By Jim Earles
Section of article on nutrative
sweetner Licorice Root
Licorice root is a substance of which virtually everyone
is aware, but comparatively few people realize its
sweetening properties. (Although many people equate
licorice with the sweet red strips of candy called
by the same name, those do not actually contain any
licorice root. These candy "licorices" are
typically mixtures of corn syrup, sugar, flour, margarine
and artificial flavorings.) The plant of which licorice
root is the root is the blue flowering pea plant,
botanically known as glycyrrhiza glabra. This plant
grows wild in much of southern Europe and in Asia.
Licorice root has been used since ancient Egyptian
times to treat upset stomachs, chest infections and
coughs, and has also been used by various cultures
to ward of demons and invoke mystical powers.138
Licorice
root may be used in its unadulterated, ground-up
form, or the primary sweetening compound may be
extracted. In this case, that compound is known
as glycyrrhizin (or also glycyrrhizic acid). Glycyrrhizin
is between 50 and 100 times sweeter than sucrose,
but it also imparts a definite (and familiar) aftertaste
of licorice. Due to its low sweetness (in comparison
to many artificial sweeteners) and strong aftertaste,
it has not enjoyed much success as a commercial
sweetener. The exception to this is its use in herbal
tea blends, where the licorice aftertaste may be
blended quite well with other tastes.
There is a very long historical
record of the safety of licorice as a food and a
medicinal herb. In fact, it is one of the most commonly-used
herbs worldwide. It is safe for diabetics, but its
lack of versatility as an all-around sweetening
agent limits its potential applications. There has
never been a single documented case of adverse reaction
to the consumption of licorice root in its whole,
ground-up form.139 This is not quite the case with
the extracted glycyrrhizin, which is still very
safe for most people but may cause hypertension,
edema, sodium retention and mild depletion of potassium
when consumed excessively or by certain sensitive
individuals. (Many herbalists recommend against
long-term, excessive consumption of ground licorice
root due to concerns that it also may cause hypertension
and edema in some people.) For this very reason,
Japanese and Dutch regulatory agencies agree that
the total daily consumption of glycyrrhizin should
not exceed 200 milligrams. Adverse symptoms of excessive
glycyrrhizin consumption generally disappear shortly
after a person lowers their dietary intake of products
containing the sweetener.140
This article appeared in
Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing
Arts,
the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation,
Winter 2003.
References
(All web addresses were visited
on or before October, 12, 2003)
1. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
2. Ibid
3. www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01156.html
4. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
5. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
6. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
7. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
8. http://presidiotex.com/bressler/
9. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
10. http://presidiotex.com/bressler/
11. Ibid
12. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
13. Ibid
14. www.aspartamekills.com
15. http://www.dominion-web.com/directory.Top/Society/Issues/Business/
Allegedly_Unethical_Firms/Monsanto
16. www.karinya.com/neotame.htm
17. Fallon, Sally and Enig, Mary G, PhD, Nourishing
Traditions, NewTrends Publishing, 2001, Washington,
DC.
18. www.aspartamekills.com/lydon.htm
19. www.aspartamekills.com
20. www.aspartamekills.com/lydon.htm
21. www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdsugar.html
22. www.aspartamekills.com/lydon.htm
23. www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/summary.html
24. http://aspartametruth.com/92symptoms.html
25. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
26. Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language:
Deluxe Encyclopedic Edition. 1991.
27. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
28. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
29. www.finchcms.edu/biochem/walters/sweet/history.html
30. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
31. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
32. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
33. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
34. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites
/2001/Saccharin/history.htm
35. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
36. Ibid
37. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites
/2001/ Saccharin/BITTERSWEET.htm
38. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
39. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
40. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2001/
Saccharin/history.htm
41. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
42. http://web1.caryacademy.org/chemistry/rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2001/
Saccharin/BITTERSWEET.htm
43. Ibid
44. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
45. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
46. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
47. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
48. Ibid
49. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
50. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
51. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
52. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
53. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
54. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
55. www.archive.hoechst.com/english_3er/publikationen/future/ernaehr/art8.html
56. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
57. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
58. www.archive.hoechst.com/english_3er/publikationen/future/ernaehr/art8.html
59. www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm
60. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
61. www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-sweeteners.html
62. www.ecit.emory.edu/ECIT/chem_ram/synth/Hodgin.htm
63. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
64. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
65. www.finchcms.edu/cms/biochem/walters/sweet/history.html
66. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
67. Ibid
68. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
69. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
70. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
71. www.splenda.com/page.jhtml?id=splenda/pressctr/pressreleases.inc
72. Ibid
73. www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm
74. Ibid
75. Ibid
76. Ibid
77. Ibid
78. Low-Calorie Sweeteners: Present and Future (from
the World Conference on Low-Calorie Sweeteners).
