What's the deal with licorice? (and all these other food restrictions)

[Weevil]

And I'm not talking about Twizzlers, but real licorice. I've been craving candy this pregnancy, especially Skittles but I really don't want to eat those because of all the food dyes and other crap in them. So today I picked up an old favorite, Darrell Lea's "Soft Eating Liquorice" (yeah, still not healthy I know )

I got the black stuff and mango flavor, which is really yummy and hitting the candy craving spot quite nicely. Thing is, after I got them home and started snacking on them I'm reading the ingredients and see that they have "liquorice extract" (yes, even the mango flavored ones). So I decide to google it and find all kinds of stuff about how pregnant women shouldn't eat licorice because it can affect the baby's intelligence, cause premature birth, etc Of course, the studies say these things happened in women eating excessive amounts of licorice - but how much is that? Is any amount safe?

Honestly, I'm getting sick of all these food restrictions. I was restricted enough before pregnancy (I'm vegan, I have colitis and my triggers are things like soy - so no soy "meats", popcorn, coffee, alcohol, most raw veggies, etc). My herbal tea I was drinking instead of coffee (Roastaroma) has chicory root, so that's a no go. A lot of my other teas have hisbiscus, which I've also read is not recommended. I'm trying to avoid BPA, so most canned foods are out (not like I used a lot, mostly canned chickpeas, coconut milk, and tomatoes). At least I can get non-BPA versions of these (the chickpeas and coconut milk are way more expensive, and the tomatoes/tomato sauce in glass jars). It seems like every time I turn around there is a new food/substance I'm putting on my "no" list. I'd just like to know how many of these things really need to be on that list.

I'm trying to find some balance here and wondering what everyone else is doing/avoiding/not avoiding.

FWIW I'm pregnant with my first and trying to do things right. I'm also trying to "make up" for the meds I'm taking for my colitis (mesalamine and prednisone) by limiting exposure to other chemicals/substances that may be harmful.

[MovnMama]

Ugh, I so feel you on the restrictive pregnancy diet. I was really frustrated when I was preggo (2007). My worst was sushi (sorry, I know you're vegan) but you can't eat raw anything, fish or milk or whatever. Also cheeses (again with the vegan... sorry) but unpasteurized cheese/yogurt is a no go - this also killed me!

On the licorice, I only know that it's bad b/c it causes uterine cramps - I've never heard that other stuff. Which meant the day I hit 37 weeks I was pounding that licorice tea (love the stuff!) and now that I'm TTC, I avoid it like the plague. Hibiscus... I never heard about it being bad. I drank it iced all summer long before I popped. No negative effects. I honestly did eat unpasteurized cheese when I was pregnant - it's really the [I]chance[I] that you could get a bacteria, but those chances are low. I didn't eat it every day, but once, I really wanted some, so I ate it. BFD.

Honestly, everything is in some way going to be bad for you. You have to determine your priorities. BPA is a definite one to avoid. Have you tried buying dried items in bulk? We eat our chickpeas from the bulk section, not canned. Much cheaper and less of a recycling issue as well (no need for the can). I would worry a lot about medications (which you obviously are checked-in on and doing good with) but even then, I took my Xanex in the 1st tri before I knew I was PG. It's supposedly really bad and I freaked out about it, but DS turned out just fine.

In evaluating these issues, I would look at wording too. There's a difference between a warning that says DO NOT TAKE THIS - CAUSES BIRTH DEFECTS and reading an article online that says this tea has been linked in some cases to premature birth. And anything linking a food to intelligence... well, it's just not feasible or ethical to test that anyway. Sounds like conjecture.

Avoid the worst things and don't overthink it. The whole package of licorice candy probably wouldn't have a negative effect anyway... you'd need to eat it everyday the whole pregnancy...

[MaerynPearl]

FWIW... I pretty much ignore all food warnings during pregnancy as almost all of them are due to excessive amount and I try to avoid excessive amount. I do not eat ocean fish every single day but every now and then is fine.

