WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Food and Drug Administration has warned people to go easy on candy, especially black licorice.
If you're 40 or older, eating 2 ounces of black licorice a day for at least two weeks could land you in the hospital with an irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmia, FDA says.
According to experts, black licorice contains the compound glycyrrhizin, which is the sweetening compound derived from licorice root. Glycyrrhizin can cause potassium levels in the body to fall, which could lead to abnormal heart rhythms, as well as high blood pressure, swelling, lethargy, and congestive heart failure.
Meanwhile, the potassium level will return to normal if you stop eating black licorice.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX