Great, thanks BobbyJ! Sending my husband out, right now :)

You're pregnant... have all the Twizzlers you want! Pregnancy is tough enough, so don't deprive yourself!

PS I LOVE Twizzlers!

@ flibiddyfloo

Congrats on your pregnancy!

I'm a strong believer that whatever your body craves indicates a deficiency of some sort; I also tend to look up odd things on the internet :) ~ here's what I found when I Googled 'licorice' & 'MS':

http://www.itmonline.org/arts/msalsmg.htm

Wow ~ get this:

" ... some of the licorice candy made in the United States does not rely on licorice for its flavor.

A recent case of licorice overdose, however, demonstrated that the popular candy Twizzlers (the black, not the red) contains some licorice ..."

Here's the link to the whole article:
http://www.healthcentral.com/peoplespharmacy/408/20657.html

Janice, I've heard the same thing about cravings and deficiencies, but I don't think I've ever read that before. Thanks for the info! We're moving to Cali, in about 2 weeks; I know there are tons of herbal stores there.

Janice, did I read that last article correctly? Licorice flavoring is often put into cigarettes? I've never smoked before-- any smokers, past and/or present that can confirm that some cigarettes have a sweet taste like licorice?

@ flibbidyfloo

I smoke, have for years, & I have never noticed anything licorice-like about cigs.

My oldest sis is an acupuncturist ~ in her practice she uses a lot of herbs based on Chinese & eastern medicine & I just emailed her to see if she can make up some licorice supplement for me ~ maybe I'll be able to say at a later date if there's any benefit to it all.

I'm still reading, & just came to negatives about licorice that I wanted to point out to you: (be careful!)

Special Precautions

Pregnant women should not use licorice at medicinal doses. There is a danger of high blood pressure or of a hormone imbalance that would harm the fetus.

People with high blood pressure should avoid the use of licorice, which could aggravate their condition.

Anyone with a heart problem should use licorice only under medical supervision. Potassium depletion caused by licorice is especially hazardous for such patients. Anyone with pre-existing hypokalemia (low potassium) should not take licorice.

People with kidney disease, especially the elderly, may be at increased risk of side effects from this herb.

Gallbladder disease and cirrhosis are considered contraindications for licorice.

Adverse Effects

The consequences of high doses or long-term use of licorice are severe. This herb can cause high blood pressure, low levels of potassium, fluid retention and swelling of the face and limbs, hormonal imbalance, and muscle destruction leading to pain and weakness.

At least one woman experienced loss of libido. Another woman ate too much licorice candy and lost a great deal of potassium; her heart stopped.

Licorice can also change heart rhythms, prolonging QT and PR intervals on an electrocardiogram.

Lethargy and fatigue as well as weakness are part of the picture of licorice toxicity.

Many of the negative symptoms associated with licorice are due to its ability to inhibit the renin-angiotensin system. Elderly people in particular are susceptible to kidney problems as a consequence of licorice.

Paralysis of the legs (and in one case, of all of the limbs) has been reported. A sixty-four-year-old man developed pulmonary edema, signaled by fatigue and trouble breathing, after eating four packages of black Twizzlers licorice candy in three days. This case demonstrates how quickly a serious reaction can arise.

Licorice can reduce thyroid gland activity and lower the basal metabolic rate.

It appears that individuals vary considerably in their susceptibility to adverse reactions from licorice. Some people experience negative symptoms within days, while others may ingest excessive licorice in candy, chewing gum, chewing tobacco, or herbal medicine for months or even years before they realize that they are suffering damaging effects.

Women appear to be somewhat more susceptible than men, and oral contraceptives may increase this sensitivity.

Possible Interactions

Licorice can greatly increase potassium loss due to medicines such as hydrochlorothiazide, Lasix, Hygroton, Lozol, Bumex, and other potassium-wasting diuretics.

Severe potassium loss greatly increases the risk of heart rhythm irregularities, especially in people taking Lanoxin. Amiloride, a potassium-sparing diuretic, is not recommended to counteract the potassium loss caused by licorice.

Because it binds to serum albumin, licorice may interact with other medications that bind to serum albumin as well: ibuprofen, aspirin, and Coumadin. The coumarins in licorice may also potentiate the action of this anticoagulant, possibly leading to unexpected bleeding.