Some interesting facts & history about sarsaparilla…

Sarsaparilla is a tropical plant used throughout history to treat conditions like arthritis, psoriasis, and syphilis.

For centuries, indigenous people around the world used the root of the sarsaparilla plant for treating joint problems like arthritis, and for healing skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. The root was also thought to cure Hansen’s disease (leprosy) due to its “blood-purifying” properties.

A recent study showed that sarsaparilla had anticancer properties in cell lines of multiple types of cancers and in mice. Preclinical studies in breast cancer tumors and liver cancer have also shown the antitumor properties of sarsaparilla.

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/sarsaparilla

So, why did the FDA ban the use of sarsaparilla…

Sassafras (a tree) and sarsaparilla (a vine) were traditionally used--along with other substances like licorice root, mint, nutmeg, and more--to flavour root beer. Recipes for root beer similar to what we know today date back to 1860, and sassafras root beverages date back even further, made by indigenous peoples for medicinal and culinary purposes.

But modern root beer doesn’t contain any real sassafras root anymore, why not?

Well, sassafras and sarsaparilla both contain safrole, a compound recently banned by the FDA due to its carcinogenic effects. Safrole was found to contribute to liver cancer in rats when given in high doses, and thus it and sassafras or sarsaparilla-containing products were banned.

But more recent studies have actually failed to find evidence that the effects seen in rats occur in humans.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/did-you-know/root-root-beer-sassafras#:~:text=Safrole%20was%20found%20to%20contribute,in%20rats%20occur%20in%20humans.

Sarsaparilla was made from the Sarsaparilla vine, while Root Beer, roots of the sassafras tree. These days, Root Beer recipes do not include sassafras as the plant has been found to cause serious health issues. The vine was banned by the American Food and Drug Administration for commercial food production in 1960.

https://www.bundaberg.com/en-us/the-difference-between-root-beer-and-sarsaparilla/#:~:text=Sarsaparilla%20was%20made%20from%20the,commercial%20food%20production%20in%201960.