When You Eat Too Many Jelly Beans, This Is What Happens

No matter how old you are, if there's one thing that can totally cheer you up, it's colorful candy. When you have something like jelly beans in front of you, it's hard to say no, isn't it? According to Reader's Digest, jelly bean flavors and preferences vary depending on which part of the world you find yourself in. For example, cherry is much loved in North and South America, while Asia has a soft spot for lemon and lime. Meanwhile, Europe is partial to tutti-frutti. Also, while adults seem to love flavors like coconut, licorice, juicy pear, and buttered popcorn; children love the classics like raspberry, berry blue, sour apple, and watermelon.

It helps that jelly beans are universal and are accessible to many people, regardless of their dietary preferences. As explained by Spoon University, these little wonders are dairy free, gluten-free, fat-free, Kosher, and peanut-free — but despite their accessibility and tempting flavor profile, you really shouldn't be eating too many jelly beans at once. This is why.

Jelly beans, like many things in life, are great in moderation but awful for you in excess. According to Find Any Answer, consuming too many jelly beans can cause several issues such as weight gain and obesity thanks to the amount of sugar in these candies coupled with a higher risk of heart disease, skin issues, and anxiety. Consuming too many of the tiny candies could also lead to increased blood pressure and, depending on what flavor is your favorite, possibly even more serious health problems. 

In 2017, a Canadian man ended up at the hospital thanks to his fondness for black jelly beans. The patient in question had been eating an entire bag of the licorice-flavored beans every single day, and was so addicted he couldn't kick his habit even at the hospital. His symptoms included a loss of appetite, vomiting, dry mouth, hypertension, and hypokalemia, which is a condition that is associated with low potassium levels (via The National Post.)

Doctors eventually figured out that the man's addiction to the surprisingly dangerous sweet was the reason for his health issues, and he was told to get rid of his habit. Within a few days of ditching the jelly beans, his blood pressure as well as potassium levels were back in the normal range. That said, you don't need to completely give up jelly beans, just snack on them in moderation.