Too much black lollipop led to the death of a 54-year-old Massachusetts construction worker – he consumed it with a bag and a half a day for weeks, causing his heart to stop. The problem substance is also found in other foods.

“If you eat just a little bear sugar, it can also raise your blood pressure a bit,” said Neel Butala, a cardiologist at a Massachusetts hospital who England Journal of Medicine He presented the extreme example in his recent issue: what happens when someone eats not a little but a lot of bear sugar.

The problem is caused by the glycyrrhizin extracted from licorice in licorice and other foods and supplements. Dangerously lowers potassium levels and disrupts the balance of other minerals and electrolytes. If someone eats just 56 grams of bear sugar a day for two weeks, it can also cause heart problems, especially for those over 40, warns the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“It’s not just bear sugar, it can be licorice tea, gum sugar, it’s a lot of over-the-counter things. Even some beers, like some Belgian beers, have this ingredient.”

Explained Robert Eckel, a cardiologist at the University of Colorado and former president of the American Heart Association, who commented on the research.

The 54-year-old’s case is not uncommon: A few weeks before his death last year, he switched from his favorite bagged candy, the red, fruity version of the Twizzlers for a black bear sugar. He crashed into a fast food restaurant during lunch. The medical examination found that his body was dangerously low in potassium, causing arrhythmias and other problems. His resuscitation was successful, but he died the next day.

The FDA sets the allowable percentage of glycyrrhizin among a food’s ingredients at 3.1 percent, but many candies do not indicate how much dangerous flavoring it contains, Butala said.

[Megrövidíti az életet az egyik legfelkapottabb étrend]

Hershey spokesman Jeff Beckman, who also makes the popular Twizzlers, wrote in an email in response to the incident that all of their products are safe to consume, “manufactured in full compliance with FDA regulations” and that all foods , including sweets, should be consumed in moderation.

If you ever want to know about similar things, check out the Facebook page in the HVG Tech section.



The number of independent power editorial boards is steadily declining, and those that still exist are trying to stay afloat in a growing headwind. At HVG we persevere, we do not give in to pressure and we bring national and international news every day.

That is why we ask you, our readers, to support us, support us, join our membership and renew it!

And we promise to keep doing our best for you in all circumstances!