This expert declared that Skittles and other candies are among the worst foods for metabolism and blood sugar. It’s not hard to understand why.
No one is eating candy for the health benefits. It’s typically consumed for pure enjoyment and can be kinda hard to put down once you start.
This doctor explained that, aside from candy being empty calories, it might also be affecting your energy levels. There’s a very real reason why: sugar.
Doctor warns against eating certain foods
Antiaging page @antiagingmission recently reposted a podcast excerpt in which Dr. Casey Means (@drcaseyskitchen) reveals what foods are bad for glucose levels.
“The worst food in our entire data set of 51 million glucose data points is Skittles,” said Dr. Means.
The doctor explained that Skittles have an average glucose rise set of 83mg per deciliter.
“You are going to almost inevitably crash after that type of spike,” Means said.
And other candies aren’t safe from scrutiny. The other worst offenders are Sour Patch Kids, caramel corn, and just about anything else that is “congealed sugar, basically,” Dr. Means said.
A culprit that might surprise you? Cereals. Many cause extreme spikes in glucose levels, ranging from sugary ones advertised to kids like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms to others marketed as being heart healthy like Honey Nut Cheerios, per Dr. Means.
Those can spike your glucose levels by about 60mg/dL or above, she said.
“All the common American breakfast foods are in the worst hundred foods that score,” Dr. Means added, referring to foods like muffins, waffles, and pancakes.
So what should you eat?
On the opposite end, the foods that cause little glucose spike do include a handful of breakfast foods. But those tend to be more on the savory side or feature whole ingredients.
They include frittata, avocado and eggs, chia pudding, greek yogurt, and berries.
“This one’s straightforward. Don’t eat those first things,” Dr. Means recommended.
The Daily Dot could not find the study Dr. Means, a prominent supporter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was referring to in the clip.
Skittles can be used to quickly treat low blood sugar.
“It will do a faster job than a chocolate bar because it contains no protein and just a little bit of fat—so the sugar will hit your bloodstream quickly,” Everyday Health reports.
Blood glucose explained
Blood glucose, or blood sugar, is the body’s main source of energy. It’s mainly derived from the carbohydrates in your food and drinks.
“Your body’s designed to keep the level of glucose in your blood constant,” WebMD reports.
Your blood sugar levels should naturally rise after you eat and fall a few hours later as your body moves the glucose into your cells.
If you’re not diabetic, then a healthy blood glucose level is 70 to 99 mg/dL, but 50 to 70 mg/dL can also be normal, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
If your levels are at 100 to 125 mg/dL, then you’re likely prediabetic and have up to a 50% chance of developing Type 2 diabetes in the next five to 10 years, though steps can be taken to reverse prediabetes. A medical professional would likely advise you to avoid foods like Skittles and sugary cereal.
Commenters react
Instagram users who commented on the clip weren’t exactly surprised that Skittles and other candies are bad for you.
“Thank god it’s not Nerds Clusters,” the top comment reads.
“But I love Sour Skittles it’s an addiction I can’t stop,” another person joked.
“All the food they give out at school and nursing homes,” a third pointed out.
“So this is why I get a headache 0.2 seconds after eating Skittles,” a commenter shared.
The Daily Dot reached out to Dr. Means for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message and to Skittles via email.
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