I do not drink alcohol at all, though I did have a few sips of champagne at my wedding (26w5d) but it did not taste good enough to have more than the sips during the toast.

Really, before you avoid anything, read up on why and if it is just excessive amounts (and not a normal serving size) that causes it. For MOST things having 1 serving every now and then is not enough to cause the problems.

[Weevil]

MovnMama, yeah the no deli meats/unpasteurized cheeses/sushi/fish thing is pretty easy for me, since I already have those bases covered. Although I do sometimes get avocado rolls, but have been avoiding them because of the cross contamination issue (besides, it's more fun to make your own sushi at home - and much less expensive )

I do have dry bulk chickpeas here. I've always failed when I've tried to cook them at home before (which is weird, because I cook almost all my beans from scratch - black/red/pinto/white/azuki/etc). I do have a pressure cooker my MIL gave us that I've been scared of that I've been meaning to try the chickpeas in. (Was hoping to cook a big batch and bottle them, but couldn't find any mason jars at Target today).

MaerynPearl, If I did drink alcohol, I wouldn't worry too much about a few sips here and there (but I avoid it because it's murder on my colitis).

I don't think I'm going to worry too much about the licorice. I usually only have 2 or 3 small pieces to kill a sugar craving every few days. And for the mango flavor the "liquorice extract" is listed after salt on the ingredients, and there's only 15 mg sodium in 3 pieces.

[CherryBomb]

Food restrictions drive me nuts. I just eat everything in moderation and don't worry about it.

[Banana731]

FWIW- In Japan, pregnant women do not stop eating sushi. They think it's very healthy for them and the baby actually. And I would bet that French women don't stop eating raw cheeses either.

I personally don't get the "I don't trust modern maternity system, except when it comes to what I can't eat" thing.

[trimestersdoula]

My first pregnancy, I avoided everything you aren't 'supposed' to have. This time I am MUCH more layed back. A cup of coffee here and there, pop once in a while, soft cheeses on occasion, Subway, etc. I just don't eat/drink these things like they are going out of style. My doctor even said "everything in moderation." I still can't bring myself to touch alcohol. I think all the ads on T.V. have really got in my head LOL.

[lillymonster]

The only time I said no to straight licorice was when my chiro recommend taking the pills for my stomach issues - I had ulcers when I was younger that has decided to act up while pregnant. The pills are supposed to help alleviate ulcers. I think the extract pills might be a little much, but the candy itself I don't worry about, because I would think there would be a higher concentration in the pills. I wasn't worrying about the papaya enzymes I was taking until they started to kill my stomach.

Pretty much I avoid things that make me feel bad for my stomach now. I eat tuna fish, lunch meat, blue cheese, soda, etc. I didn't even know about the lunch meat thing until my third trimester of my last pregnancy and by then I had so many turkey sandwiches I figured I would probably have gotten sick by then. I never heard of chicory root other than you can have stomach/bathroom issues with it. I avoid it for that reason.

As for the drugs, I am the opposite, I take no drugs while not pregnant, but in order for me to make it through pregnancy, I have to be a walking medicine chest. It's not something I am happy about, but it allows me to function.

[RedOakMomma]

Unless you're eating pure licorice root, and a lot of it, and EVERY week, you're probably fine:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery...7163_3,00.html

I love licorice. Had a couple of pieces of black licorice yesterday, actually. Not worried.

[Monarchgrrl]

Originally Posted by Banana731

I personally don't get the "I don't trust modern maternity system, except when it comes to what I can't eat" thing.

EXACTLY!!! Many (or most) of us on MDC don't agree with the whole modern maternity system/medical model of care for pregnancy and birth, yet we swallow the food "dis-allowances" so easily. Why is that?

My midwife is actively trying to get me to eat raw cheese and milk. She says the best thing I could do is to drink raw milk! I don't do it because I don't like anything fattier than 1% milkfat. She says sushi and everything else is perfectly fine and not to restrict anything that is healthy that I like. The philosophy is that if it's not healthy for a non-pregnant person to consume then a pregnant woman shouldn't either, like soda or tons of sugar. But if it's healthy for a non-pregnant person, then it's healthy for me!

