If you’re a fan of sweets but trying to lessen those sugar pangs, choosing sugar-free options can appear the ideal fix. But take caution – there’s an often-overlooked downside.
A man’s harrowing experience has gone viral after he failed to take seriously the product warning on a pack of sugar-free gummies.
Taking to Reddit, with an accompanying image of the tempting sugar-free treats he bought from Aldi, he recalled his overconfidence.
He penned: “I know it says on the back excessive consumption may produce laxative effects… But if like me you read that and think ‘f*** it, I’ve got an iron stomach’ or as Withnail says ‘B***! I’ll swallow it and run a mile’ do not make the same mistake I did at lunchtime and eat the whole pack.”
His overindulgence in the vegan-friendly sugar-free soft foams had gut-wrenching consequences. The man described: “Waves of absolutely spectacular flatulence every so often punctuated with high pressure jets liquid s***.”
Determined to salvage the evening for a stand-up gig, he continued: “Fairly sure I’ve got some Imodium at home which might get me through the stand up gig I’m meant to be going to tonight. We’ve all seen the funny reviews of what happens when you overindulge in this sugar free stuff but seriously, it’s all true and rather unpleasant.”
Time and again, consumers are caught off guard by the laxative effect of sugar substitutes, leading to comedic yet distressing predicaments.
The NHS warns against the excessive consumption of certain sweeteners, stating: “Some sweeteners known as polyols (such as sorbitol, xylitol and erythritol) can have a laxative effect if consumed in large amounts. Some foods contain polyols naturally, such as certain fruits and vegetables. If polyols added to a food or drink makeup more that 10% of a product, the product label must state that excessive consumption may produce laxative effects.”
Sorbitol, one of these sugar substitutes found in apricots, apples, pears, and avocados, has been linked to causing stomach issues like bloating, cramps, and diarrhoea at high levels.
Social media users have been left howling with laughter over the side effects of indulging in sugar-free sweets. One mirthful commentary read: “Every time I need a pick-me-up I hunt down these on Amazon and read the (comically graphic) reviews…” Another shared their own harrowing tale: “Similar explosive experience with sugar free lollipops, spent a meeting slowly blowing up like Augustus Gloop before exiting to the car park like an unknotted balloon. I didn’t need to use my legs to get to the car..”
One more penned a humorous yet distressing account: “I was on medical advice to avoid sugar for 3 months back in 2014. Well.. colour me (and my loo) surprised when, about 30 minutes after polishing off a whole bag of Haribo sugar-free bears, I erupted like an inverted Mount Vesuvius for almost 2 days straight. Sugar-free sweets are something else, but significantly cheaper and more effective than detox diet supplements!”
