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Chances are that the Justin’s peanut butter cups are the first to go in the office bowl of Halloween candy, and good thing too: It turns out chocolate isn’t as bad for you as another candy so dangerous in large amounts that the FDA has issued a legit warning about it. Watch out, black licorice lovers: It turns out eating too much of this particular treat can wreck havoc on your body, under certain conditions.
“Glycrrhizin can cause potassium levels in the body to fall.”
The problem ingredient is glycrrhizin, a sweetening compound in licorice root. “Glycrrhizin can cause potassium levels in the body to fall. When that happens, some people experience abnormal heart rhythms, as well as high blood pressure, swelling, lethargy, and cognitive heart failure,” the FDA says, according to Food Navigator USA.
How much is too much exactly? Less than you might think. The FDA recommends not eating more than two ounces a day, about three one-inch pieces, according to Today.com. So after satisfying your craving with one piece, it’s a good idea to call it quits or move on to something you really want, like chocolate.
Speaking of Halloween candy, here are some better-for-you options. Or, enjoy the holiday in a bit more grown-up way with this spirited elixir.
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