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Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#161

Post by nicoburns »

ChickeNES wrote: post #130
BrandoElFollito wrote: post #104

I know that this is not related but I cannot unsee the comments about a similar sweet (Haribo sugar free bear) [1] We do not have these in France (despite having the Haribo museum in the south) so I cannot tell whether this is true or just a sophisticated ad campaign. I am generally very skeptical about food that is completely made up from non-food (that is above "processed") but in the case of licorice this is a swe…

> We do not have these in France (despite having the Haribo museum in the south) so I cannot tell whether this is true or just a sophisticated ad campaign. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol#Humans Though I don't know what you mean by "non-foods"?

I think non-foods are things like sweeteners which we literally can't digest and just go straight through us. They're not nutritious, and thus arguably aren't food at all (although you can eat them).

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#162

Post by pengaru »

lostlogin wrote: post #58
jboog wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, I worked at a golf course in groundskeeping for a summer after HS. The diet of the "old timers" was absolutely ridiculous. The worst, Jim, his lunch every day was literally a can of Coca-Cola and a can of Vienna Sausages (shitty canned tiny hot dogs for those that don't know). God knows what he ate before/after work. He had a heart attack one day at work. Was only in his early 50s.

An old timer in his early 50s?

It's at least in quotes...

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#163

Post by jdofaz »

svachalek wrote: post #152
copperx wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have always wondered whether liquorice is an acquired taste. I find it vile, and I'm glad for that.

I've always wondered if it's something like cilantro. They've identified a gene that makes cilantro taste soapy to some. Maybe there's something similar with licorice since I've noticed many people seem to have a strong negative reaction to it. (I find the flavor mild but interesting, like vanilla.)

I like cilantro a lot but think licorice is gross

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#164

Post by mrkstu »

Smileyferret wrote: post #99

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_mineralocorticoid_exc... We actually learned about this in med school last week, but I never thought it actually happened to people... Licorice contains glycyrrhetinic acid which inhibits the conversion of cortisol to cortisone. If you have too much cortisol floating around because of this, that cortisol starts activating receptors in your kidneys that are normally activated by…

I starting to suspect I have a variety of such genetic endowments- gout because I can't break down uric acid, high blood pressure that gets instantly elevated when I eat black licorice (which I loved as a kid), variety of allergies, Type II Diabetes (along with most of my sibs, regardless of their diets.)

Hopefully Dad's Parkinsons isn't genetic...

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#165

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

svachalek wrote: post #152
copperx wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have always wondered whether liquorice is an acquired taste. I find it vile, and I'm glad for that.

I've always wondered if it's something like cilantro. They've identified a gene that makes cilantro taste soapy to some. Maybe there's something similar with licorice since I've noticed many people seem to have a strong negative reaction to it. (I find the flavor mild but interesting, like vanilla.)

Apparently that's not known to science, but I feel certain that it's genetic, innate and not learned. It's inconceivable that I'll ever "acquire" a tolerance for that vile inedible substance. My partner loves it though.

https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-liquorice-whether...

https://www.shared.com/your-black-licorice-preference-depend...

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#166

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

verst wrote: post #153
icedistilled wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah Then purpose of the salty licorice with ammonium chloride must be to prevent people from consuming too much in one sitting. Usually I can only make it 2/3rd through a single piece before the ammonia flavor is too over powering.

I loved eating that stuff as a kid growing up in Germany. Still do, but can't easily find it in Seattle. It's a very acquired flavor... just like I absolutely cannot get used to the taste of IPAs.

> It's a very acquired flavor...

I don't think that it is actually "acquired". You liked it as a child, and still do. I find it to be vile and inedible, and always have. This preference seems to innate and fixed.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#167

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

Someone wrote: post #66
kempbellt wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> what made black licorice taste so good It's amazing that people can have such different tastes. I absolutely hate the taste of black licorice. Though the act of poisoning yourself and others for fun is an extremely normalized behavior, and has been for thousands of years. We just call it drinking (alcohol).

“I absolutely hate the taste of black licorice.“ Liquorice is an acquired taste ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acquired_taste ). You have to learn to like it.

> An acquired taste ... You have to learn to like it.

Why? it tastes inedible, repulsive and vile to me. I'm happy for your tastes, but people tend to either like licorice from an early age, or never do. The preference seems strongly innate, not "acquired". Why put myself through something horrid that my body does not want and never will?

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#168

Post by simongray »

MisterBastahrd wrote: post #150
djxfade wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's so strange to me as a Scandinavian to read this. We love that stuff

Can't imagine why someone from the land of fermented shark flesh would like the flavor of ammonia.

In Denmark we mixed in some pepper with the salt, making salty licorice with pepper inside (Tyrkisk Peber). People love that stuff.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#169

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

wrp wrote: post #135
Someone wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“I absolutely hate the taste of black licorice.“ Liquorice is an acquired taste ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acquired_taste ). You have to learn to like it.

Growing up in the USA, my impression was that licorice is one of the most popular candy flavors among children. As an adult, I was surprised to discover that every Korean and Japanese I offered licorice to reacted violently to the taste...wouldn't even try to be polite about it. I doubt it's genetic, so I've often wondered what about their diet predisposes them to have such a negative taste sensation.

> I doubt it's genetic

Why doubt it so much? "It's genetic" would be the simplest explanation why the preference so fixed and polarising. And also why it's concentrated in some geographic regions.

Re: Man dies from eating more than a bag of liquorice a day

#170

Post by xyzzy_plugh »

WorldMaker wrote: post #139
myself248 wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aw jeez seriously? Caffeine pills are helping me kick my Dew habit. I suppose if the pills go behind the counter I can just get a kilo of the lab-grade powder and portion it out myself... that would actually make it easier than trying to break the pills in half to taper the dose.

Everything I've read suggests you would be much better off using black coffee to wean from a soda habit, especially if you don't like the taste of black coffee (because it might just wean you off caffeine altogether). The ritual of brewing a cup of coffee (even as simplified as it has gotten with modern single cup machines) is a useful slowdown to measure your doses by. Also, it's an easier switch than "cold turkey"…

> Everything I've read suggests you would be much better off using black coffee to wean from a soda habit, especially if you don't like the taste of black coffee (because it might just wean you off caffeine altogether). The ritual of brewing a cup of coffee (even as simplified as it has gotten with modern single cup machines) is a useful slowdown to measure your doses by.

I find this funny. I don't have a soda habit (I do not enjoy drinking it regularly, but a couple times a month, maybe, is nice) but I drink a lot of black coffee! I love the taste, and even though I grind beans on a per-cup basis, and my kettle takes a while to get hot, and there is some cleanup involved, it doesn't stop me whatsoever. If I didn't like the taste, and needed milk/sugar, maybe things would be a different story...

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