Real licorice candy, the kind made with extract from the root of the Glycyrrhiza glabra plant, does contain biologically active compounds with documented health effects. The most studied of these is glycyrrhizin, which has shown anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties in research settings. But here is the uncomfortable truth that makes a simple answer impossible: the same compound responsible for most of licorice’s potential benefits is also the one that can raise your blood pressure, drain your potassium, and in extreme cases cause life-threatening heart rhythm problems. Whether licorice candy is a minor health perk or a genuine risk depends almost entirely on how much you eat, how often, and what else is going on in your body.
Real Licorice Versus “Licorice” Candy
Before anything else, you need to know that most licorice-flavored candy sold in the United States contains no actual licorice. Red “licorice” twists are flavored with fruit extracts and have nothing to do with the plant. Even many black licorice products use anise oil to mimic the taste without including any glycyrrhizin. If the ingredient list doesn’t mention “licorice extract,” “licorice root,” or “glycyrrhizin,” you’re eating flavored sugar, and none of the benefits or risks discussed here apply to you.
Traditional European-style black licorice, Dutch drop, Scandinavian salted licorice, and some imported brands do contain real licorice extract. The concentration varies enormously from product to product, which is part of what makes dose guidance so tricky. A 2023 analysis of commercial licorice candies found that traditional formulations are typically high in added sugars and low in nutritional value, with sugar content around 53 grams per 100 grams of candy.
What the Active Compounds Can Do
The licorice root has been used medicinally since antiquity, and modern research has confirmed that some of those ancient claims hold up. Glycyrrhizin, the compound that gives licorice its distinctive sweetness (it’s roughly 50 times sweeter than table sugar), breaks down in the body into glycyrrhetinic acid, which drives most of the biological effects. Beyond glycyrrhizin, licorice contains flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and other plant compounds with their own activity profiles.
Licorice-derived compounds have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties across a wide range of laboratory and clinical studies.1PubMed Central. The Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)-Derived Compounds in Intestinal Disorders The question that matters for you, someone standing in a candy aisle, is how much of that lab potential translates to health effects from chewing on a piece of confectionery. The honest answer is: probably very little at typical snacking amounts, and the risks start climbing well before the doses used in clinical research.
Throat Soothing and Respiratory Effects
One of the most tangible benefits of licorice, and the one closest to what you’d experience from eating the candy, is its soothing effect on the throat. A randomized, double-blind trial compared licorice gargle with sugar-water gargle in patients recovering from surgery requiring a breathing tube. Sore throat rates dropped substantially in the licorice group: about one in five experienced soreness at 30 minutes compared to more than a third in the sugar-water group, and similar differences held at later time points.2Anesthesia & Analgesia. A Randomized, Double-Blind Comparison of Licorice Versus Sugar-Water Gargle for Prevention of Postoperative Sore Throat and Postextubation Coughing
This is one area where the traditional folk remedy and the clinical data align nicely. The catch is that gargling with a licorice solution delivers the compounds directly to the throat lining, while eating a piece of candy mostly sends it to your stomach. Slowly dissolving a real licorice lozenge or hard candy might offer a milder version of the same local effect, but you shouldn’t expect the results to match a controlled gargle.
Antimicrobial Activity and Oral Health
Researchers have identified a compound in licorice root called Glycyrrhizol A that shows strong antimicrobial activity against the bacteria most responsible for tooth decay. One group developed sugar-free herbal lollipops containing this compound and demonstrated that they effectively killed cavity-causing Streptococcus mutans bacteria.3International Journal of Oral Science. Development and evaluation of a safe and effective sugar‐free herbal lollipop that kills cavity‐causing bacteria The irony is obvious: conventional licorice candy is loaded with sugar, which feeds the exact bacteria that the licorice compounds fight. You’d need to seek out sugar-free licorice products specifically formulated to deliver the antimicrobial benefit without undermining it.
Antiviral Properties
Licorice compounds have attracted serious research attention for antiviral activity. A review summarizing the evidence found that glycyrrhizin and related metabolites show activity against a broad range of viruses through multiple mechanisms.4PubMed Central. The antiviral and antimicrobial activities of licorice, a widely-used Chinese herb This line of research intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-silico and in-vitro studies suggested that glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetic acid could interfere with viral entry by interacting with the ACE2 receptor and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.5PubMed Central. Can Antiviral Activity of Licorice Help Fight COVID-19 Infection? A review of about 50 studies confirmed that the most common mechanism involved disrupting viral uptake into host cells.6Phytomedicine Plus. The potential of glycyrrhizin and licorice extract in combating COVID-19 and associated conditions
This sounds exciting, but context matters enormously. These findings come from computer modeling, cell cultures, and animal studies. Nobody has demonstrated that eating licorice candy produces antiviral effects in living humans. The concentrations involved in lab studies are far higher than what you’d achieve by snacking. This is an area of genuine scientific interest for drug development, not a reason to stockpile licorice drops during flu season.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Compounds
Licorice contains a family of unusual flavonoids, including prenylated flavonoids that are relatively rare in the plant kingdom. Laboratory testing of these compounds found strong antioxidant activity across multiple standard assays, effectively scavenging several types of damaging free radicals.7PubMed Central. Antioxidant activities of licorice-derived prenylflavonoids Again, these are test-tube results. Your body’s antioxidant needs are complex, and eating a food that scores well on a lab bench doesn’t automatically translate into reduced oxidative damage in your tissues.
