Black Licorice
Everyday exposureFood & drinkAlso called · 8 names▾▴
black licorice, licorice candy, liquorice, glycyrrhizin, licorice root candy, salty licorice, licorice sweets, black licorice pregnancy
Other
General information · effects depend on amount, timing, and how it is used. About these sources
Research strength: 3 / 5
The Finnish Food Authority does not recommend liquorice or salty liquorice sweets during pregnancy, but says a few sweets or a serving of liquorice ice cream are acceptable. Strandberg et al. linked high estimated intake, at least 500 mg of glycyrrhizin per week, with birth before 38 weeks, but not lower birthweight. A small Danish cohort found higher later-pregnancy blood pressure among women reporting daily use, while its birthweight differences were not statistically significant. NHS guidance identifies liquorice-root herbal tea, while the British Nutrition Foundation says there is no specific recommendation against liquorice sweets. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- Finnish Food Authority: Table 1 food-use guidance for pregnancy
- NCCIH: Licorice Root: Usefulness and SafetyUS government
- Strandberg et al. 2001, Birth outcome in relation to licorice consumption during pregnancyUS government
- Volqvartz et al. 2019, Use of alternative medicine, ginger and licorice among Danish pregnant womenUS government
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancyUK government
- British Nutrition Foundation: Dietary concerns during pregnancy
Research strength: 3 / 5
The Finnish Food Authority applies its liquorice-sweets guidance to pregnancy as a whole, while saying a few sweets or one serving of liquorice ice cream are acceptable. Strandberg's Finnish cohort linked high estimated intake with birth before 38 weeks, not lower birthweight. In the Danish cohort, daily first-trimester use was associated with higher systolic blood pressure measured later in pregnancy; the study was small and observational. These studies do not set a dose for a particular candy product. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- Finnish Food Authority: Table 1 food-use guidance for pregnancy
- Strandberg et al. 2001, Birth outcome in relation to licorice consumption during pregnancyUS government
- Volqvartz et al. 2019, Use of alternative medicine, ginger and licorice among Danish pregnant womenUS government
- VKM: Glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice, possible health effects for fetuses and children
- BfR: Does the consumption of liquorice by pregnant women impair the mental and physical development of children?
Research strength: 3 / 5
The Finnish Food Authority does not recommend liquorice sweets during pregnancy, though it says a few sweets or one serving of liquorice ice cream are acceptable. Räikkönen et al. reported cognitive and behavior differences in later follow-ups of the same Finnish cohort, so these reports are not independent replications. BfR and VKM say the observational findings do not establish cause, and a 2026 review describes the Glycyrrhiza and preterm-birth signal as limited. The studies do not establish a dose for occasional candy. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- Finnish Food Authority: Table 1 food-use guidance for pregnancy
- Räikkönen et al. 2009, Maternal licorice consumption and detrimental cognitive and psychiatric outcomes in childrenUS government
- Räikkönen et al. 2017, Maternal licorice consumption during pregnancy and pubertal, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes in childrenUS government
- BfR: Does the consumption of liquorice by pregnant women impair the mental and physical development of children?
- VKM: Glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice, possible health effects for fetuses and children
- Chen et al. 2026, Benefits and risks of herbal medicine use during pregnancy on offspring outcomesUS government
Black Licorice — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 2 / 5
LactMed describes licorice and licorice extract as food ingredients but cautions against long-term, excessive use during nursing. EMA's 2026 warning applies to medicinal liquorice-root products, not ordinary sweets. The reviewed sources do not give a dose-specific recommendation for candy while breastfeeding. No study of licorice-only candy during breastfeeding was identified in this search. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Pregnancy
Strandberg et al. (2001) studied 1,049 Finnish women and their healthy singleton infants. A postpartum questionnaire estimated glycyrrhizin intake; among 110 women reporting at least 500 mg per week, the odds of birth before 38 weeks were higher (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.5). The study did not find a significant birthweight difference or higher maternal blood pressure. It measured gestational age and birthweight, not miscarriage. Räikkönen et al. (2009 and 2017) followed children from that same Finnish birth cohort, so the papers are not independent replications. The 2009 abstract reported findings in 321 children at age 8.1 years. The 2017 abstract reported findings in 378 adolescents at a mean age of 12.5 years; the high-exposure group had an average IQ score 7 points lower and 3.3-fold higher odds of ADHD problems than the low-exposure group. These observational associations do not establish that licorice caused the differences. BfR and VKM note limits in retrospective exposure estimates and follow-up. Volqvartz et al. (2019) surveyed 225 Danish women at weeks 10 to 16. Sixteen reported daily licorice use. Systolic blood pressure measured later in pregnancy was higher in the daily-use group than in women reporting rare or no use (one-tailed p=0.04). Birthweight declined across exposure groups, but the differences were not statistically significant. The study was small, relied on self-reported intake, and cannot establish cause. A 2026 systematic review found an exploratory Glycyrrhiza and preterm-birth signal based on a limited number of studies and cautioned that exposure definitions and study quality varied.