[mra]

I also love black licorice and I also buy the good, natural stuff. I haven't stopped eating it. I also went for sushi, but only ate cooked sushi. I didn't realize how many options there were because I normally eat the raw stuff! It was so yummy. I know the possibility of cross contamination is there, but I just don't want to be super paranoid about everything. There were two other visibly pregnant women there eating sushi as well. I don't normally eat deli meat, but I've been craving a sandwich from Beyond Bread. Of course, the sandwich I like also has brie on it, which we aren't supposed to eat. I'm sure I'll give in and eat my sandwich one of these days! As for canned food, I have always tried to stay away from eating too much, but we do get the chickpeas to make hummus and to eat on our salad. I've had some canned pineapple and some quail eggs. I know I can buy these things fresh, but our kitchen is tiny and with my changing appetite, things go bad quickly and then I'm wasting a bunch of money. I'm sure my mom ate a ridiculous amount of canned goods when she was pregnant with me and I'm fine! I try to stay away from plastic, but again, it just isn't realistic for me to avoid all plastic. I'm also trying to avoid a lot sugar, but for some reason really chocolatey milk stays down well at this point, so I don't berate myself for drinking it. At least the milk is organic! I eat fish about twice a week, sticking with fish that is supposedly low in mercury.

I went to Europe and I'm sure I ate unpasteurized cheese, but I couldn't help myself, it was so good!

I'm sure I've eaten other things that are advised against, but like others have said, eaten in moderation everything should be fine.

Don't worry too much!

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by Monarchgrrl

EXACTLY!!! Many (or most) of us on MDC don't agree with the whole modern maternity system/medical model of care for pregnancy and birth, yet we swallow the food "dis-allowances" so easily. Why is that?

My midwife is actively trying to get me to eat raw cheese and milk. She says the best thing I could do is to drink raw milk! I don't do it because I don't like anything fattier than 1% milkfat. She says sushi and everything else is perfectly fine and not to restrict anything that is healthy that I like. The philosophy is that if it's not healthy for a non-pregnant person to consume then a pregnant woman shouldn't either, like soda or tons of sugar. But if it's healthy for a non-pregnant person, then it's healthy for me!

I would find somewhere to give it a try. IME (and we drink nothing but raw milk) it's not as heavy as you'd expect. I expected a glass of cream and was pleasantly surprised to have this light and clean tasting glass of milk.


Yeah, this time around I haven't done most of the recommendations. I feel comfortable with that.

[moonjunio]

I am also much more relaxed this time around. Read the Mothering or even the Mayo Clinic food tips, not Babycenter and for god's sake not Google :-) You will find restrictions on anything if you look for it.

Like everything else in the mainstream medical world, the thinking is "just in case." Just in case the sushi has parasites, just in case the eggs have salmonella, just in case the deli workers don't follow safe food handling practices... etc etc.

I think it's about how much you trust the source. I trust my local delicatessen to make a quality turkey salad sandwich. I wouldn't buy a pre-made turkey sandwich from the fridge at 7-11 though. (Well, not that I would want that in the first place, heh!) I might trust a really authentic sushi bar known for getting fresh fish daily (like they do in Japan), though I wouldn't overdo the tuna and I'd skip oysters. I can resist a california roll from the local fish joint, but I think the veggie rolls and fried rolls are just fine unless the place is truly sketchy.

And as for unpastuerized cheese, you can't even find that most places. I think there's a law... check your brie, I'm 99% sure it's made with pastuerized milk. A nice French restaurant might make their own, or maybe find it at the farmer's market, something like that.

So yeah, you can pick and choose what you agree with, and use moderation.