The anti-inflammatory side of the equation has somewhat more practical relevance. Licorice-derived compounds have been studied specifically for their effects on intestinal inflammation, where they show promise in reducing inflammatory signaling and oxidative stress. For people with digestive complaints, licorice has a long history as a traditional remedy for upset stomach and ulcers. The compound deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), which has the glycyrrhizin removed to avoid blood pressure effects, is sold as a supplement for this purpose. Standard licorice candy, however, is not DGL.
Body Composition Research
Some preliminary research has explored whether specific licorice compounds affect body fat. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, overweight subjects who took licorice flavonoid oil (a concentrated extract, not candy) for eight weeks saw decreases in total body fat, and those on the highest dose showed reductions in visceral fat, body weight, and LDL cholesterol compared to baseline, even though calorie intake was similar across groups.8Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. Licorice flavonoid oil reduces total body fat and visceral fat in overweight subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study Animal studies have reinforced the idea that specific licorice flavonoids can suppress fat accumulation and lower blood sugar levels.9Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin. Licorice Flavonoids Suppress Abdominal Fat Accumulation and Increase in Blood Glucose Level in Obese Diabetic KK-Ay Mice Separately, the compound glabridin (an isoflavan from licorice) reduced weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet and inhibited fat cell development in cell cultures.10Food and Chemical Toxicology. Anti-obesity effects of glabridin-rich supercritical carbon dioxide extract of licorice in high-fat-fed obese mice
These are interesting leads for pharmaceutical and supplement development, but they don’t mean licorice candy is a weight-loss food. The doses used in these studies were concentrated extracts, not commercial confections. And licorice candy itself is essentially pure sugar and starch with a small amount of extract mixed in, making it a poor vehicle for fat reduction by any measure.
The Blood Pressure and Potassium Problem
Here is where the risk-benefit math shifts dramatically. Glycyrrhetinic acid, the breakdown product of glycyrrhizin in your body, blocks an enzyme that normally keeps the stress hormone cortisol from acting on your kidneys’ mineralocorticoid receptors.11PubMed. Licorice inhibits 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase messenger ribonucleic acid levels and potentiates glucocorticoid hormone action When that enzyme is blocked, cortisol floods those receptors and mimics the effect of too much aldosterone, the hormone that tells your kidneys to hold onto sodium and dump potassium. The result is a condition called pseudohyperaldosteronism, which causes high blood pressure, sodium retention, and dangerously low potassium.12PubMed Central. Licorice: From Pseudohyperaldosteronism to Therapeutic Uses
A systematic review and meta-analysis quantified the damage: chronic ingestion of glycyrrhizin-containing products raised systolic blood pressure by about 5.5 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by about 3 mm Hg on average. Plasma potassium dropped significantly, and the effect on blood pressure correlated with the daily dose of glycyrrhizin consumed. The authors noted that even modest doses produced measurable changes.13Journal of Human Hypertension. The association between consistent licorice ingestion, hypertension and hypokalaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis Those numbers might sound small, but they represent population averages. Individual responses vary widely, and some people are far more sensitive.
When Things Go Seriously Wrong
Case reports illustrate the severe end of the spectrum. A 58-year-old man who ate two to three 36-gram licorice candy bars daily for six to seven years developed high blood pressure and dangerously low potassium, with suppressed renin and aldosterone, a textbook presentation of licorice-induced pseudoaldosteronism.14JAMA. Licorice-Induced Pseudoaldosteronism Patients who consume large quantities of black licorice are at risk of developing this syndrome, which presents with a combination of high blood pressure, high sodium, and low potassium.15PubMed Central. Trick or Treat? Licorice-Induced Hypokalemia: A Case Report
At the extreme, the consequences can be fatal. A case report described a 46-year-old man who went into cardiac arrest from ventricular fibrillation after consuming licorice-flavored candies daily for several months. His labs showed severe hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis consistent with glycyrrhizin toxicity, and his heart tracing revealed dangerous QT prolongation before the lethal arrhythmia.16PubMed Central. Lethal Arrhythmia Induced by Licorice These are not freak occurrences limited to people eating absurd quantities. “Daily for several months” is a pattern that plenty of licorice enthusiasts would recognize in themselves.