Breastfeeding
A licorice-only candy study during breastfeeding was not identified in this search. LactMed describes licorice and licorice extract as food ingredients but cautions against long-term, excessive use during nursing. The 2026 EMA warning is for medicinal liquorice-root products, not ordinary sweets. The reviewed sources do not give a dose-specific recommendation for ordinary candy during breastfeeding.
Black licorice is a candy category, but NCCIH notes that some products sold as licorice use anise oil instead of licorice root. The pregnancy studies estimated glycyrrhizin exposure, not the dose in a particular candy or brand. BfR says individual product labels do not show glycyrrhizic-acid levels. The FDA's 2004 final rule covered dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids, not licorice as an ingredient or pseudoephedrine medicines.
What was tested
Strandberg et al. used a postpartum questionnaire to estimate glycyrrhizin intake and compared gestational age and birthweight in 1,049 Finnish mother-infant pairs. The 2009 and 2017 Räikkönen papers assessed later outcomes in follow-ups of the same cohort. Volqvartz et al. used a questionnaire in early pregnancy and later measured maternal blood pressure and birth outcomes in a small Danish cohort. The reviewed studies did not measure glycyrrhizin in the specific candy products participants ate, and no licorice-only candy study during breastfeeding was identified in this search.
Pregnancy guidance for liquorice sweets versus liquorice-root preparations
- Source A says
- The Finnish Food Authority lists liquorice and salty liquorice sweets as not recommended during pregnancy because the intake limit is unknown, while stating that a few sweets or one serving of liquorice ice cream are acceptable. (Finnish Food Authority: Table 1 food-use guidance for pregnancy)
- Source B says
- The British Nutrition Foundation says there is no specific recommendation against liquorice sweets. NHS guidance names herbal teas containing liquorice root, not candy, among drinks to avoid. (British Nutrition Foundation: Dietary concerns during pregnancy, NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy)
- Why they differ
- The Finnish food table directly addresses sweets. The NHS wording is about root tea, while the British Nutrition Foundation separates sweets from root preparations. Product content and glycyrrhizin dose vary.
- Other sources
- VKM says the evidence cannot establish an intake limit. BfR says the observational cohort cannot establish cause and advises against continuous large amounts. EMA's 2026 monograph applies to medicinal liquorice-root products. (VKM: Glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice, possible health effects for fetuses and children, BfR: Does the consumption of liquorice by pregnant women impair the mental and physical development of children?, EMA: Final EU herbal monograph on Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata and Glycyrrhiza uralensis radix)
- What the evidence shows overall
- The evidence supports a cautious guidance label rather than treating every serving as equivalent to high intake. The Finnish authority itself distinguishes small portions, while UK sources do not make the same broad candy recommendation. The EMA medicinal-product warning should not be applied to ordinary candy.
- The Finnish Food Authority says the intake limit is unknown but describes a few sweets or one serving of liquorice ice cream as acceptable. (Finnish Food Authority)
- NCCIH notes that some products sold as licorice use anise oil instead of licorice root. (NCCIH)
- BfR says individual liquorice product labels do not show glycyrrhizic-acid levels and advises pregnant women against continuous large intake. (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
BfR and LactMed describe blood-pressure and potassium effects with large or prolonged licorice intake. These cautions concern high exposure, not a specific candy brand.
- BfR says large amounts can cause sodium retention, potassium loss, higher blood pressure, water retention and muscle weakness. (BfR: Does the consumption of liquorice by pregnant women impair the mental and physical development of children?)
- LactMed says long-term, excessive use can cause hypertension, low potassium and changes in adrenal hormones. (LactMed (NIH): Licorice)
Experiences from moms and non-medical voices. Not medical evidence.
- Strandberg et al. 2001, Birth outcome in relation to licorice consumption during pregnancyUS governmentPrimary
- Räikkönen et al. 2009, Maternal licorice consumption and detrimental cognitive and psychiatric outcomes in childrenUS governmentPrimary
- Räikkönen et al. 2017, Maternal licorice consumption during pregnancy and pubertal, cognitive, and psychiatric outcomes in childrenUS governmentPrimary
- Volqvartz et al. 2019, Use of alternative medicine, ginger and licorice among Danish pregnant womenUS governmentPrimary
- Finnish Food Authority: Table 1 food-use guidance for pregnancySecondaryIndependent check
- VKM: Glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice, possible health effects for fetuses and childrenSecondaryPage dated 2018-05-08Independent check
- BfR: Does the consumption of liquorice by pregnant women impair the mental and physical development of children?SecondaryPage dated 2023-02-14Independent check
- NCCIH: Licorice Root: Usefulness and SafetyUS governmentSecondaryIndependent check
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancyUK governmentSecondary
- British Nutrition Foundation: Dietary concerns during pregnancySecondaryIndependent check
- LactMed (NIH): LicoriceUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-06-15
- EMA: Final EU herbal monograph on Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata and Glycyrrhiza uralensis radixEU agencySecondaryPage dated 2026-03-04Independent checkEuropean guidance
- Chen et al. 2026, Benefits and risks of herbal medicine use during pregnancy on offspring outcomesUS governmentPrimary
- FDA: Small Entity Compliance Guide on the final ephedrine-alkaloid dietary-supplement ruleUS governmentSecondary
Last reviewed 2026-10-18
Independent check 2026-10-18
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.