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Sassafras root is still used to flavor traditional root beer, although since sassafras was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because of the carcinogenicity of its constituent safrole, most commercial recipes do not contain sassafras. Some commercial root beers do use a safrole-free sassafras extract.
Root beer was originally derived from sarsaparilla or sassafras root, giving it its name and its signature flavor. It has a darker color like a cola, but unlike many regular colas on the market, root beer is generally caffeine-free. However, not all root beer brands skip out on caffeine.