice products include licorice flavor, extract, oil, or natural flavoring. All of these contain the hazardous compound. If you don’t see any of these listed among the ingredients, the licorice flavor is likely artificial flavoring, which means that it may not include glycyrrhizin.
Can You Eat Other Candy?
You may think that this is just a good excuse to eat more of your their favorite candies, including red licorice, such as Twizzlers, however, this may not be the best idea.
Certainly, eating more than 2 ounces of red licorice a day may not cause overdose like black licorice, it doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
Candy is still full of artificial ingredients, processed sugar, empty calories, and absolutely no nutritional value. Even if you are not ready to go 100 percent candy-free, sugar-free, and all-natural (after Halloween and Christmas are fun times for some treats!), it is important to keep your candy consumption in check.
What Can You Eat?
Focus on whole foods, such as greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and whole grains. If you are looking for some sweet treats, fruits, sweet tube vegetables, and raw desserts are great choices. Let’s not forget about nature’s candy, dates, either. Red licorice and other candy can be an occasional treat.
Aim to eat a nutrient-dense diet keeping candy an occasional treat as it meant to be and encourage others to do the same. Pass this information along to friends and family to warn them about the dangers of black licorice.
Do you like black licorice? What is your favorite candy? How about your favorite healthy sweet treat? Share your favorites in the comments, we would love to hear from you.