[AZgirl2207]

Originally Posted by fyvel

I do have dry bulk chickpeas here. I've always failed when I've tried to cook them at home before (which is weird, because I cook almost all my beans from scratch - black/red/pinto/white/azuki/etc). I do have a pressure cooker my MIL gave us that I've been scared of that I've been meaning to try the chickpeas in. (Was hoping to cook a big batch and bottle them, but couldn't find any mason jars at Target today).

Try cooking your chickpeas in the crockpot. I don't soak or anything fancy--just toss them in, cover with water, and cook on low for 6 hours. Salt or a bay leaf if you remember. I usually do a bunch then freeze in individual serving sizes. HTH

[luckiest]

I assumed that before I was pregnant I would be SUPER careful about everything that I ate, and while that's held true to some extent (as far as making sure I'm getting enough protein and nutritive produce and whatnot), I've basically completely ignored all the traditional "no-no's."

You get more benefits from raw fish than cooked (omegas are heat sensitive), so I eat it maybe twice a month, and go for salmon rather than tuna. I've read a couple of places now that the risks of not eating fish and not getting omegas and DHA and all that is greater than the risk of listeria or mercury exposure. Raw milk is undeniably, unbelievably so much better for you than pasteurized (provided you're getting it from a reliable source -- it can be sold in stores in CA, so I go on the day of the week I know it's delivered to my local grocery so it's super fresh), my midwives encourage me drinking raw milk.

I do avoid BPA, and I do buy nitrate-free bacon. I try to buy organic veggies and organic fruits if it's something I eat the skin of. I avoided corn syrup and most refined sugar in my pre-preg life, so no change there. I just don't like lunch meat that much, so I haven't been eating it, but if I did I'd probably buy pre-packaged from a big grocery with high turnover, not the guy on the corner who lets stuff sit until two days past expiration.

That's a long way to say that I agree with everyone above; moderation is key, and so is understanding why you're "supposed" to avoid it in the first place.

[Weevil]

Thanks for all of the advice, ladies It makes me feel better to know not everyone is being super strict. Not that I was, I just didn't really know what things were really important to be concerned about. I'm not taking in insane amounts of caffeine, but if I'm craving a soda, I have one (regular: I always avoid aspartame because it triggers migraines and it kind of scares me anyway...), though I did find some "natural" sodas that don't have caffeine or HFCS and actually taste really nice so I've been having those instead (will still drink Coke at a restaurant though). And I haven't been avoiding chocolate, because I've been craving it like mad (I'm not usually a big chocolate person), even 80% tastes amazing to me right now when usually I prefer 70%. And I've been having more sugar than usual - I'm craving candies of all things (which is weird for me).

So I'm not being super crazy strict (even though sometimes I think I am with the BPA and organic thing (especially for the dirty dozen, not so concerned about the clean fifteen), but I really do think those things are important).

Originally Posted by RedOakMomma

Unless you're eating pure licorice root, and a lot of it, and EVERY week, you're probably fine:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery...7163_3,00.html

I love licorice. Had a couple of pieces of black licorice yesterday, actually. Not worried.

This is what I was looking for, thank you! I read the study, and the amounts, but I couldn't figure out how that converted over to the type of licorice I have. I'm so NOT worried any more

Originally Posted by AZgirl2207

Try cooking your chickpeas in the crockpot. I don't soak or anything fancy--just toss them in, cover with water, and cook on low for 6 hours. Salt or a bay leaf if you remember. I usually do a bunch then freeze in individual serving sizes. HTH

I have the crappiest crock pot on earth It ruins beans, boils the heck out of them, even on the lowest setting. I always love using my mom's old crockpot when I go there, it's probably 20 years old and makes perfect beans every time. I think I read something somewhere about the new ones being set to a higher temperature for food safety reasons? Or maybe it's just because I got a cheapo one

I think I'm going to try the pressure cooker. I really need to stop avoiding it, and I used my last can of BPA free chickpeas. In fact, I think I may go put the chickpeas to soak so I can cook them tomorrow. My husband is off tomorrow and I can make him do the scary parts with the pressure cooker