Who Is Most Vulnerable
Certain groups face higher risk from regular licorice consumption. People who already have high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease are more susceptible to the mineralocorticoid effects because their bodies are less able to compensate. Those taking certain medications are at particular risk: licorice can interact with diuretics (which already lower potassium), blood pressure medications (working against them), blood thinners like warfarin, and corticosteroids. A review of licorice’s pharmacology noted that excessive intake has been associated with a wide spectrum of adverse effects, including several mediated by the way licorice compounds alter drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver.17Food Frontiers. A review on phytochemicals, pharmacological activities, drug interactions, and associated toxicities of licorice (Glycyrrhiza sp.)
Older adults are disproportionately represented in licorice toxicity case reports, partly because they’re more likely to have underlying conditions and take interacting medications, and partly because some are longtime habitual consumers. If you’re over 40 and eating real black licorice regularly, the risk calculation deserves attention.
Licorice During Pregnancy
Pregnant women face a distinct set of concerns. A Finnish study found that heavy glycyrrhizin consumption during pregnancy was associated with more than double the risk of preterm delivery before 37 weeks, and the association was even stronger for early preterm delivery before 34 weeks, where the adjusted risk was roughly threefold.18PubMed. Preterm birth and licorice consumption during pregnancy A systematic review of herbal product use during pregnancy confirmed this association, finding that heavy licorice consumption (defined as more than 500 mg of glycyrrhizin per week) was linked to both preterm and early preterm birth.19PubMed Central. Herbal Medicinal Product Use During Pregnancy and the Postnatal Period: A Systematic Review The mechanism likely involves cortisol, which glycyrrhizin allows to cross the placenta more freely by blocking the same enzyme that normally protects the fetus from maternal stress hormones. For pregnant women, the prudent approach is to avoid real licorice products entirely.
How Much Is Too Much, and Why That Question Is Hard to Answer
The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food has previously set a guideline suggesting that regular intake above 100 mg of glycyrrhizin per day could cause health effects in some individuals. The FDA considers licorice a generally recognized safe food additive but has not set a specific maximum daily intake, a gap that public health researchers have called attention to.20PubMed Central. Licorice abuse: time to send a warning message The practical difficulty is that glycyrrhizin content is almost never listed on candy packaging, and concentrations differ wildly between brands and product types.
As a rough guide, a single serving of strong European-style black licorice (maybe 50 grams) could contain anywhere from 50 to 200 mg of glycyrrhizin depending on the formulation. That means a person eating a full bag in a sitting could easily exceed what regulators consider the caution zone, sometimes by a wide margin. And the effects are cumulative: glycyrrhetinic acid has a long half-life in the body, so daily consumption keeps building on what is already circulating.
Early-Stage Brain Health Research
An area still in its infancy is whether licorice compounds have neuroprotective effects. Mouse studies have found that licorice stem flavonoids improved learning and memory in rodent models of brain inflammation and reduced markers of oxidative damage and cell death in brain tissue.21PubMed Central. PI3K-Akt signaling pathway based on network pharmacology for the anti-Alzheimer’s disease effect of licorice stem flavonoids A separate study comparing three different licorice varieties in mice with induced brain inflammation found that all three reduced pro-inflammatory signaling in the brain.22Nutrition Research and Practice. Comparison of the effect of three licorice varieties on cognitive improvement via an amelioration of neuroinflammation in lipopolysaccharide-induced mice These findings are intriguing for Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration research, but they involve concentrated plant extracts administered to rodents under controlled conditions. There is no human clinical evidence that eating licorice candy protects the brain.
The Gap Between the Plant and the Candy
Running through nearly every claimed benefit is a fundamental disconnect: the licorice root contains dozens of bioactive compounds at concentrations that researchers can isolate and test, but a piece of licorice candy is a heavily processed confection where those compounds are diluted into a matrix of sugar, starch, wheat flour, and gelling agents. Commercial licorice candies have sugar content above 50 percent by weight and essentially no dietary fiber in traditional formulations.23ACS Publications. Composition of Commercial Licorice Candies and Development of Sugar-Reduced Licorice-Type Extruded Soft Candy Using Resistant Dextrin Eating licorice candy for its health benefits is a bit like drinking a beer for its B vitamins: technically the compound is present, but the vehicle undermines the purpose.
If you genuinely want the medicinal properties of licorice without the sugar load and with more control over dosage, standardized supplements and DGL tablets exist for that purpose. They let you target specific compounds at known concentrations, avoid the ones you don’t want (DGL removes glycyrrhizin to eliminate the blood pressure risk), and skip the empty calories. They are not candy, but that is rather the point.