Topic - Licorice In Pregnancy. Believe it or not, when mother ate large amounts of licorice while pregnant, her children performed at lower levels on intelligence tests and had shorter attention spans and more symptoms of ADHD than other kids.
One theory is that the compound, glycyrrhizin, in the licorice alters the placenta and allows damaging stress hormones to cross over into the baby’s developing brain.
Mother would have to eat a great deal of licorice to harm baby, but the study points out how everyday foods have the potential to influence the fetus’ developing brain.
It’s best to stick to a diet of freshly-prepared foods and avoid those with high levels of sugar and additives. Processed foods contain a great deal of salt and preservatives and are likely to have little nutritional value for baby or mother.
Pregnant women develop cravings, so if you eat lots and lots of a certain food, make sure it has no hidden dangers for baby.
