When pregnant, pregnant mothers will want to do everything to protect the fetus and ensure a healthy pregnancy. You will choose products that are safe for mothers and babies. But pregnant mothers know, in foods that are considered good for mothers and fetuses, licorice is very dangerous to pregnant mothers' health.
Although most people think of licorice as a candy, its source is actually an herb Glycyrrhiza glabra, used thousands of years ago as a sweetener and as a medicine. . Liquorice, developed in Europe and Asia, has been used to treat ulcers, stomach ulcers and indigestion, eczema and even the common cold since ancient times. Products made from this herb include candies, tonics and herbal teas, which contain extracts of licorice root.
With a mass above 20 g, licorice can affect the adrenal system, causing heart problems, headaches and high blood pressure for users. Especially for pregnant women, this herb may disrupt its ability to block the stress hormone from being pregnant to the fetus through the placenta. This increases the stress hormone in your baby's body when the baby is born.
According to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, pregnant women eat a lot of licorice can damage the intelligence of the baby. Babies whose mothers eat large amounts of this herb are also more likely to be difficult to teach and to be aggressive.
This study ignores other environmental factors affecting children and also does not collect data on other foods that women have eaten during pregnancy. This suggests that taking this herb during pregnancy can affect a child's behavior or IQ and suggests the importance of the placenta in preventing stress hormones that may affect development. baby's cognitive (psychiatric) development. Therefore, mothers should avoid eating too much of this herb.
An earlier study also suggested that eating a lot of licorice could increase the risk of preterm birth. However, according to some recommendations, this herb is one of the foods pregnant women should avoid.
In addition, excessive use of licorice during pregnancy has the potential to cause behavioral problems in children, according to a study from the American Journal of Epidemiology in October 2009. In In this study, researchers looked at people who were exposed to varying degrees of exposure to licorice during pregnancy. They found that the children most exposed to the herb had poorer memory and decreased language ability, along with increased aggression and demonstrated memory impairment.
Some types of black licorice contain ingredients like anise, while others contain both licorice and anise. So if you are pregnant, you should read the ingredients of black licorice before deciding to eat. You should avoid products with listed ingredients like "licorice extract" or "licorice root extract".
If you have any questions or problems, please contact your doctor directly for advice on using licorice during pregnancy.
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