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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

#261
post #208
post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I've come across a few foods that appear to be heavily acquired tastes, and if you did not get used to it as a kid, it is very difficult to change your tastes. Licorice is definitely one for me, it makes me feel like I am eating tree sap. Others include perilla leaves (called sesame leaves in Korean cuisine) and cilantro (people who are not used to it says it tastes like soap).

Something I've discovered is one way to acquire a taste for things you want to like eating is to narrow your diet substantially to where that thing forms a substantial component of your sustenance.

Obviously this isn't a great idea if that thing is a junk food snack or the like, but if it's a nutritious healthy kind of thing you just don't enjoy yet, in my experience this method acquires an appreciation and even craving for it within a few months.

It's as if the body learns this is the stuff of survival that's in season now.

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

#262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The origin of salty licorice was as a throat lozenge (same reason a singer might gargle salt water ever so often to keep their throat healthy) in cold/freezing fishing waters. (The salt was the important bit, the licorice was just the flavor the fisherman really like to make it sweeter and easier to chew.) It wasn't invented to be an appetite suppressor, though for a lot of people it certainly is. (Not many people li…

> Not many people like salty licorice, given a choice Whenever I read something weird like this I always need to remind myself to mentally add the quantifier "in America". Salty licorice is very popular in a number of European countries including mine (NL).

Are you sure it's "in America" and not "outside Europe"?

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

#263
post #19

A man eats an entire bag of liquorice. This is what happened to his kidneys. Hyperliquemia Hyper, meaning high. liqu, referring to liquorice. emia, meaning presence in blood. High liquorice presence in blood. https://www.youtube.com/c/ChubbyemuGames/videos

A man presents to the emergency room (finger pointing to ceiling) complaining of ringing in his ear.

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

#264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disclaimer: I've always loved salty licorice and I'm American Black licorice is already a contentious flavor here, throwing a big pile of salt on it (however delicious that happens to be) further reduces the audience)

It's not salt. It's ammonium chloride. It's really really good actually.

It's not "salt" as in table salt / sodium chloride, but it is a salt.

And yes, it's great!

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

#265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disclaimer: I've always loved salty licorice and I'm American Black licorice is already a contentious flavor here, throwing a big pile of salt on it (however delicious that happens to be) further reduces the audience)

It's not salt. It's ammonium chloride. It's really really good actually.

[deleted]

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

#266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The origin of salty licorice was as a throat lozenge (same reason a singer might gargle salt water ever so often to keep their throat healthy) in cold/freezing fishing waters. (The salt was the important bit, the licorice was just the flavor the fisherman really like to make it sweeter and easier to chew.) It wasn't invented to be an appetite suppressor, though for a lot of people it certainly is. (Not many people li…

> Not many people like salty licorice, given a choice Whenever I read something weird like this I always need to remind myself to mentally add the quantifier "in America". Salty licorice is very popular in a number of European countries including mine (NL).

When I was in high school, one substitute teacher would try and get kids to compete over who could keep a piece of Dubbel Zout in their mouth the longest. I tapped into my Dutch ancestry and just calmly ate mine while everyone else seemed on the verge of tears.

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

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Humor aside: oven-roasted or pan-seared broccoli with garlic, salt, and butter tastes amazing! And depending on how much salt and butter you add, is probably way safer to eat than black liquorice.

Literally any vegetable is good with salt pepper and butter :)

Yes, once you've eliminated the taste of the vegetable you can start experimenting with lots of things that taste good!

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

#269
post #227
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 wondered the same about grapefruit and bitterness as well. I’ve compared relative bitterness of things to a grapefruit. My partner thinks grapefruit is less bitter than beer, or many items I consider barely bitter at all. Yet I find grapefruit to be incredibly bitter, out doing almost everything. Maybe that’s why I don’t like it much?

Is the flavor of grapefruit primarily bitterness? I guess that does sound right, but it was initially surprising to me, because I cannot stand grapefruit, but I very much enjoy all manner of strong coffee and bitter beers like IPAs.
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