Scientists from Finland have published a new research, which demonstrated the negative impact of excessive consuming of licorice during the pregnancy. The American Journal of Epidemiology explains that large amounts of licorice can be harmful to the developing foetus.
Licorice, or Glycyrrhiza glabra, is very popular sweet, the industry offers many variations of this candies — black licorice, salted licorice, pipes, bears or sticks are available everywhere. Licorice isn’t just tasty but useful for the organism.
Despite all these pluses, the excessive consuming of the licorice products may harm the developing foetus, say the Finnish researchers. In 2009, the scientists found that eight-year-olds whose mothers ate a lot of licorice when they were pregnant had reduced memory and poor vocabulary.
The American Journal of Epidemiology explains how the large amounts of biological agents of Glycyrrhiza glabra are not good for the foetus. However, a consumption limit on how much licorice is safe for pregnant women has yet to be established.
The Finnish researchers have found out that 378 children who were born in 1998, have a different IQ level. As a matter of fact, the mothers of 51 kids ate large amounts of licorice while pregnant. And this small group gained two points in the test on IQ, while others 327 children got seven points.
Such differences between two groups of teens showed that an excessive quantity of licorice has a negative impact on the foetus, reducing the abilities of memory, say the scientists.
