Licorice & Fat Reduction?
Can Licorice Help You Lose Fat?
For adults battling body fat, the results of a new study could make them feel like a kid in a candy store. Eating black licorice regularly may reduce body fat without any side effects, according to an Italian report presented at a recent endocrinology meeting in Toronto.
But according to the authors of the small study, eating moderate amounts of licorice has no adverse effects. “Our study showed that licorice intake of 3.5 grams a day [roughly 1.4 ounces] reduced body fat by up to 4%, without any change in blood pressure,” says co-author Carlo De Palo, MD, a clinical researcher at the University of Padua. “One explanation is that the strong taste of licorice suppresses the appetite,” he adds.
American doctors think it may be too soon to draw any conclusions. “Another explanation is that eating licorice makes you feel full, so that you eat fewer calories,” says weight-control expert Terry Jacobson.