When you bite into a piece of licorice candy, a sweet treat made from the root of the Glycyrrhiza glabra plant, often flavored with anise or synthetic substitutes. Also known as black licorice, it's been used for centuries not just for flavor, but for its medicinal properties. But not all licorice candy is the same. Real licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a compound that can raise blood pressure and lower potassium. Many modern candies use artificial flavoring instead—so check the label. If it says "anise flavor" or "natural flavor," it might not have any actual licorice root at all.
Glycyrrhizin is the reason why eating too much real licorice candy can be risky. It tricks your body into holding onto sodium and flushing out potassium, which can lead to high blood pressure, muscle weakness, or even heart rhythm problems. The FDA warns that eating more than two ounces of real licorice candy daily for two weeks or longer could cause serious issues, especially if you’re already on blood pressure meds, diuretics, or heart medications. People with kidney disease, heart conditions, or those over 40 are at higher risk. This isn’t just old wives’ tale—studies show glycyrrhizin can interfere with the same pathways as drugs like amiloride, a potassium-sparing diuretic used to treat high blood pressure and edema. If you’re taking something to lower your blood pressure or balance your electrolytes, licorice candy might be working against you.
It’s not all bad news. Licorice root has been used in traditional medicine for digestion, sore throats, and even liver support. But candy isn’t medicine. The sugar, additives, and concentrated glycyrrhizin in most commercial products make it a poor choice for daily use. If you love the flavor, look for deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) supplements—those have the risky compound removed. Or stick to the red kind; it’s usually just flavoring with no real licorice at all.
What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just a list of articles—it’s a practical guide to how everyday things like candy, herbs, and snacks interact with the medications you rely on. From how grapefruit affects statins to why licorice can mess with your blood pressure, these are real-world interactions that matter. You don’t need a pharmacy degree to stay safe. Just a little awareness—and the right questions to ask.
Licorice candy may seem harmless, but its active compound glycyrrhizin can dangerously interact with blood pressure meds, diuretics, and heart drugs-raising BP, lowering potassium, and disrupting medication effectiveness. Know the risks before you snack.
