Forgotten your password?
already a member?
Made For Mums
  •  
  • home
  • my neighbourhood
  • reviews
  • news + gossip
  • age + stage
  • feeding
  • win + offers
  • forum
  • sign up
what's on | groups & classes | local chat | places to go | childcare & schools | eating out | health | help | add listing
pushchairs & travel systems | car seats | feeding | cots & nursery | carriers & slings | all products
celebrities | hot stuff | pregnancy | baby | toddler + | mums & dads | it's amazing | fashion | MFM blog
getting pregnant | pregnancy & birth | your baby | your toddler+ | your schoolchild | your family
starting to wean | 7-9 mths | 9-12 mths | 12 mths+ | recipes | what to buy | fussy eaters | nutrition | food safety | special diets
competitions & giveaways
birth clubs | baby clubs | chat | your say! | 15 mins of fame | pregnancy | baby | parenting | potty training
Pregnancy
You are looking at: Home : News & Gossip : Pregnancy

Pregnant? Avoid lots of liquorice

Eating large amounts of liquorice could affect your child, new research suggests

Tweet
Posted: 6 October 2009
by Cassandra Kempster-Roberts

Women who eat lots of liquorice during pregnancy could be affecting their child’s behaviour and intelligence, according to experts, reports the BBC.

Children of mums who ate a lot of liquorice when pregnant didn’t perform as well as other children in tests, researchers from Edinburgh and Helsinki universities found. A component of liquorice, glycyrrhizin, may allow stress hormones to pass from mum to her unborn baby. These stress hormones are believed to impact on foetal brain development, and they’ve been connected with behavioural disorders in past studies.

The study looked at 8-year-olds born in Finland, where eating liquorice is common. The results indicate mums who ate the equivalent of 100g of pure liquorice were more likely to have children with more behaviourial issues and lower intelligence levels.

A previous study suggested that eating liquorice might be linked to shorter pregnancies.


Previous story
Why the Saturdays' mamas-to-be are keeping mum
Next story
Woman refused cheese at supermarket because she’s pregnant

behaviour, child, liquorice, diet, nutrition, health, safety, what's safe in pregnancy, foetal development
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookDiggRedditGoogle

Related Content

Bacon and eggs may boost unborn babies’ brain power

Peanuts safe in pregnancy

Eating nuts in pregnancy

Is alcohol safe in pregnancy?

Morning sickness in pregnancy

Related Products

Boots Digestive Health Probiotic and Prebiotic

Lindam Safe and Secure Soft Bed Rail

BabyDan Sleep n Safe Bedguard

Safety 1st Tri Safe Plus

Safety 1st Tri Safe car seat - DISCONTINUED

So what do you think?

Sylvie Smith
Uh oh! I craved liquorice in my pregnancy. I limited myself so I didn't OD on sugar so hopefully my baby should be ok! She's 7 months and she's  been a wonderfully calm baby so far! About 3 years ago
curlydiamond
I ate loads of it during my pregnancy, really craved it. I wonder how large the study was, liquorice is very popular in Sweden too which suggests there would be more children with low intelligence and behavioural difficulties there than in the UK... My little one is a handful, but then that's not unusuals for 1 year-olds! About 3 years ago
x.Laura.x

is there anything we are allowed anymore?

I had a huge thing for the little blue men in bassets liqourice allsorts until i was about 20wks with my oldest!

About 3 years ago
Ella Clifton
I know! and there was thaht lady at sainsbury's who wasn't allowed to buy cheddar cheese. I do remember reading something ages ago about eating liquorice making you have better orgasms - not sure how they worked that one out?! About 3 years ago
Charmaine
Will they change their mind, first you can eat peanuts then you cant then you can so who knows if this is right!! About 3 years ago
What's going on in your neighbourhood

most popular

  • Read
  • Latest
  1. 1
    10 of the most compact folding buggies
  2. 2
    10 of the best lightweight buggies under 6kg
  3. 3
    The 10 best car seats - from 9 months
  4. 4
    10 of the best double buggies for a toddler and baby
  5. 5
    10 of the best travel systems for less than £400
  6. 6
    10 of the best buggies, as rated by you!
  7. 7
    10 of the best new buggies coming in 2013
  8. 8
    Madonna and children - family facts
  9. 9
    Kate Middleton and Prince William hit The Baby Show at NEC, Birmingham?
  10. 10
    Fearne Cotton skips tattoos due to breastfeeding
  1. 1
    Kate Middleton and Prince William hit The Baby Show at NEC, Birmingham?
  2. 2
    A new world of digital entertainment for children
  3. 3
    Annabel Karmel's Confetti Couscous Salad
  4. 4
    Annabel Karmel's Thai Prawn Kebabs
  5. 5
    Annabel Karmel's Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
  6. 6
    Film review: The Big Wedding
  7. 7
    Fearne Cotton skips tattoos due to breastfeeding
  8. 8
    When MadeForMums met Mickey and Tigger
  9. 9
    Is Britney Spears planning baby number three?
  10. 10
    Soap star Alan Halsall reveals he can't wait to become a dad

question of the month poll

Which morning sickness remedy worked best for you?
10 of the best

news and gossip categories

  • Baby
  • Celebs
  • Fashion
  • Hot stuff
  • It's Amazing
  • MFM blog
  • Mums & Dads
  • Pregnancy
  • Toddler+

what's on in my neighbourhood
Looking for something to do this week - or even today? Take your pick...
Family activities and days out
Films and shows for children
Classes for babies and children
Pregnancy classes
Find more in your neighbourhood

discussions in my neighbourhood
What's the buzz in your area? Find out what everyone's talking about...
Buy, sell or find free family stuff
Meet up with other mums
Share what's going on in your community
Join in the chat about local classes
Find more in your neighbourhood

competitions

  • Win a bumper pack of VidaYum prizes
    Closing date: 16/06/2013
  • Win a real beehive and Disney The Hive toys!
    Closing date: 13/06/2013
  • Win 1 of 12 Blue Nose Friends play sets
    Closing date: 10/06/2013
  • Win 1 of 60 MaByLand changing mat bags
    Closing date: 30/06/2013
  • Win 1 of 10 Mum-to-be Wellbeing Packs
    Closing date: 07/06/2013
  • Win 1 of 15 Foster Grant Family Sunglasses Bundles
    Closing date: 07/06/2013
  • Win 1 of 7 Pink Lining Twin Bags
    Closing date: 07/06/2013
Follow MadeForMums on Twitter
Other Parenting sites:
  • Junior
  • Practical Parenting & Pregnancy
  • ThinkBaby
  • MadeForMums
  • BabyExpert
Other Immediate sites:
  • GOLFmagic
  • OUTDOORSmagic
  • Visordown
  • Gardeners' World
  • RadioTimes
Become a fan on Facebook for exclusive content
Follow MadeForMums on Twitter
Subscribe to Practical Parenting & Pregnancy
Immediate Media Co
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Terms + conditions
  • Advertise with us

© Immediate Media Company Ltd 2012. This website is owned and published by Immediate Media Company Limited. www.immediatemedia.co.uk

Version 2.8.52181.0