Antonietta Corti (editor)
79. www.nutrasweet.com/infocenter/index.asp
80. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
81. www.holisticmed.com/neotame/whatis.html
82. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
83. www.holisticmed.com/splenda/
84. www.finchcms.edu/cms/biochem/walters/sweet/history.html
85. www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Non_Nutritive_Artificial_Sweeteners.htm
86. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
87. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
88. www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00155.html
89. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn O’Brien
Nabors (editor)
90. www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/1992/0792DE.html
91. www.btinternet.com/~amcbryan/aspartame/comment1a.htm
92. www.foodproductdesign.com/archive/1992/0792DE.html
93. www.globalsweet.com/polyols.asp
94. www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
95. www.eridex.com/html/history/html
96. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
97. www.globalsweet.com/HealthyAlternatives.asp#p
98. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
99. www.drgreene.com/21_837.html
100. www.globalsweet.com/HealthyAlternatives.asp#p
101. www.daniscosweeteners.com/dsw/web/dsw/publicsite/presentation/home/
news_and_events/latest_news.html&newspath=/web/dsw/publicsite/content/news/
Stay_Cool_in_the_Summer_Heat.html
102. www.eatright.org/Public/GovernmentAffairs/92_adap0598.cfm
103. www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
104. www.cspinet.org/foodsafety/labeling_sorbitol.html
105. www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
106. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
107. www.tagatose.com/whatis.html
108. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition, Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
109. Ibid
110. Low-Calorie Sweeteners: Present and Future
(from the World Conference on Low-Calorie Sweeteners).
Atonietta Corti (editor)
111. www.chemopharma.com/citrosa.htm
112. Information taken from a personal e-mail exchange
with Overseal Color, Inc.
113. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
114. Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
115. www.gene.ch/gentech/1998/May-Jul/msg00060.html
116. Wisdom Natural Brands stevia product brochures
117. www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
118. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
119. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
120. "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age," Whole Foods, June 2003, by Peilin Guo
and Dallas Clouatre.
121. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
122. www.chifaisgourmet.com/CFLoHanpage.htm
123. "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age," Whole Foods, June 2003, by Peilin Guo
and Dallas Clouatre.
124. http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
125. Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
126. http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
References Corresponding to
Better Options Addendum
112- www.overseal.co.uk/talin3.htm
113- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
114- http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headlines/msad14sep98_1.htm
115- www.dsharma.org/biotech/bitter.htm
116- Information taken from a personal e-mail exchange
with Overseal Color, Inc.
117- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
118- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
119- Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
120- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
121- www.gene.ch/gentech/1998/May-Jul/msg00060.html
122- Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
123- www.wisdomherbs.com/faq/stevioside.htm
124- Information taken from Wisdom Natural Brands
stevia product brochures
125- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
126- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
127- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan/Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
128- ibid
129- ibid
130- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
131- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
132- www.gene.ch/gentech/1998/May-Jul/msg00060.html
133- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
134- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
135- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
136- www.emperorsherbologist.com/steviahist.shtml
137- "Sinfully Sweet?" article from New
Age Journal, Jan./Feb. 1996, by Linda and Bill Bonvie.
Available online at www.stevia.net/newagesweet.htm
138- www.panda.fi/engl/licorice.htm
139- www.holisticmed.com/sweet/sweet.txt
140- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
141- Ibid
142- www.preparedfoods.com/literature/0006/mafco.htm
143- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
144- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
145- www.chifaisgourmet.com/CFLoHanpage.htm
146- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
147- www.chifaisgourmet.com/CFLoHanpage.htm
148- "Lo Han: A Natural Sweetener Comes of
Age" article from Whole Foods, June 2003, by
Peilin Guo and Dallas Clouatre.
149- www.ketofoods.com/updates/sugaralcohol_article.html
150- www.dainet.de/fnr/ctvo/byproducts/heming_hbi.doc
151- www.supplementwatch.com/supatoz/supplement.asp?supplementID=152
152- http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_glycerin.html#sweet
153- www.aubrey-organics.com/about/dictionary/v_diction.cfm
154- http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_glycerin.html#sweet
155- www.dainet.de/fnr/ctvo/byproducts/heming_hbi.doc
156- www.getbig.com/articles/nutritionbars.htm
157- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
158- http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
159- ibid
160- www.vitaminretailer.com/VR/articles/Probiotics.htm
161- http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/inulin_probiotic.html
162- ibid
163- Alternative Sweeteners, Third Edition. Lyn
O’Brien Nabors (editor)
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